Sydney Swans 2024: Forward Sam Reid feared his career was over after hamstring injury on the eve of 2023 season

This time last year, Sam Reid was planning on a big 2023 season until a hamstring injury ended it - and almost finished his career. Now fully fit, he’s set on making up for lost time.

Sam Reid is hopeful he has more footy ahead of him as he closes in on a comeback from his latest injury. Picture: Phil Hillyard

It was an innocuous moment in the Swans’ final practice match before the 2023 season that nearly brought Sam Reid’s career to an end.

Three minutes into the final quarter of the clash against Carlton at Blacktown International Sportspark, Reid marked strongly near his own defensive 50.

He then received a 50-metre free kick and set off with only one thing on his mind. Reid lowered the eyes and found Logan McDonald lace out for a lovely forward entry.

But as he landed, he stopped on the spot. He felt his hamstring go, slowly made his way from the field and within weeks he thought it might be his final match.

Reid didn’t play a single game in 2023 after injuring his hamstring in the final pre-season match against Carlton. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“I was told to come off the ground actually and I ended up taking one last mark and getting that 50-metre penalty,” Reid recalled. “And it was on that kick where I tore it, so that was fun.

“It was one of the bigger injuries I’ve had. And we didn’t discover it was that significant of an injury for about a month or so.

“I found out after a month it was going to potentially need surgery and it would be 20 weeks. Given my age, I thought it was probably going to be pushing it. We opted to give it two extra weeks of doing absolutely nothing to see if it would improve. It didn’t and I had to get the surgery.

“My initial thought was probably that could be curtains and I’ll rehab it back to a level so it’s strong and I can go on with life after footy.”

It’s far from the first time that Reid has been forced to watch the Swans from the sidelines. Since joining the club in the 2009 draft, he has only played 181 of a possible 331 games for the club.

The simple bow to draw is that Reid’s career is a story of unfulfilled potential. On his day, a mercurial talent with the ability to break the game open thanks to his marking prowess, who has the luck of a player constantly walking under ladders.

Reid (back right) was subbed out of the Swans’ 2022 grand final. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Yet the 32-year-old wouldn’t change a thing. And his most recent time on the periphery has provided him with the perspective of how lucky he truly is.

“Life is pretty good outside of footy for me,” Reid said. “So, I’ve been falling back on that a bit.

“I’ve got an amazing family and I’ve reflected over the last couple of years how lucky I actually am with everything I’ve got. Not just footy, but more so my life.

“I think what you play for changes as you get older too. When you start, you want to make a name for yourself and play some senior footy. Then as you go along, things change, and you want the team to be successful.

“Then in my case, you have a family and some kids, and you want to keep playing for them.

“The last few years I’ve been able to see so much of them. I’ve got a four-year-old, Saxon, and a two-year old, Harley. As hellish as a year it was through injury, the amount of time I got to spend with them and be such a part of them growing up, I’m so grateful of that.

“There’s always a bright side and I’ve been able to see the bright side of most things in footy.”

While the chance to be a full-time dad crossed his mind, Reid wasn’t satisfied with how he left things on the field.

Before his injury, 2022 was one of, if not, the best season of Reid’s career. He played an influential role in the Swans’ run to the grand final as a key forward and pinch-hitter in the ruck.

“He probably had his best year [in 2022],” John Longmire said. “He was so important for us the year before … and he was a significant out for the team.”

After having the surgery on his hamstring, he was confident he could get back to that level. But he also had to convince Longmire and the Swans’ backroom staff that he was worth taking another chance on.

“A few weeks in I probably realised I wanted it,” Reid said. “I felt that I had more to give, more than I did initially. And I wanted to keep going and I just felt like I had more footy in me.

“I was open with the club about that, that I wanted to go again. And they were really honest with me and said we’ll see how you go with the rehab. And if I had hiccups in the rehab and it didn’t go according to plan, it probably wouldn’t have looked like getting that extra year.”

Reid played some of the best footy of his career in 2022. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“He showed such great work ethic. He kept training all year, he kept applying himself to come back,” Longmire added. “And to his great credit, he gave himself an opportunity.”

Reid left no stone unturned when it came to his rehabilitation. He was at Swans HQ most days in the gym working on getting his strength back. While late in the year, he was running 10km most days.

He even joined in on training sessions before the Swans’ finals run and was waiting in the wings if required – “If we made it that deep into September, I could be a bit of a depth option if shit hit the fan,” he joked.

It was enough for the Swans to give him a one-year deal for 2024 through the rookie list, and in turn Reid has repaid the faith by becoming the fittest he has ever been. Now he just needs the rest of his body to hold up its end of the bargain.

As for expectations this season, Reid’s mindset is best described as a determined pragmatist. “At the very least I can add depth … but I still feel like I can play at AFL level,” he said.

And as the player who has been on the Sydney list the longest, he has a clear role to play in guiding their next generation of forwards – Logan McDonald, Joel Amartey and Hayden McLean – into the future.

Reid has been training strongly as he looks to return to the Swans’ AFL side this season. Picture: Phil Hillyard

But when it comes to playing beyond the next 12 months, Reid has learned from experience it’s too early to look that far ahead. His plan, like his son’s, is to enjoy being around footy for as long as possible.

“I think Saxon gets it,” Reid said. “We call it work. Daddy’s going to work, and he wants to come to work, run around the club and play at the gym and kick the footy inside.

“It’s partly the reason why I want to play is to keep creating memories for Saxon and Harley.

“The last three years really, I haven’t looked further ahead than that season. Mainly because I’ve been on one-year contracts. But I think it’s been good for my footy.

“The fact I’m still able to do it 15 years later. It’s a great job, it’s a good lifestyle. I love coming to work and still feeling 20 years old because I’m hanging around with 18–22-year-old guys.

“I’ve had a really big [training] base for a while now and hopefully that holds me in good stead coming into the season.”