Sep 12th, 2019

Sep 12th, 2019

An AFL legend has kicked up a stink over Tayla Harris' statue at Federation Square, unveiled on Wednesday in Melbourne.

The AFLW star was at the centre of a major sports story earlier this year when she was the target of revolting trolls online after an incredible image of her kicking the ball at full extension went viral online.

Harris called out the trolls that harassed her and made inappropriate comments about her in response to that image taken by renowned sports photographer Michael Wilson. It exposed the sexism that women in sport face, and led to a huge swell of support for AFLW players.

The NAB-commissioned statue of Harris has upset some AFL pundits though, with former Premiership coach Malcolm Blight among the critics.

"She is getting a statue for being trolled online. Mystifying to me. One of the most mystifying things I have ever heard of. I am not happy about it," Blight said on Sportsday SA.

Tayla Harris attends her sculpture unveiling at Federation Square (Getty)

"We have Sam our producer, Ben another producer and Will our panel operator they have all been trolled online. I want a statue of one of these three to go alongside Tayla Harris because that's how ludicrous and silly the whole thing is.

"What's the difference between a male and a female in that environment?

"What about all the AFL players, all the SANFL players, all the WAFL players, all those players around Australia being trolled by d---heads, on a medium that I know very little about? Why aren't they getting a statue?

"That's how stupid the whole thing is."

When the statue was revealed, Harris described the experience seeing her image in bronze as "surreal".

"It's a pretty surreal feeling, it's incredible and it's more than me just kicking football, it's a message, it's a turning point in Australian society, so it's something I can be personally proud of," Harris said.

"This is going to help people, whether it's in a small way, in a big way and that's all I and people that have their heads screwed on care about, that it's giving people a feeling of empowerment."

The NSW sculptor Terrance Plowright told Nine News the statue was "unprecedented".

"She is delightful," Plowright said of Harris.

It is yet to have a permanent home, but for now the 3.3 metre-tall statue will remain at Federation Square.

"I'm really proud of it - myself, the AFLW community and the broader community that were involved in what happened and brought this statue into the forefront," Harris said.