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Goal celebrations have long been an opportunity for athletes to show some personality, try out a new secret handshake, or, in some cases, send a very clear message. This weekend saw the latter, with one of the AFLW's biggest names, Maddy Prespakis, lifting her shirt in a triumphant gesture to a group of internet trolls who body shamed her in recent days. The three-time All Australian and 2020 league best and fairest winner had her own Nicky Winmar-like moment after she took to her Instagram stories to share a screenshot of one of the multiple messages she had received.  The deeply offensive, profanity laden message cannot and should not be repeated here, but the least obscene sentence was the sign off: "It's not that hard it's AFLW". Prespakis posted the message she'd received, alongside her own. "Words hurt... I hope that you feel so tough and proud of yourself sitting on the couch behind your keyboard." Multiple other AFLW players came to her defence including former AFLW player Sarah Perkins who has also experienced body shaming, a topic she has spoken out on as recently as this week. "Thank you for all the kind messages and acts of support to everyone over the last 24 hours," Prespakis wrote on Saturday. "To be honest, I feel very sad right now, for myself. "I have battled with body image and learning to love my body from a young age until now.  "Playing football is the game I love but body confidence hasn't always made it easy with the view I have on myself, and that's why I've worked so hard to be able to look in the mirror and love what my body looks like." Following a difficult few days, Prespakis bit back in fine form, letting her footy do the talking against the Gold Coast Suns on Sunday. The 23-year-old notched 22 disposals, nine clearances and booted two impressive goals, one which saw a pointed goal celebration. After slotting the major, the midfield star lifted her shirt and pointed to her stomach in triumph, a powerful message to those commenting on her weight. The impact social media has on athletes is well documented and AFLW players are no exception. In 2019, a social media storm enveloped Melbourne Demons player Tayla Harris after she fell victim to misogynistic comments on a photo of her kicking a Sherrin during a game at Whitten Oval. She was threatened with physical violence, objectified and made to feel completely unsafe for doing her job -- playing footy. In the Amazon Prime Documentary made about Harris, Kick Like Tayla, she says the abuse is ongoing and damaging. "I'm human too," she said. "So of course it gets to me sometimes."
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