Sydney Swans set to offer veteran Sam Reid one-year deal through the Rookie Draft

He might be the longest-serving player still at the club, but Sam Reid has finally learned his fate for next season at the Sydney Swans.

High-flying Sam Reid is set to go around for one more year with the Swans. Picture: Phil Hillyard

The Swans are set to hand key forward Sam Reid a new one-year deal as they continue to bolster the experience in their squad for 2024.

After a year on the sidelines dealing with a major hamstring injury, Reid has been working tirelessly to get his body right for one more crack at the AFL.

Following surgery in May, the 31-year-old spent the majority of the year trying to prove to the club he was worth another deal.

Even before finals, Reid was running at full pace at training sessions, while he has spent most of the off-season completing his rehab at Swans HQ.

That work looks to have paid off with Sydney opting to use the Rookie Draft to keep him on their list for 2024 and extend his stay at the club into a 15th season.

Reid trained strongly in the lead-up to the Swans’ final home game of the season at the SCG. Picture: Phil Hillyard

With official list lodgements due this week, the Swans will delist Reid but have then committed to offering him a new deal through the Rookie Draft.

This process means another club could technically select the forward, but that appears unlikely given his veteran status at the Swans.

Reid made his debut for the club back in 2010 and was a part of their last premiership in 2012. He was also a member of the Sydney teams that lost in both the 2014 and 2022 grand finals, which was also his most recent appearance in the red and white.

He has played 181 games since making his debut and last completed a full season in 2019.

However, with a crop of young forwards in Logan McDonald, Hayden McLean, Joel Amartey and Jack Buller, Reid’s experience could prove crucial to helping them take the next step in their AFL development.

Moving Reid from their primary list comes after a busy trade period for the Swans. They welcomed Brodie Grundy, Taylor Adams, Joel Hamling and James Jordon as they look to put their elimination final loss to Carlton behind them.

In other contract news, Sam Wicks is close to securing a new two-year deal with the club.

The Academy product’s contract talks have been prolonged following a change of management, but the Swans are hopeful of locking down the small forward soon.

A cryptic post on the 24-year-old’s Instagram account over the weekend also suggested that the new contract could be imminent.

Wicks brought up his 50th game for the club in the finals loss to Carlton but impressed in the back-half of the season with his ability to build pressure.