Why Harley Reid wouldn’t have fixed North Melbourne

North Melbourne fans are ruing the one win their club’s registered in its last 27 games – the win which cost them Harley Reid. But would Harley still be Harley in the system at Arden St?

Would Zane Duursma be flourishing in a system outside of Arden St? Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

Harley Reid may not be the player he’s developing into at the West Coast Eagles had North Melbourne been able to select him with the No. 1 pick.

North Melbourne’s victory over Gold Coast in Tasmania in Round 23 last year lifted the club to 17th place on the ladder, ahead of eventual wooden spooners West Coast.

With Round 5 Rising Star winner Reid doubling his efforts in the prime time western derby on the weekend, Kangaroos fans have been left wondering what could have been if their club hadn’t beaten the Suns.

However, Herald Sun sports journalist Sam Landsberger, speaking on the Herald Sun Footy Podcast, said Harley Reid might not be blossoming into the same player he is at West Coast if he were wearing blue and white instead of blue and yellow.

The Eagles have an array of premiership stars — such as Elliot Yeo, Tim Kelly, Jeremy McGovern and Tom Barrass — to help nurture and educate young talent like Reid.
But teenagers drafted to Arden St do not have that luxury.

“You wonder whether they have had a habit of maybe spoiling some talent,” Landsberger said.

“The question was put to me yesterday would Harley Reid at North Melbourne be the Harley Reid we’re seeing explode at West Coast.”

Would Zane Duursma be flourishing in a system outside of Arden St? Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

So is it the environment? Is it the culture? was it the decision to sack club legends in Harvey and Firrito and Dal Santo and Petrie in 2016? They haven’t looked like it since that moment in time.

“It’s quite sad.

“TAB has them $7 to not win a game this season, who would have thought that with the great Alastair Clarkson at the helm?

“It’s hard right now to see much light at the end of the tunnel.”

Herald Sun Footy Podcast host Andy Bellairs said there seemed to be one side a decade which

Once a decade, Melbourne 10 years ago, Carlton before that, before that Fitzroy. I don’t think it’s as good as any of those teams were. Melbourne University played from 1908 to 1914, won two games in final four years, had a better win percentage than North Melbourne has since 2017. One win from your last 27 games and that’s the win which costs you Harley Reid.