CARLTON forward Tayla Harris says she started boxing as a way to improve her football.

Ahead of her fight for the Australian middleweight title on Saturday November 17, the 21-year-old told the team on SEN Breakfast she enjoyed trying a range of different sports.

“I used to drive past a particular boxing studio up in Brisbane on my way to work. I went in and thought it would be pretty cool to see what it was all about, and it would help my footy as well,” Harris said.

“I joined some classes and the coach and gym owner hinted I might be all right. I got thrown in the deep end a little bit with my first fight. I did it and it went well and here I am.

“I just like to do stuff. I love wakeboarding, I used to water-ski race – I like to do things just to try it out."

The 177cm forward has done more than “try out” boxing – she will look to improve her 5-0 record at Melbourne Pavilion in Saturday’s title fight against Sarah Dwyer.

In 2018, Harris earnt All-Australian honours, the Woolworths AFL Mark of the Year award and placed third in Carlton's Best and Fairest. Having tallied 13 contested marks and five majors across her second AFLW season, it’s obvious Harris’ approach to boxing extends to football. 

The former Lion said going hard for the ball was instinctive to her.

“I’m not aggressive – I just see the football and my legs start moving before my brain does. Footy is all I know, so it’s me reading the play and realising that if I go in harder I’ll probably get the ball,” she said.

“I started football when I was five. It was the first sport my brother and I tried. I loved it, so I just kept doing it. When I was little girl there was no other girls playing.

"I never versed or played another girl on my team until I was probably 12 or 13, and I had played since I was five. I went in as hard as the boys.“I hated if anyone would go soft, then I would go twice as hard.”

Tickets to support Carlton's own Harris this weekend are available here.