West Coast star Harley Reid absent from training on Monday as fitness doubts linger

While West Coast ‘think’ Harley Reid has escaped serious injury, the young star was again missing fron training on Monday. ELIZA REILLY has details plus more in track watch.

Harley Reid’s stop-start pre-season has continued with the young star missing training on Monday as he continues to deal with a lower leg complaint.

Reid, 19, didn’t complete training on Friday and was forced from the track midway through match simulation in discomfort. West Coast was due to release an injury update on Monday afternoon but it has been postponed until after the club’s medical meeting on Tuesday.

The Eagles believe that Reid has escaped serious injury but he’ll be on a managed workload for the foreseeable future. The rising star has already dealt with concussion and a flare-up of scar tissue this pre-season.

“It’s not an injury, we don’t think,” new coach Andrew McQualter told 6PR on Saturday. “We think he’s OK but he didn’t complete training.

Harley Reid didn’t train on Monday. Picture: Getty Images

“He’s a bit sore. He’s done a big chunk of work since Christmas. He missed a few weeks unfortunately with concussion pre-Christmas, which was another thing that we were managing.

“But he’s been able to get a large portion of work in and he’s setting himself up for a good year.”

All-Australian forward Jake Waterman was also a noticeable absentee as he deals with back tightness but he did emerge late in the session to support his teammates.

Jeremy McGovern was absent while Liam Duggan and Dom Sheed had brief injury scares. Duggan landed awkwardly but continued while Sheed was seen getting his knee assessed on the sidelines.

Rhett Bazzo and Callum Jamieson worked away from the main group on the far oval.

With West Coast’s first practice match against Richmond just around the corner, the Eagles continue to be put to the test at training.

On Monday, the warm-up came with an extra degree of difficulty with players forced to carry weight plates and water weights.

A bit of Clay content for your Monday morning 🤗 pic.twitter.com/bE9RQNM8ew

— West Coast Eagles (@WestCoastEagles) February 3, 2025

In between drill rotations, the players also met in the middle of the ground to sprint between the edges of the square. Reuben Ginbey and draftee Hamish Davis led the way in the short, sharp efforts.

Fresh off being named in the Indigenous All Stars squad, young ruck Coen Livingstone went to work against fellow big men Matt Flynn, Bailey Williams, Archer Reid and Jack Williams.

Livingstone is the only recognised ruckman named in the 31-strong squad, turning to the West Coast teenager for one of the most intriguing selection calls. Port’s Jeremy Finlayson has also filled in as a ruck in the past.

An NGA graduate, Livingstone played 18 games in the WAFL last year, averaging 10.4 hitouts. On Monday, the Eagles rucks broke off from the main group to focus on their craft. Working in pods of three, one player would do two ruck contests against the remaining pair and then sprint 15m to a cone to do a push-up.

Tim Kelly has also been named in the All Stars squad.

Originally published as West Coast star Harley Reid absent from training on Monday as fitness doubts linger