West Coast coach Andrew McQualter concedes 20-year-old Harley Reid is ‘carrying' their midfield
The Eagles slumped to their eighth consecutive defeat on Saturday night when they imploded in the third quarter on the way to a 49-point loss to fellow strugglers Richmond.
West Coast trailed by just nine points at halftime before Richmond piled on eight goals to one in a devastating third-quarter blitz to run away with the 16.9 (105) to 8.8 (56) win.
Reid racked up a whopping 20 disposals and six clearances in the first half, but he was restricted to just four possessions in the third quarter after Jack Ross was sent to him as a hard tag.
Even Richmond coach Adem Yze said he felt 'sorry for the kid' given Reid, at just 20, is now the No.1 target for opposition taggers.
West Coast (1-17) are destined to collect their second wooden spoon in the space of three seasons, and Reid has tasted just six victories in his 38-game career.
Reid is contracted until the end of 2026, but the depths of West Coast's despair has raised questions about whether the Victorian will re-sign.
McQualter doesn't think West Coast's plight will put Reid off from staying, however.
'I think if you see Harley and the way he's invested, he's absolutely in and he's a competitor,' McQualter said.
'He's wanting to do everything to get this club out of this position.
'Nobody likes losing, I appreciate that part of it. We're all sick to death of it to be honest.
'But we're the only people that can make a change. It's people inside the four walls that can get us out of here and we have to do it together.'
Once Reid was tagged on Saturday night, West Coast had no other midfielder stand up.
It was a far different scenario last year when Elliot Yeo — who has missed all of this season with an ankle injury — was there to provide Reid with big-bodied support.
'We are aware that we've got a 20-year-old carrying our midfield,' McQualter said.
'It's not an easy position for him. As a team we have to find more people and players and ways to not rely on one person.
'I thought Harley was by far our best player tonight.
'I loved his team-first approach, the way he attacked the ball. He was inspirational to his teammates. I love the way he went about it.'
Reid tallied just seven disposals in the second half, but he managed to kick two goals when he was sent into attack in the last quarter.
'It wasn't too much fun. He didn't like it,' Ross said of his tagging job on Reid.
'Harley had an unbelievable first half ... but I like the challenge. He's a hell of a player.
'He took me to places of the ground I haven't been yet. A great talent.'
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West Australian
33 minutes ago
- West Australian
SOPHIE GANNON: Why Harley Reid should not sign a long-term, $20 million deal to stay at West Coast Eagles
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.
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Harley Reid does not owe the Eagles a career
Nick Riewoldt says the emerging AFL superstar needs to make a decision about his future and lift the weight of expectation from himself. 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. West Coast star Harley Reid and Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell at Tom Barrass's wedding. Credit: supplied 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.
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Victoria's trash is now Commonwelth Games treasure
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