Jack Darling gives advice to former West Coast teammates Oscar Allen and Harley Reid

Jack Darling made the move away from the Eagles to the Kangaroos last year. Now he has some advice for two of his ex-teammates as speculation on their futures intensifies.

Jack Darling has urged former West Coast teammate Harley Reid to “just listen to the people he needs to” as he labelled criticism of the 19-year-old’s round 1 performance “unfair”.

The ex-Eagle said commentary suggesting the No. 1 pick was playing below the level expected of him after a heavy loss to Gold Coast was misguided.

“Harley is a good player – he’ll work it out. He won us two or three games off his own boot last year … he lifted the boys and lifted myself,” Darling said.

“I saw he was getting in a few scraps … but he did that last year as well, and played brilliantly.

Harley Reid’s round 1 performance drew plenty of criticism. Picture: Getty Images

“It would be hard to have the impact he wants when the team is getting beaten by 80 points.

“It’s a bit harsh – it’s his second year, and there’s going to be ups and downs that he goes through like everyone else … he’s just human.”

Darling said the expectation around Reid in Perth and intense focus on his future back in his home state was unlikely to dissipate.

“Unfortunately, all the chatter, all the opinion pieces, they just aren’t going to stop, so let’s hope he’s got enough support around him to deal with it,” he said.

“Just listen to the people he needs to, would be my advice.”

Darling said he was unsure which way Eagles co-captain Oscar Allen would be leaning as the forward contemplates interest from Brisbane and Hawthorn.

Allen, 26, has been seeking a long-term commitment of up to six years from West Coast, but it is understood the Eagles are wary of offering a contract of that length due to his injury history.

Oscar Allen’s future at the Eagles is clouded. Picture: Getty Images

The first half of his 2024 campaign was wiped out after he suffered bone bruising and cartilage damage to his knee in round 1, keeping him to only 11 games.

“(Allen) would understandably want some security – it’s really got to be up to him,” Darling said.

“What he’s weighing up would be really complicated, the captaincy side of it, but we’ve all only got a short time in the game as well.

“I was in the Gold Coast draft (in 2010) and obviously Tom Lynch and Steven May were both captains of the Suns and chose to leave, and they played in flags … you can’t hate anyone for it, because we’ve only got a short time in the game. Whatever makes him happy, he should go for it.”

Originally published as Jack Darling gives advice to former West Coast teammates Oscar Allen and Harley Reid