West Coast midfield: The changes under Andrew McQualter and what it means for Harley Reid analysed

Andrew McQualter has blown it up and started again when it comes to West Coast’s midfield. Eliza Reilly breaks down the key changes and what it means for stars including Harley Reid.

When Andrew McQualter sat down at the start of the year to begin tinkering with West Coast’s whiteboard magnets, there’s a fair chance his starting midfield was close to set.

Tim Kelly, Elliot Yeo, and Harley Reid were mainstays in the middle for the Eagles last season, and on paper, they were a dangerous combination any opposition would fear.

All three finished in the top 10 of West Coast’s John Worsfold Medal count, and while the Eagles as a collective certainly struggled, there was no doubting the potential of its starting midfield.

This year, everything has changed.

Out of necessity, McQualter has been forced to blow up and rebuild West Coast’s midfield from the ground up.

And the role that Reid plays for the rest of the season will tell us a lot about the future of the Eagles’ crown jewel.

Last season, Kelly attended an average of 76.6 per cent of West Coast’s centre bounces, Yeo was at 71.4 per cent and Reid 72.6 per cent.

Up until Round 19, Reuben Ginbey attended 44.4 per cent of centre bounces before being sent into defence for the final five weeks of the season.

Liam Ryan, Jack Petruccelle, Zane Trew, Dom Sheed and Liam Duggan also featured sporadically at centre bounces, but none were as frequent as the aforementioned three.

This season, it’s been a rotating cast of makeshift midfielders with Yeo injured, Kelly out of form and Reid feeling the effects of an interrupted pre-season.

Andrew McQualter is yet to find West Coast’s best midfield mix.

In round one against Gold Coast, Kelly (68 per cent), Reid (78), Graham (71), and Duggan (31) were the key players.

In round two against Brisbane, when Graham was a late withdrawal, it was Kelly (76), Reid (72), Liam Baker (83) and Clay Hall (55).

In the following month, Reid’s centre bounce attendances dropped from an average of 78 in the first fortnight of the season to 26.75. Baker went in 61.75 per cent of the time but has attended just five in the four games since.

Kelly was dropped after fortnight, featured in 88 per cent of centre bounces against Essendon, was injured the following week, returned against the Demons for 65 per cent and then didn’t attend one centre bounce against Richmond, the first time he’s failed to feature as an Eagle.

“He really enjoyed the role,” McQualter told the media on Thursday. “It’s a bit different for him, playing more forward, but we think it’s something he can really add to his game.

“When he played at Geelong, that’s where he predominantly played. We know he can play midfield and be a really good midfielder as well.

Harley Reid’s midfield minutes have dropped.

Brady Hough has been thrown into the middle.

“We’ve spoken about it a few times … we’re just trying to find the right balance in our team, and he gave us a different look ahead of the ball and helped us score.”

Graham’s centre bounce involvement has tailed off, and he’s now largely starting at half-forward and pushing up into the midfield.

In the past four games, Reid has returned to the midfield mix after a stint at halfback. In the past three, defender Brady Hough has been transformed into a midfielder.

And in the past two, Tyler Brockman and Liam Ryan have both been used on-ball.

“They’re so dynamic, those two guys, and they’re clean,” McQualter said. “They gave us a point of difference around the ball. It’s something we’re going to continue to explore for sure.’

This season, no Eagle is averaging more than 63 per cent time on-ball.

It’s McQualter’s prerogative to experiment and find his best mix, given West Coast’s midfield has at times been uncompetitive.

The Eagles are currently averaging 29.4 clearances (18th in the league) and -13.4 clearance differential (18th). Richmond is the next worst clearance outfit with 34.3 clearances and a -3.6 differential.

Last year, West Coast averaged 35.1 clearances (15th) and -4.2 differential (18th).

Clearances aren’t the sole indicator of a successful midfield. But they can put teams under immense defensive pressure if you lose them.

For the first time this season, West Coast won the clearance count with a 35-34 ledger against the Tigers. It ended in a two-point loss, but the Eagles dominated large parts of the contest.

“I think it’s a bit of their dynamic movement and their ability to strike on the ball,” McQualter said of his midfield’s performance against Richmond.

“They were clean. I think you saw Houghy and Harley have some real moments around there as well and some predictability that helped.”

The other adjustment to West Coast’s midfield has been a noticeable drop in disposals as a result of McQualter’s game plan.

So far in 2025, four of West Coast’s top five ballwinners are defenders. Last year, Kelly, Yeo, and Reid all featured in the top five.

As a collective, West Coast is averaging 309 disposals this year (ranked 18th) compared to 315.8 (18th) in 2024.

“Our style lends itself to a little bit less possession,” McQualter said.

“We’re telling our mids that that’s the case.

“But we also need to balance it a little bit. We’re not going to judge our players on possessions.

“Liam Ryan can be the best player on the ground with 15 possessions. That’s the impact he can have.

“It’s an ongoing discussion because, as players, you’re fuelled by the ball. That’s normal, so we’re trying to get our guys to value that, but what they’re doing without the ball.”

As he so often is, Reid and how the Eagles use him for the rest of the season will continue to be a talking point.

McQualter isn’t the first coach to trial the prodigious 20-year-old behind the ball.

Former Eagles coach Adam Simpson declared during pre-season last year that Reid would follow in the footsteps of Rising Star winners Nick Daicos and Harry Sheezel, who were eased into life at the top level at halfback.

By round one, that plan was a distant memory.

McQualter first pulled the trigger late in the game against Fremantle when Reid was being tagged by Matthew Johnson.

“I think if we can add another string to his bow, he can become a pretty dangerous player down there as well,” he said post-game. “Not many young players play AFL midfield straight away, it’s a hard task.

“Most midfielders are really senior guys that have been playing it for a long time.”

The shift only really lasted a month, and now Reid is back playing large patches on-ball.

What does that tell us about West Coast’s future plans for Reid? Would they be playing him in the midfield if the Eagles don’t expect him to be at the club next year?

If West Coast can retain Reid for the final year of his contract in 2026, things might just start to look more optimistic.

The Eagles will regain Yeo from a long-term knee/ankle injury, resuming his role as Reid’s mentor and protector. West Coast will be able to turn two top-five picks, assuming Oscar Allen exercises his rights as a free agent, into two top-end midfielders.

Elijah Hewett could be playing consistently good football. Tom Gross could’ve cemented a senior spot. Kelly might’ve found form. Hough might be the two-way runner the Eagles need.

McQualter’s midfield machinations might be breeding uncertainty and confusion. But once the chaos settles, West Coast’s midfield will be more dynamic and flexible than it is now.

Originally published as West Coast midfield: The changes under Andrew McQualter and what it means for Harley Reid analysed