SOPHIE GANNON: Why Harley Reid should not sign a long-term, $20 million deal to stay at West Coast Eagles

West Australian

3 days ago

It's the kind of rumour that makes West Coast fans cling to hope: Harley Reid willing to sign a huge contract that would keep him at the club beyond the next decade.
I don't think he should do it.
In fact, I think it might be time for him to follow Jason Horne-Francis' lead and, as he so aptly put it to the Port star, 'go back to mummy' by returning to Victoria.
The latest twist in the Reid saga is that his management and the Eagles are considering an 11-year deal — beginning with a two-year contract and the potential to extend for another nine — that would see the 20-year-old star paid $20 million.
And, in what should be music to Eagles fans' ears, Reid and his family have made it clear they do not want the teenager to go to a struggling club in Victoria like St Kilda or Essendon, according to The Agenda Setters' Caroline Wilson.
But while he may not want to move to another sinking ship, how long is he prepared to stay on the one he finds himself at the wheel of already?
As it stands, West Coast are a mess. A historically bad mess.
I don't blame Reid if he's impatient to play in a competitive and relevant football team. After all, he entered the league in a truly unique circumstance.
He was a household name six months before being drafted and the most recognisable person in Perth at the age of 18. He's had to put up with more than anybody else in the league. And for what? Six wins in his first two years.
And with rumours continuing to swirl around Reid going to Hawthorn — a club on the rise that oozes the same brash attitude that is Reid's trademark — they loom as the most obvious destination for a player reportedly keen to join a team that's not mired in a long rebuild.
The Hawks are reportedly willing to offer Reid a contract of eight to ten years at $1.7 to $1.8 million per season, making them his most likely landing point if he leaves Perth.
In February, Reid was pictured sharing a laugh with Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell at ex-Eagles star, now Hawk, Tom Barrass's wedding, which had tongues wagging that Reid was already being fitted out for his brown and yellow jersey.
So if Reid can get pretty much the same money at Hawthorn for the same period, why would his management put forward the idea of a long-term deal for their star client to stay at a club that has only won one game this season, sits last on the ladder, and doesn't have a quick fix coming?
If history is anything to go by, the Eagles' rebuild is likely to take a decade. If Reid wants to follow Patrick Cripps's example and wait until he's 28 to play his first final, then he should stay an Eagle.
But I just can't see that happening. There are some young superstars who may have the temperament to see out a rebuild this brutal.
It's clear that Reid is not one of them.
He is a fierce competitor. We know this. We've known since the first day he stepped onto an AFL field. He plays right on the edge—and often goes over it.
It's when he plays his best, when the lights are brightest. Problem is, the Eagles aren't going to be playing when the lights are brightest in September for a long time.
Eagles coach Andrew McQualter said after their loss against Richmond that Reid carries their midfield—a clear message to the rest of the team that also puts more pressure on Reid.
Reid, like Horne-Francis, is at his best when he's pushing the boundaries, as their recent fiery battle showed. But Reid's passionate approach on the field is only turning into frustration.
Champion Data recently revealed that Reid was the lowest-rated player in the AFL over the last six weeks prior to Round 19 — not because he is the worst football player, but because of turnovers and 50-metre penalties.
For a player with his talent and ability, this is outrageous. It is clear that the football environment in WA is getting the worst out of Reid, despite a season-best game against the Power this month.
This season he has already racked up 54 free kicks against — the most of any player — and in his 38-game career, he's been fined 13 times.
I know Eagles fans won't like it, but Reid doesn't owe them a career. He came, gave them hope, and provided a spark few of his teammates have been able to make the most of.
The club is not in the state to foster his generational talent. It looks as if it's burning it out.
A long-term deal holding Reid to the club for most of his career is probably not in his best interest, and he may want to be traded a few years into it. So West Coast are probably best to cash in his trade value this off-season.
It just might be the right time for Reid to go home to mummy.