'Oh my god': Jaw-dropping new photo in female footy furore
Move over Tayla Harris?
Another female footy player has stolen the spotlight after an incredible photo went viral over the weekend.
Erin Wardrop was in action for the St George Dragons in the Sydney women’s division three grand final against Holroyd Parramatta when she was snapped in a jaw-dropping moment.
Wardrop jumped for a spoil and managed to do the splits in mid-air, knocking the ball away from opponent Michala Ford.
“Omggg Ahahahhaha how did I manage that,” Wardrop commented when the photo by Nigel Owen was posted to the AFL NSW/ACT Instagram account.
Wardrop, who is also an elite cheerleader, also performed a brilliant forward flip while trying to avoid an opposition player in the same game, before making a crunching tackle.
There were so many great moment in @StGeorgeWomens Div 3 Grand Final win in our first season on the weekend, but this one is amazing.
I've never seen this on a footy field before!@aflwomens @outersanctum01 @womeninsportau @AFLSydney pic.twitter.com/0w0MSOHh6n— Warren Tegg (@WarrenTegg) September 16, 2019
Controversy over Tayla Harris statue
Last week Malcolm Blight added his voice to the criticism of the decision to honour Harris’ iconic kick with a statue.
A photograph of the kick became a viral sensation earlier this year after sparking a spirited defence of women in sport when Harris was targeted by online trolls posting offensive comments.
The 22-year-old AFLW player said she was humbled by the 3.3m tall statue, which was unveiled at Federation Square but does not yet have a permanent home.
"It doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman, young or old - everyone has a right to do what they love," Harris said.
"That's what I want people to see when they look at this."
However the statue has sparked some controversy, with debate raging about whether Harris actually deserves it.
On Thursday, AFL legend Blight described it as “ludicrous” and “mystifying”.
“She is getting a statue for being trolled online. Mystifying to me,” Blight said on Sportsday SA Radio.
“One of the most mystifying things I have ever heard of. I am not happy about it.
“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.”
