Carlton AFLW coach Daniel Harford has emphatically dismissed Collingwood defender Stacey Livingstone’s description of star Blues forward Tayla Harris as “useless”.
Livingstone was one of the Magpies’ best during their 15-point win over Carlton at Ikon Park on Sunday, restricting Harris to one goal while helping herself to 15 disposals.
When asked about her match-up with Harris after the game by host broadcaster Channel Seven, Livingstone remarked: “You’ve just got to stop her in the air. That’s her game and if you can do that, she’s useless.”
But a bemused Harford was having none of that and put Livingstone’s brutal assessment down to an adrenaline rush following her great individual performance.
“God love her (Livingstone),” laughed Harford, who used to be a senior assistant with the Magpies women’s team.
“Anyone who’s watched Tayla play would know that that’s not the case – that’s borderline garbage.
“To suggest that there’s only one element to Tayla’s game is fodder.”
Harris, who is also a boxer, is no stranger to a public spotfire, but Harford expected his charge to handle the latest one in her customary way.
“She moves forward pretty quick, Tay,” Harford said.
“She gets punched in the nose a lot in her other job and once that happens, you can’t just sit there and let yourself get punched in the nose again.”
In the media conference afterwards, Livingstone backpedalled slightly, admitting it was “a bit of smack talk” but she didn’t waiver too much from her initial comments.
“She’s a really good player,” Livingstone said of Harris.
“You’ve just got to stop her run to the ball and if you can stop her aerially, she doesn’t do all that much.
“This is my fourth year playing on her, so I kind of know how to play on her which is really satisfying.”
Forward Sarah D’Arcy was also pivotal in Collingwood’s first ever AFL Women’s win against Carlton, with 13 touches, three marks and 1.2. If she wasn’t kicking goals, D’Arcy was setting them up in what was an incredibly influential performance.
Collingwood forwards Jordan Membrey (two goals, 11 disposals), Aishling Sheridan (one goal, 14 disposals) and Jordyn Allen were also key performers.
The Blues were best served by Grace Egan, who had 18 touches and a game-high ten tackles, Madison Prespakis (17 disposals), Chloe Dalton (13) and Jess Hosking (11 disposals, five tackles).
Carlton’s endeavour couldn’t be questioned as they finished with more tackles (66-44) and clearances (23-18), but their inaccuracy in front of goal and lack of polish cost them with the final score reading 6.3 (39) to 3.6 (24) in favour of the Magpies.
Collingwood were more efficient than the Blues and they capitalised on their dominance of disposals (246-188) and contested possessions (116-101).
Raimond
Roar Guru
Ranked near the bottom of the competition for ground-ball gets. Harsh, but fair.
Birdman
Roar Rookie
Respect your opponent or expect it to come back to bite you, I reckon.
BrokenSocContract
Roar Rookie
So refreshing to hear an honest opinion. Move away from the perfectly manufactured vanilla professionals and these type of comments are repeated in club rooms right across the nation. It's footy,it's hard and the girls are doing the right thing by our magnificent game and playing it that way. Keep it up ladies, personally I think you are great ambassadors for our game
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Closest thing I can think of in recent memory was Nick Robertson calling the Suns soft back in 2018 before we played them, Fagan wasn't too thrilled about that being said. That being said I really liked the honesty, one player to another. Let's see Harris use it as inspiration.
Slane
Guest
I don't think it has anything to do with media-coaching or lack thereof and everything to do with media organisations deserately farming 'outrage clicks'. Put it in the same category as the AFLM debacle last week. The headlines are deliberately inflammatory while the actual video/comments are nothing of the sort.
Macca
Roar Rookie
Yesterday she was pretty useless when the ball hit the ground. But seriously the male AFL players have become so over coached in the media and so afraid to say anything and here we get a genuine insight into how Harris is perceived by her opposition (good player, hard to stop on in the air so stop her run and make her compete on the ground where she struggles) and everyone goes into a tizz that someone uses the wrong word while exhausted and excited straight after a good win.
shifty
Roar Rookie
Seriously? Useless is where you draw the line?
Birdman
Roar Rookie
Fair enough, Macca but the word 'useless' appears to be the problem here - that's going a bit too far in the trash talk stakes IMHO
Aransan
Roar Rookie
But the media likes controversy!
Macca
Roar Rookie
The way Livingstone (BOG for mine) just completely destroyed Harris it is hard to argue she is wrong but this is being blown out of proportion. Lets look at what she said; “She’s a really good player” Correct. “You’ve just got to stop her run to the ball” Correct. ” if you can stop her aerially, she doesn’t do all that much.” After yesterday it is hard to say it is incorrect.