AFL 2024: West Coast sensation Harley Reid opens up on life in Perth and his future

Harley Reid has taken the AFL world by storm in just nine games – and everyone wants in on the frenzy. But what it’s really like for a 19-year-old kid in a new city?

West Coast wunderkind Harley Reid has revealed coach Adam Simpson’s licence to allow him to play with freedom has been the catalyst behind his extraordinary AFL start, but he hasn’t yet thought about penning a new deal with the Eagles.

The 19-year-old, who has taken the game by storm in only nine games, admitted the unrelenting attention on him in Perth has been daunting at times, while also playing down speculation he was homesick.

“(The constant attention in Perth) is obviously tough, it gets to you at stages,” Reid said on Channel 7’s Talking Footy.

“It is hard ... It is daunting at such a young age like me. I can’t really do (anything) without someone (being) there or someone watching. I just try to let my footy do the talking.”

Harley Reid with Eagles fans after the win over Melbourne. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos

Reid said he was loving the experience of playing under Simpson and predicted there were plenty of wins in store for the Eagles after he played a massive role in upsetting Melbourne last weekend, sprinting clear of Christian Petracca to kick the goal of the game.

“For me, it is (about playing) on instinct, it’s a part of the way I play my footy and I kind of identify myself around the contest and the strength I bring,” Reid said.

“I feel like that’s a big part of me.

“I really feel like I can express myself (when) I play with confidence and ‘Simmo’ has given me (that) licence. Even the boys (his teammates) have been huge for me.

“They let me go out there and express myself. They do that because when I do that, I play my best footy.”

The Eagles are preparing to move heaven and earth to lock in last year’s No. 1 draft pick well beyond his current deal, with Geelong champion Joel Selwood predicting Reid would one day become the game’s first $2m per season player.

But Reid says he would prefer to concentrate on his footy right now, instead of contract discussions.

“It’s a weird one, hey, I have only played nine games,” he said when asked about a contract extension. “I am loving my footy over here at the moment. I haven’t really thought too much about it.”

“At this point in time I am just out there enjoying my footy. There have been some exciting games we have played this year and obviously we are hard to beat (at Perth Stadium).”

Reid says he loves playing in the same midfield as Tim Kelly. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Reid is enjoying Perth but he hasn’t thought about a new contract yet. Picture: Will Russell/AFL Photos

Asked whether he was experiencing homesickness for his family in Tongala, in country Victoria, Reid said: “I don’t really feel like I have been homesick. … you are that busy over here. The club has been huge for me … it is good to get away too.

“You get to move away from home and you learn new things. It is good for a change.”

He had said in a radio interview following the Demons’ game that birthdays away from family were tough for him.

Reid joked on Talking Footy that he and Simpson have compared their own back-page catalogues of the West Australian newspaper, saying the coach has had a worse run than he had.

“There are a few that have done me dirty,” he said. “I like the Boss Baby (digitally enhanced image of Reid) … that was pretty cool.”

His personality, sense of humour and confidence shone through in the interview, joking ‘Sorry who?’ when quizzed about whether as a Cats fan Joel Selwood was one of his heroes before correcting himself to heap praise on the Geelong champion.

He loved working alongside Tim Kelly in the Eagles midfield, saying: “He has been huge for me.”

“Being a Geelong fan, I was pretty keen to get in there and play alongside him. It is pretty surreal, it’s actually pretty funny … When he (Kelly) left Geelong I was pretty flat. Now you look at it and we are teammates.”

Reid said he had used the man whose No. 9 jumper he inherited – Nic Naitanui – as a sounding board for dealing with the exposure in Perth.

Originally published as AFL 2024: West Coast sensation Harley Reid opens up on life in Perth and his future