AFL fan gets a TATTOO of women’s star Tayla Harris after she was abused online over the image

Diehard AFL fan gets a TATTOO of women’s star Tayla Harris kicking a football after she was abused online over the image

  • Footy tragic Blake Griffiths now has Tayla Harris inked on his left forearm
  • Comes as the AFLW star received global support after sexist comments online
  • The 21-year-old went public, saying she considered the comments ‘sexual abuse’

A footy ‘super fan’ has gone above and beyond to showcase his support for AFL women’s star Tayla Harris, tattooing the now iconic image of her kicking a goal on his forearm.

Blake Griffiths, an Adelaide supporter who also has Crows coach Don Pyke inked on his other forearm, told listeners on Mix 102.3 Adelaide he ‘couldn’t be happier’ with both designs.

Griffiths added he was looking forward to showing off his new tattoos from behind the bar – especially to rival Port Adelaide fans – when pouring beers at the pub he works at.     

Footy fan Blake Griffiths (pictured centre) with his fresh tattoos – Carlton AFLW star Tayla Harris (left) and Adelaide Crows coach Don Pyke (right)

‘It all came about after I was listening to the radio (MIX 102.3) this week,’ Griffiths told Daily Mail Australia.

‘They mentioned a Port Adelaide supporter had a tattoo of (coach) Ken Hinkley, and put a call out to see if anyone was willing to have (Crows coach) Don Pyke.  

‘I’ve already got a few tattoos, so I thought why not.’

Mr Griffiths made his way to the studio on Thursday morning, and after talking to co-host Mark ‘Soda’ Soderstrom also decided to get Tayla Harris on his left forearm.

‘He (Soderstrom) talked me into it, but I didn’t need much convincing,’ the father of two young girls added.

‘My wife Sam isn’t exactly jumping for joy, but I’m happy with the tattoos.’

Earlier this week, Carlton AFL women’s star Harris, 21, became the unwilling target of online trolls who made a number of sexist and derogatory comments about the athletic image of her which has since gone global.

Harris felt some of the vile comments ‘bordered on sexual abuse via social media.’

‘These people need to be called out by the AFL, but something needs to go further.   It is something maybe Victoria Police have to look at,’ she said.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison weighed into the drama on Thursday, calling the trolls ‘cowardly grubs’.

Footy fan Blake Griffiths now has a permanent reminder of AFLW star Tayla Harris on his forearm

Footy fan Blake Griffiths now has a permanent reminder of AFLW star Tayla Harris on his forearm

The now iconic image of Tayla Harris (pictured) which has since gone global

The now iconic image of Tayla Harris (pictured) which has since gone global

‘They are nothing new unfortunately. They are cowards, they are weak,’ he said. 

 ‘They are acting out some sort of hatred in a way which really just lessens them as people.’

Harris also has a supporter AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan, who labelled the image ‘a remarkable photo — it shows a great athlete at her most powerful.’ 

McLachlan added the online trolling this week of Harris is a society issue which needs to be urgently addressed. 

‘It’s more a challenge with the platform, social media, because this is not an isolated incident,’ he told reporters in Sydney. 

‘But when it is unacceptable commentary, more and more people are calling that out and that is what has happened here.’

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk