Luke Shuey's high praise for Harley Reid despite controversial start to AFL career
That's the level West Coast assistant Luke Shuey believes Harley Reid will reach in the coming years, as the midfielder grapples with scrutiny over how he approaches the game.
Reid has been cited 13 times by the Match Review Officer, in just 37 career matches, and has been suspended for two games.
He's also been fined more than $26,000 in his less than two seasons in the AFL, after West Coast snagged him with the number one pick in the draft.
It marks a rocky start to his career after West Coast used the first selection in the national draft to pick
Shuey offered a staunch defence of Reid's approach.
"He's just so passionate and he's really old-school in the sense that he just loves playing with his mates and he loves winning," Shuey told ABC Radio Perth's Sports Talk program.
"I don't think there's any easy fix right now. I think his footy IQ is through the roof.
"He's one of the smartest kids I've seen walk through the door."
Despite glimpses of brilliance in his short career, much of the focus on Reid has been his ill-discipline on the field while he's also been criticised for not being fit enough for AFL football.
But Shuey said that the 20-year old would mature.
"He'll learn where the line is, where he can push it so far to get away with things, and things that you can't do," he said.
"At the moment, everyone is talking about how much it's costing our team every now and then, but I think it's going to be his greatest strength."
The former Eagles captain and Norm Smith Medallist likened Reid's approach to the game to that of Selwood, Cotchin and Hodge — three players considered among the modern greats.
"In three or four years his leadership is going to be that of Joel Selwood and Trent Cotchin and Luke Hodge.
"You play against those blokes on the field, and not a lot of people know this because they knew how to get away with it, but they had an edge to them.
"You turn your back on them at the wrong time and they would find a way to get you, and get away with it.
"It was because they were so keen on winning, and Harley's the same as that.
"He's going to be a great leader for us over a long period of time."
Reid is contracted to West Coast for next year, and is expected to entertain big offers from interstate sides at the end of next season.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

The Age
2 hours ago
- The Age
A golden effort, a cruel ending, a classic for the ages
It was, friends — the result aside — rugby at its very best. The second thing to celebrate was just how wonderfully the Wallabies played. I want my Australian teams to bleed for the jersey, to back themselves, to eschew the percentage play in favour of a damn-the-torpedoes, full-speed-ahead approach — and that is exactly how they played from the outset. After losing last week, our blokes started the match as 6-1 underdogs, criticised by former Lions coach Clive Woodward for having a 'losing mentality,' and there was a widespread feeling that we were simply outclassed. But under the captaincy of Harry Wilson, the Wallabies looked like a different team from the opening whistle. The lineouts worked. The scrums worked. Courtesy of the likes of Will Skelton and Rob Valetini coming into the pack this week, we had so much go-forward in the collisions that the Lions forwards were reeling with every clash. Loading In the backs, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Tom Wright and Max Jorgensen made break after break. With ten minutes to go before half-time we had gone out to an 18-point lead, 23-5, courtesy of fabulous tries to James Slipper, Jake Gordon and Tom Wright - and it really looked as if not just a win but a blow-out win was on the cards! Even when the Lions came back with two tries of their own just before half-time, hope sprang eternal. For still the Wallabies didn't back off, tackling themselves red-raw meantime. The Australians even had the line wide-open at one point for what might have been the winning Wallabies try with ten minutes to go, only for our ball to be lost on heavy contact. It all came down to the final minute, with the Wallabies clinging to a 26–24 lead — only for the Lions to go over in extremis, in the corner. Many felt Lions flanker Jac Morgan's pulling down of Carlo Tizzano at a ruck just before Hugo Keenan scored, should have seen the try disallowed. Maybe. Maybe not. The ref said it was a legitimate try, and so be it. That technical loss aside, there was victory off the field in having staged such a match at the MCG — before a Lions world-record crowd of just over 90,000 — with many Victorians seizing the rare opportunity to witness a game of such global significance. With that in mind, I'll leave you with the words of Mr AFL himself, Eddie McGuire, who texted John Eales and myself immediately after the match ended. Folks, here's… Eddie!' 'What an amazing night for your code. 90,000 at the MCG! 'Record. Amazing game.,' McGuire messaged. 'Not sure why we didn't get the last penalty. Ref has no idea about setting up a huge result and a big final game. Another effing tax auditor ruining the game!! 'Almost the perfect result. Still an amazing night. You should be very proud of the rugby culture. A week of joy. More please!' More to come, Eddie. It will be at the Olympic Stadium, next Saturday night. The Australians will be waiting for the Lions. They're a team that has grown before our eyes over this past week, a team to be proud of. They will be even better next week, and if there is a rugby God, this time it will go our way!

Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
A golden effort, a cruel ending, a classic for the ages
It was, friends — the result aside — rugby at its very best. The second thing to celebrate was just how wonderfully the Wallabies played. I want my Australian teams to bleed for the jersey, to back themselves, to eschew the percentage play in favour of a damn-the-torpedoes, full-speed-ahead approach — and that is exactly how they played from the outset. After losing last week, our blokes started the match as 6-1 underdogs, criticised by former Lions coach Clive Woodward for having a 'losing mentality,' and there was a widespread feeling that we were simply outclassed. But under the captaincy of Harry Wilson, the Wallabies looked like a different team from the opening whistle. The lineouts worked. The scrums worked. Courtesy of the likes of Will Skelton and Rob Valetini coming into the pack this week, we had so much go-forward in the collisions that the Lions forwards were reeling with every clash. Loading In the backs, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Tom Wright and Max Jorgensen made break after break. With ten minutes to go before half-time we had gone out to an 18-point lead, 23-5, courtesy of fabulous tries to James Slipper, Jake Gordon and Tom Wright - and it really looked as if not just a win but a blow-out win was on the cards! Even when the Lions came back with two tries of their own just before half-time, hope sprang eternal. For still the Wallabies didn't back off, tackling themselves red-raw meantime. The Australians even had the line wide-open at one point for what might have been the winning Wallabies try with ten minutes to go, only for our ball to be lost on heavy contact. It all came down to the final minute, with the Wallabies clinging to a 26–24 lead — only for the Lions to go over in extremis, in the corner. Many felt Lions flanker Jac Morgan's pulling down of Carlo Tizzano at a ruck just before Hugo Keenan scored, should have seen the try disallowed. Maybe. Maybe not. The ref said it was a legitimate try, and so be it. That technical loss aside, there was victory off the field in having staged such a match at the MCG — before a Lions world-record crowd of just over 90,000 — with many Victorians seizing the rare opportunity to witness a game of such global significance. With that in mind, I'll leave you with the words of Mr AFL himself, Eddie McGuire, who texted John Eales and myself immediately after the match ended. Folks, here's… Eddie!' 'What an amazing night for your code. 90,000 at the MCG! 'Record. Amazing game.,' McGuire messaged. 'Not sure why we didn't get the last penalty. Ref has no idea about setting up a huge result and a big final game. Another effing tax auditor ruining the game!! 'Almost the perfect result. Still an amazing night. You should be very proud of the rugby culture. A week of joy. More please!' More to come, Eddie. It will be at the Olympic Stadium, next Saturday night. The Australians will be waiting for the Lions. They're a team that has grown before our eyes over this past week, a team to be proud of. They will be even better next week, and if there is a rugby God, this time it will go our way!


West Australian
2 hours ago
- West Australian
WA to be thunderstruck as AC/DC, Ed Sheeran, Ashes and WWE head to town from September
Bryan Adams might well claim the summer of '69 as the greatest, the summer of 2025 in WA is shaping as one to remember for sporting and musical diehards. AC/DC, Metallica, Ed Sheeran, the Ashes, and WWE are just some of the events scheduled for Optus Stadium and RAC Arena from September through to the end of January. Tourism representatives and the State Government this week salivated at the potential economic and social spinoffs to WA because the events. 'We want WA to remain the strongest economy in the nation. That's why we're diversifying our economy for the future by bringing big-name events to Perth that will attract thousands of visitors and pump millions into the local economy,' Acting Premier Rita Saffioti said. 'For every dollar spent on these events, we have a return of $3.50 — that's money going straight into the pockets of WA businesses. 'Importantly, these events put us on the global stage, positioning WA as an event destination. 'WA's summer of entertainment is going to be huge — and with a great line up to look forward to, there's something for everyone.' Optus Stadium chief executive Mike McKenna said the venue was preparing for its biggest ever summer, which followed its biggest ever month in June. 'From October to March, Optus Stadium will host concerts featuring three huge acts, the return of the blockbuster Bledisloe Cup, the hotly anticipated first Test of the NRMA Insurance Men's Ashes series, a One Day International between Australia and India and another big BBL season,' he said. 'Before the 2026 winter AFL season commences, the AFC Asian Women's Cup kicks off with the opening game at the Stadium, along with a semi final match.' Mr McKenna said Optus would stage some massive concerts in coming months. 'The stadium will transition to concert mode when heavy metal band Metallica brings their signature sound on November 1 as part of the M72 World Tour, with special guests Evanescence and Suicidal Tendencies,' Mr McKenna said. 'This will be Metallica's first visit to Australia in a decade and tickets have already sold out. 'AC/DC will then bring their global Power Up tour to the stadium . . . delivering a career spanning setlist packed with iconic anthems like Stadium favourite Thunderstruck. 'As soon as the BBL season ends, we will welcome global singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran back to Optus Stadium for the third time on January 31, 2026, as part of the Loop Tour.' Tourism WA managing director Anneke Brown said .enticing big events to Perth was part of 'a plan to grow the WA tourism sector'. 'Events are a key part of our plan to grow the WA tourism sector, as they drive bookings to our Dream State, add vibrancy to a destination and drive awareness of Western Australia as an incredible holiday and events destination through media coverage,' she said. Tourism Council WA boss Evan Hall said not all events were money spinners, but some were big economic boons for the State. 'For every 1000 interstate fans we entice to WA for major tourism events we create an additional $2.5M in the economy creating more than 15 jobs,' he said.