On Friday, the club announced the signing of women’s football “superstar” Tayla Harris ahead of the 2017 AFL National Women’s League Season, in an historic milestone for the Club.
19-year-old Harris joins the club as our first marquee player and spoke to LionsTV about the prospect of playing professional football in her hometown.
“I’m very excited for everything that’s happening, it’s a huge thing for the AFL and the Lions especially,” Harris told LionsTV.
“I get to stay in Queensland and my family and friends will still be around to support me.”
Harris was just five years old when she began playing footy at the Aspley Hornets, where she grew up playing against current Brisbane Lions, Ben Keays and Harris Andrews.
“I played there until I wasn’t allowed to – at 14 years, girls aren’t allowed to play anymore,” said Harris.
“Now I’m playing at the Zillmere Eagles and in recent years everything’s just happened all at once with the state team’s forming and the women’s team and now the Lions.”
Having already played three AFL Women’s exhibition matches for the Melbourne Football Club, Harris will line-up in the Brisbane Lions outfit to take on her former teammates in a curtain-raiser to the senior men’s game on Sunday at the MCG.
“Playing against Melbourne Football Club is going to be a bit different, a few of my friends still play there,” said Harris.
“I’m sure we’ll have a laugh at the start and the finish but during the game I’ll give my all for the Lions.”
As well as being the Club’s marquee player, Harris will also take on a full-time role at the Lions, driving female participation in her role as the Communications and Community Coordinator.
Harris will appear on Fox Footy’s AFL360 Thursday night.
Watch the women's game on Sunday:
The women’s game against Melbourne kicks off at the MCG at 10.05am on Sunday 22 May, with the men’s team to play at 1.10pm. General admission tickets purchased before 5pm Thursday 19 May are $15 and provide access to both games.
Purchase tickets HERE.
You can also watch the game live from 10:05am on CH 504 Fox Footy.
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