Harley Reid in concussion protocols after incident at West Coast training

West Coast’s pre-season has got off to the worst possible start, with its star man sidelined after a knock at Eagles training.

West Coast superstar Harley Reid has entered concussion protocols after taking a head knock at training on Wednesday.

The 19-year-old, who played 20 games in his debut season with the Eagles, lit up the AFL in 2024 and quickly showed he is a key pillar in the rebuilding West Coast side.

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The No. 1 pick in the 2023 AFL Draft met with the club doctor after the incident and will be doing non-contact training next week.

“Harley received a minor head knock during training and we took precautionary measures,” West Coast football manager Gavin Bell said in a club statement.

“I’ve spoken to him today and so has the club doctor.

“He is doing well, but as he has entered the AFL concussion protocols he will be in non-contact training when he resumes next week.”

Harley Reid (right) has suffered a knock at West Coast training. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

The tough, athletic midfielder impressed all footy fans in his debut season, showing an ability to explode out of the middle and kick long goals on the run.

He also took some outstanding hangers to give suffering West Coast fans hope of a promising future.

Fans reacted on social media, with many keen to know who had been responsible for the knock to their prized asset.

“Who is concussing our most important player day 2 of pre season?” was one comment on X.

“Time to put the helmet on for life,” suggested another.

“Whoever did it is getting delisted immediately,” quipped a third.

Last month, Reid opened up on his whirlwind debut season, revealing he found it “pretty hard” dealing with relentless pressure in the social media age.

The teenager claimed the Goal of the Year award after his effort at Perth’s Optus Stadium against the Demons.

He burst out of the middle, fended off two players before slotting a goal from just inside 50. Reid received $50,000 from NAB as part of the award.

The teenager lit up the AFL in his debut season. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

As his profile soared, Reid was also featured on the back page of the West Australian newspaper virtually every day at one point of the year, such was the scrutiny on the young midfielder.

The teenager from country Victoria is contracted through to the end of 2027 but with West Coast finishing 17th, 18th and 16th in the past three seasons, there was talk the Eagles would need to improve and soon pay Reid a fortune to keep him in Perth.

Adding to the rollercoaster year was the mid-season sacking of Eagles premiership coach Adam Simpson, who has been replaced by Andrew McQualter.

“It was pretty hard at times, I feel,” Reid said at an event as a Caulfield Cup Carnival racing ambassador.

“For me, I tried to do all I could with my footy and let my footy do the talking, but it’s pretty hard.

Reid with Yasmin Duursma at this year’s Brownlow Medal night. Pic: Michael Klein

“Ninety-five per cent of it’s mental and I think if you can win the mental game and go out there feeling confident, the best part is, when you’re out there, you’ve got no worry in the world and you’re doing what you love, and you feel that why you’re here is what you’re doing right out there.

“That was kind of what I tried to have in my mind and go out there and have fun.”

Reid, who stepped out with his partner Yasmin Duursma at the Brownlow Medal, said intense social media scrutiny was part and parcel of being a high profile Gen Z athlete.

“I think, my generation, a lot of it’s social media and, these days, it’s all on social media,” he said.

“So, I think that was something that was very hard to control and came with a lot of pros and cons, I guess,” Reid said.

“For me, it was probably more just escaping from that world and staying in reality and staying in the moment.”

Originally published as Harley Reid in concussion protocols after incident at West Coast training