After a forgettable 2021 season, high profile forward Tayla Harris left Carlton following a pay dispute. Now a Demon, her new coach has given his first read on his new recruit.
The high-profile forward joined the Demons in June as part of a mega trade involving seven players and five clubs.
Catch all the ICC T20 World Cup action live & exclusive to Fox Cricket, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today.
It followed a forgettable season in which she finished outside the top 15 in Carlton’s club best-and-fairest.
Demons skipper Daisy Pearce supported the recruitment of the blonde key forward, and Stinear said Harris had fit right into her new AFLW home.
“Tayla’s been quite honest that when Covid hit last year she found that quite challenging and she didn’t have an ideal preparation leading into last season,” he said.
“And we’ve experienced it as well with our players that a change of environment for some players is exactly what they need and it helps get the best out of them.
“We certainly hope that’s the case and the way she’s training and competing at the moment, things are looking really promising.
“She’s a pretty special athlete with a lot of talent and she’s really bought into our program and her role within the team.
“I think her physicality and athleticism up forward and her finishing ability around goal combined with her selfless nature, she’s going to bring something we haven’t had in our forward line before.”
Pre-season training officially starts for the Demons on Thursday, and it’s hoped, internally, Melbourne’s AFL premiership last month might rub off on the women’s team.
“When the women’s program started, that was the start of Goody (Simon Goodwin) taking over and it’s been a build over time to get to the point of what they achieved this season,” Stinear said.
“But I think our women’s program will learn a lot from what the boys have done.”
This season could be the last for Pearce, 33, who is still chasing an AFLW premiership medal.
“She had a decision to make at the end of the season with two young kids and the workload she’s got, it’s a big commitment to sign up for another season,” Stinear said.
“We certainly don’t take that lightly … and we just want to make the most of this one I want to see her have her most successful and most enjoyable season yet and that would be ideal if that culminated with a grand final win.”
The new AFLW season starts in early January.
Originally published as AFLW: Latest news and updates ahead of the 2022 season
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
