Adam Simpson’s tightrope act: The importance of protecting Harley Reid

Harley Reid has arguably had more back pages than some Eagles champions pick up across a career – and he’s yet to play a game. MARK DUFFIELD analyses how the Eagles handle their young gun’s debut.

Harley Reid is set to make his debut in Round 1 for West Coast. Picture: Will Russell/Getty Images.

There will be publicity about any number one draft pick at a struggling club.

But the hype around Harley Reid is unprecedented in Perth.

It represents an additional balancing act for West Coast and their coach Adam Simpson as they attempt to begin the climb up the ladder,

On the one hand, the Eagles need to play and promote their youth.

On the other hand, Reid has already been the subject of more back pages in the local paper than most WA champions have in their entire careers – and he hasn’t played a game yet.

Again, on the one hand on Wednesday, the Eagles season launch put Reid alongside second year players Reuben Ginbey and Noah Long on stage together to send a clear message to their fans – it’s about development and it’s about the long term.

And on the other hand – the same day, he was on the back page of the paper, again … because an awkward bouncing ball at training had clipped him where it hurts men the most, causing a few seconds of discomfort.

On the surface Reid is a country kid who appears content to go to the club and let the hype wash over him rather than allowing it to sink in.

For Simpson, suddenly facing his first meaningful match committee meeting in the best part of two seasons – the Eagles actually have to pick a team rather than just working out who is fit – how best to look after Reid adds another level of complexity to what is already shaping as the rough end of a very big rebuild.

“It is different when you are 48 and you have won three games for the year,” Simpson said on SEN this week.

Harley Reid is set to make his debut in Round 1 for West Coast. Picture: Will Russell/Getty Images.

“I can deal with that. But if you are 18 …. I don’t think he hates it but I don’t think he loves it either. I don’t think he is looking for it. It just comes with the package.”

“It is something he is going to have to deal with for the rest of his career.”

On most other fronts Reid looks more than ready for the big stage. He was one of the shining lights in a midfield which was badly beaten by Adelaide in West Coast’s last practice match with 23 disposals and five clearances.

The previous week against Fremantle he had been caught three times trying to issue bigger opponents with a “don’t argue” that he would have gotten away with in junior football.

The following week he gave clear indications that he had already learned. Against the Crows he used time when he had it and showed urgency with the ball when there wasn’t time.

When Adelaide Crow Rory Laird added some GST in a tackle on Reid and tried to rough him up a bit on the ground, Reid quickly responded, gave as good as he got and let the senior Crow know through pushing back hard and quickly that he wasn’t going to be bossed around.

Simpson said the physical side of Reid’s game was the least of his worries.

“We are trying to protect him as much as we can because he is an 18 year old young man but he is probably built like a 22 year old.”

Harley Reid attempts to mark and is hit by Luke Pedlar Community Series match between Adelaide and West Coast at Hisense Stadium on March 2. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images.

“He is going to be fine in the physical stakes, that is no worry at all. It is just the expectation and making sure we protect him as much as we can. We don’t want a guy like that trying to play to prove everyone right or wrong. We just want him to play to his strengths and try to enjoy being an AFL footballer in the early part of his career.”

The first question Simpson has to ask himself is whether Reid plays against Port. Logic says he should and will. He is already playing well enough to be considered part of the Eagles best 23.

But it is likely to be a baptism of fire. Port’s midfield is elite and explosive and this will be an away game at Adelaide Oval, one of the league’s more hostile environments.

Even if the Eagles are going to pump as much youth into their team as is practicable this season this may be a week where they try and add a little extra experience.

And as Simpson has pointed out, he has the novelty of actually having to pick a team this week after two injury riddled seasons.

“I don’t know if we have had a proper match committee for two years. It has been a real challenge to put pressure on with form and good WAFL form and poor senior form. It has been a real challenge to get that type of pressure and we have got some good conversations to have later on in the week,” he said.

But you would suspect Reid makes the cut. Then there is the issue of where Reid plays. He looks like a natural midfielder but very few first year players play full time midfield. And every other position you ask Reid to play in addition means another system in another part of the ground he has to learn.

“I think he is a midfielder. He is a ball hunter,” Simpson said.

“We are trying to get him a bit of room as well – if you just play him on ball the whole time it can be quite taxing for a young kid so trying to give him a bit of relief either back or forward. We have been looking at him down back in the pre-season and he has been working pretty well with Liam Duggan.”

“But it is still a lot to take on, you have got to go to the backline meeting, the midfield meeting, the centre bounce meeting – you take on a lot. We have got your eye on that as well on how to look after him.”

The indications so far is that Reid is a very fast learner. His environment says he is going to have to be.

Originally published as Adam Simpson’s tightrope act: The importance of protecting Harley Reid