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Lions on red alert for Harris in AFLW GF

3 minute read

Brisbane Lions defender Shannon Campbell says former teammate Tayla Harris will be out to prove a point for Melbourne when the sides clash in the AFLW decider.

TAYLA HARRIS.
TAYLA HARRIS. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Brisbane Lions defender Shannon Campbell expects former teammate Tayla Harris will be out to prove a point for Melbourne in the AFLW grand final on Sunday.

Harris, who played with the Lions in the 2017 decider, is yet to win a grand final and this will be the 25-year-old star's fourth attempt with three different clubs.

The Brisbane-born forward, who also played with Carlton, said this week she was fit to play the decider in Springfield after injuring her shoulder early in the Demons' preliminary-final win over North Melbourne.

The Lions are preparing for her to take the field and Campbell said she expected a typically physical approach from a player who would be desperate to win a decider against the team she left.

"You've got to respect a player like that," Campbell said.

"She will throw her body around whether she is injured or not injured so we have got to be careful of her and their whole squad because they are a very good team.

"This is her fourth grand final so she will be out there to prove a point.

"We will be out there to shut her down. We know she is going to fly for everything so if we can lock her down and not give her that chance to get up on the footy we should be OK."

The threats from the Demons will be posed by a variety of quality players.

"You've got Kate Hore who is speedy and crafty. You throw in Daisy Pearce. She might be a veteran but she is very smart when it comes to footy," Campbell said.

"They have got their talent and they have got their ways to win a game so we have to make sure we are playing our role and locking them down. It is going be a good contest."

Campbell and her skipper Breanna Koenen are two key cogs in a Lions defensive line that have enjoyed plenty of successful games together.

"It gives us so much confidence. We have been able to keep our group relatively the same for many years so we know exactly how each other play and our roles within our group," she said.

"We are a very tight-knit defensive group and a tight-knit group in general.

"We get around each other when things aren't going our way, and we pump each other up when things are going our way. I am excited to play alongside those girls on the weekend."

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