'She'd smack them': What the trolls don't know about Tayla Harris

AFL great Johnathan Brown has challenged those who trolled Tayla Harris to step into the boxing ring with her.

The AFLW star, who this week became the target of sexist and vile comments over a photo of her kicking a goal for Carlton, is actually an accomplished boxer.

‘GET A LIFE’: Fan with Tayla Harris tattoo hits out at trolls

She’s 4-0 in her career, something the trolls probably didn’t realise that about her.

Or they did know, hence why they hid behind their keyboards when they degraded her.

Speaking on Nova breakfast radio on Friday, former Brisbane Lions champion Brown declared she’d ‘smack’ the trolls ‘from pillar to post’ in the square circle.

“Obviously some of the trolls got on Twitter, some of the creeps on Twitter. A lot of sexist comments got out of control — it was an absolute disgrace,” he told Chrissie, Sam and Browny.

“I would love to see these creeps who write these comments go up against Tayla Harris — she is 4-0 in the boxing ring — and she would smack those little creeps from pillar to post.

“What an absolute bloody disgrace. You should be embarrassed of yourselves (trolls).

“And you know what? They probably don’t care, because they’ve got no hope, they’ve got no character and they sit in front of their little computer and they probably play with little things, so they should be bloody embarrassed.

“They are the dregs of humanity!”

Harris grateful for support

Harris has thanked her heavyweight supporters after the star’s powerful call for change which has disarmed internet nasties and fuelled a possible rebrand for the sport.

Harris has endured a whirlwind 48 hours after a photo, taken by Michael Wilson, of her playing for Carlton had been set upon by online bullies.

The 21-year-old was strident and selfless in calling out the abuse.

“If I can stand up here and say something about it and start the conversation … if that helps one person or heaps of people, then that’s what I want to do,” Harris said on Wednesday at Ikon Park.

Harris succeeded in galvanising support for the causes of de-sexualising images of women in sport and reducing online abuse.

Thousands of fans have voiced their support for Harris in the same online forums previously populated by abusive men.

Fellow AFLW stars, Matildas captain Sam Kerr and even Prime Minister Scott Morrison have backed Harris on social media and in spoken comments.

with AAP