Tayla Harris is one of the shining stars of the AFL Women’s competition and is the current Australian super welterweight champion and ranked in the top ten middleweight boxers in the world. In 2021, Tayla was awarded the Victoria Young Australian of the Year Award.

Tayla is a young Australian athlete making her mark on the sports field and beyond. As a footballer in the AFLW, she was Carlton Football Club’s leading goal-kicker in 2019, receiving the JLT Mark of the Year Award for two years running. In boxing, Tayla holds the Australian super welterweight title and is undefeated in eight professional fights.

After a photograph of Tayla kicking a goal became the target of sexualised trolling online in 2019, she courageously used this experience to fight online bullying and disrespect towards women. In September 2019, a bronze statue immortalising the image was unveiled in Federation Square Melbourne.

Tayla is now a powerful advocate for respectful relationships. She is an ambassador for Our Watch, an organisation working to prevent violence against women. She is also active in Carlton Respects, a Carlton Football Club community initiative that promotes gender equality in Australian schools and workplaces. Her co-authored 2020 book, ‘More Than a Kick’, provides advice to young people on how to navigate social media and deal with online bullying.