When Melbourne star forward-ruck Tayla Harris moved from Carlton to Melbourne after the 2021 season, there was a false perception she was doing it for the money. But Dees captain Daisy Pearce couldn’t be more adamant those rumours were wrong.
What Melbourne got was a caring player, who would “do anything for her teammates”.
Tayla Harris takes in the victory.Credit:Getty Images
“It was kind of pitched that we were getting someone that wanted to be the star of the show – this is externally, like this is what I was reading – that was chasing money, that didn’t really care enough, didn’t work hard enough. She is none of those things. She’s the opposite,” said Pearce.
It was widely reported last year that Harris requested $150,000 from Carlton to stay, despite her manager Alex Saundry refuting those claims.
Now after this weekend, the 25-year-old has gone from a star talked about for her kicking style and Instagram following, to being a premiership player with a lot of heart at a club that’s been driven by the ‘Demon Spirit’ and caring for one another.
“She’s all about the team,” said Pearce. “She just worked her absolute butt off and will do anything for us both on field and off. She’s an incredible person.
“So I said to Waz, Lisa [Harris’ parents], if Sylvie [Pearce’s daughter] grows up to be the type of daughter that Tayla is to them, I’ll be bloody proud.”
Tayla Harris and the Demons celebrate what turned out to be the match-winning goal.Credit:AFL Photos
Harris played in her fourth grand final with three different clubs, and finally won her premiership medal.
“I’m speechless,” Harris told The Age in the rooms after the game. “You can’t put it [the feeling] into words, it’s just too good. It’s what you play footy for, to have these moments to celebrate with the people that you love to go to work with every day.
“It’s really special and not something that everyone gets to achieve.”
Harris said it wasn’t just about winning the cup on the day, but all the moments that got her – and the playing group – to this point.
“It’s not just winning the premiership, it’s the whole season and the season before that,” she said.
Her father Warren, beeming with pride after the siren sounded, said his daughter’s premiership day has been a long time coming.
“She’s been through so much crap in her life and football career, to get to this point, with these girls, is just so good. It’s hard to put into words,” he told The Age.
“I’ve played myself, I’ve played in grand finals, I’ve won and lost them, but I’ve never been happier than to have her win this one.”
Heading into the game, Harris was touted as potentially being the difference between when they last played, and lost, to the Lions earlier in the season – when she was out with suspension – and Sunday.
In the low-scoring premiership decider, that saw defenders shine and keep all goalkickers quiet, Harris kicked one of Melbourne’s two to win the game. She was also matched against the Lions’ Shannon Campbell, who took out the best-on-ground medal.
Pearce said the club got “so lucky” when they recruited her, not just for her football ability – including aerial prowess and goalkicking – but for “the human that she is as well”.
“We’re just so lucky to have her as a player and then the human being … she’s an incredible human being, the amount of heart that she’s got.”
