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Tayla Harris has put an upsetting week behind her with a starring role as Carlton overwhelmed Fremantle by 36 points to reach the AFLW grand final.
- Tayla Harris kicks a goal in the Blues' upset 36-point win over Fremantle
- Harris had been targeted by trolls on social media posts showing a photo of her kicking for goal last weekend
- After finishing stone last the previous season, Carlton has now reached the AFLW grand final for the first time ever
Harris was prominent in attack and kicked a goal as the Blues upset the Dockers 9.10 (64) to 4.4 (28) in Saturday's preliminary final at Ikon Park.
The Blues were bottom last season and this is their first AFLW grand final.
They will meet the winner of Sunday's preliminary final between Adelaide and Geelong.
Harris was the target of online trolls during the week because of an action photo of her during a match.
The Blues star received plenty of support throughout the AFL and AFLW and she backed that up with an outstanding game.
"If anything it's helped me, it's stuff I use as motivation," Harris said of the online abuse.
Lauren Brazzale and Maddy Prespakis were best for the Blues, while Kiara Bowers recovered from a slow start to headline a disappointing Dockers performance.
There were problems for the Dockers even before the first bounce, with captain Kara Donnellan a late withdrawal with knee soreness.
Katie-Jayne Grieve took Donnellan's place.
The Blues started much better and peppered the goals but only managed three behinds.
Gabby O'Sullivan kicked a goal for Fremantle but it was a false dawn.
Harris marked and goalled at 13 minutes and Blues captain Brianna Davey signalled her team's intent with a crunching tackle that sent Ashlee Atkins off holding her right shoulder.
The Blues led by four points at the first change and should have been further ahead.
They broke clear in the second term kicking 4.2 to one behind for a decisive 29-point lead at the main break.
Darcy Vescio marked a pass from Harris and goalled just before the half-time siren.
Harris broke the pack for a big mark inside 50 early in the second term and that forced Dockers defender Evey Gooch off the field with a sore right arm.
It was damning for Fremantle that Gooch spent much of the second quarter off the ground but she was still led their possessions at halftime with eight.
Carlton led disposals at the main break 105-65.
Fremantle fought back and O'Sullivan's second goal reduced the margin to a gettable 23 points in the third term.
But Tilly Lucas-Rodd kicked another for the Blues and at the next centre bounce Chloe Dalton broke away and kicked a long bomb that was the exclamation mark to the Blues' domination.
Carlton led by six goals at three-quarter time and the game was over.
AAP
Topics: australian-football-league, sport, carlton-3053, melbourne-3000, vic, perth-6000, wa, australia
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