Harley Reid is the AFL’s man of the second and already field workplace viewing, however the teenager isn’t heading to the Gold Coast for West Coast’s conflict with the Suns on Sunday.
The No. 1 choose in final yr’s Draft, Reid has featured in all six of the Eagles’ video games thus far, together with consecutive wins over Richmond and Fremantle to spark life into the West Australian membership.
West Coast completed final and second-last over the previous two seasons and hadn’t received two straight video games since rounds 18 and 19 in 2021.
Watch each recreation of each spherical this Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks throughout play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Begin your free trial at present >
The 19-year-old Reid pulled off a collection of head-turning moments towards the Dockers, however he has been rested for Sunday’s conflict at Folks First Stadium.
As an alternative, he has headed house to Tongala in northern Victoria.
“Harley has been improbable for us over the primary six weeks,” West Coast soccer supervisor Gavin Bell mentioned on the membership’s web site.
“However we really feel it’s acceptable to handle him this week to present him the most effective likelihood to proceed to be obtainable and play at a excessive stage for the rest of 2024.
“The bodily and psychological calls for to play, recuperate, put together, prepare and play once more are important on youthful gamers and so taking a weekend off will give him an opportunity to handle his physique and vitality ranges as he adapts to his first full season of AFL soccer.”
Bell mentioned the membership had at all times deliberate to stagger Reid’s rookie season and added “household causes” have been additionally behind the transfer.
“Now we have been constant in our place that it’s unrealistic for Harley to return in and play 23 AFL video games,” he mentioned.
“And so we handle him accordingly and stay up for him returning for the house recreation towards Essendon on Saturday Might 4.
“For household causes Harley will return house and spend a while in Victoria this weekend.”
Contemplating Reid’s kind and the speedy enchancment of the workforce, the information was not met properly by a variety of footy followers.
“Significantly why?” one wrote on X, previously Twitter. “He’s a younger match man with big momentum … one other (what the hell) second from our workforce.”
“Might’ve received 3 in a row,” wrote one other. “That is foolish, solution to wreck any momentum for not solely him however the workforce.”
“He’s match and in kind and there (sic) resting him. Loads of time for this later within the season or when his kind dips. Loopy choice,” added a 3rd.
“What a load of outdated tosh, 6 video games in a brilliant match 19 yr outdated’s 1st season & he must be managed?” wrote one other.
One other advised a distinct motive for the transfer.
“Sore shoulders from holding up the remainder of the workforce,” they wrote.
Simply six video games into his profession, Reid has confronted common hypothesis over whether or not he’ll commit his long-term future to his new membership.
Reid is already set for an enormous pay rise after his rookie deal expires after 2026, tipped to be greater than $1 million per season.
The thrill machine’s choice to rejoice his first purpose within the AFL by tugging on his West Coast jumper towards the Swans in spherical 4 was considered by some as an indication he was all-in with the Eagles.
The Eagles received AFL premierships in 1992, 1994, 2006 and 2018, however have fallen on onerous occasions since that final flag.
“(It was) simply to point out I’m not right here individually, I’m right here to play for the workforce, I’m right here to play for the group and I’m right here to play for the membership,” Reid advised Channel 7 of that second.
“As a result of there’s such nice historical past behind (the membership) … and it’s carried out a lot for me early days.
“The seize of (the jumper) was simply to point out that I’m staying round to hopefully carry this membership again to the place it needs to be.”
Nonetheless, hypothesis over Reid’s future prompted one X person to make a cheeky suggestion about his weekend journey again house.
“Assembly with Victorian groups already?” they wrote.
