AFL Suns v Eagles: Touk Miller admits he ‘felt bad’ for Harley Reid after media circus

It’s not often a six-game player commands special attention during opposition analysis but West Coast wunderkind Harley Reid will be a hot topic of discussion on the Gold Coast this week.

It’s not often a six-game player commands special attention during opposition analysis but West Coast wunderkind Harley Reid will be a hot topic of discussion on the Gold Coast this week.

Arguably the most talked about No. 1 pick in AFL history, Reid’s powerful performances in wins over Richmond and Fremantle have rubber stamped his arrival as a bona fide game changer and – dare we say it – star.

The 18-year-old has seemingly put the beleaguered Eagles on his back over the past fortnight, with help from some ageless veterans returned to form and fitness.

Harley Reid booted three goals in West Coast’s monster WA derby win over Fremantle at the weekend. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Now the Reid show goes cross-country to the Glitter Strip for a suddenly intriguing Sunday afternoon clash with the Suns that a fortnight ago looked a fait accompli four points for the hosts.

“They’re playing really good footy at the minute,” Suns skipper Touk Miller told this masthead.

“No team is an easy win in the AFL. Any team on its day is good enough to win and for us this week we have to be head down bum up to make sure we come out playing our best footy.

“This is a great opportunity to play at home, which we’ve been doing really well this season, against an opposition that’s in-form.”

Not since Matt Rowell’s stunning four-game stretch to start his AFL career in 2019 has a No. 1 pick commanded such interest – though with respect to the Suns superstar, Reid has held headlines hostage like none before him.

From the other side of the country Miller has watched the hype build since last November’s national draft and admitted to even feeling sorry for Reid, such was the hyper fixation on the youngster.

“I haven’t kept a close eye on him – I’ve only seen what the media has done to him in the lead-in and I honestly felt bad for him to a degree,” Miller said.

“But now I’m happy for a bloke who is obviously a really good footballer and has had an opportunity to showcase what he can do.

“Football is an entertainment sport. You want to see good people do good things on the field and he’s one of those blokes.

“I’m happy for him, but we’re definitely going to dial it up this weekend in the midfield to make sure we get the job done.”

Matt Rowell (left) and Touk Miller are eager to prove the Suns’ midfield worth against Harley Reid and the Eagles on Sunday. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Miller revealed Reid’s name would “be on our whiteboard as someone to watch out for” this week, though the Suns would again back their own on-ball brigade to be more damaging than the Eagles on Sunday.

Entering last weekend’s clash with Sydney the Suns had three midfielders – Rowell, Miller and Noah Anderson – ranked in the top 10 on-ballers according to Champion Data.

The on-ball arm wrestle was fairly even against the Swans, though the Suns were comprehensively outclassed around the ground in the second half by a more seasoned side on its home deck.

“I feel any team will tell you the engine room is where it starts. Sometimes it’s won and lost from there,” Miller said.

“We feel like we can do that really well ourselves, but every team has a solid midfield. How you go about that is really important.

“The Eagles’ group is in-form but we feel we have the group to match them.”

Originally published as AFL Suns v Eagles: Touk Miller admits he ‘felt bad’ for Harley Reid after media circus