This was published 8 months ago
Opinion
Harley hype is real – but he’s not the only reason West Coast won
Brendan Foster
ContributorPrized recruit Harley Reid has brought an undeniable swagger and class to West Coast, but it’s absurd to suggest he’s single-handedly responsible for the club’s mini-resurgence.
If you live in Western Australia, there is a good chance you know more about this 19-year-old than you do the state’s Premier Roger Cook.
Reid’s in blistering form, but to claim he’s solely reversed the club’s fortunes overlooks the stunning rallies of several key players.Credit: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images
For the record, Reid’s favourite colour is pink.
We know this because never in the history of the game has a number one draft pick’s life been so meticulously picked apart by the local media.
It has been relentless and maddeningly irrational at times.
But after only a handful of games Reid is living up to the billing of being a once-in-a-generation player, complete with a cheeky grin that has sponsors lining up to get his signature.
The swashbuckling young mid takes the game on with the arrogance and supreme confidence you’d more expect from a player who has pocketed a couple of Brownlow Medals than from a recruit.
After picking up the Rising Star nomination against Richmond, Reid produced another breathtaking performance against Fremantle on Saturday, kicking three goals, winning seven clearances and finishing with 19 touches.
He only missed out on the Glendinning-Allan Medal by one vote to bullocking midfielder Elliot Yeo, in West Coast’s impressive 37-point win over the Dockers.
Reid’s blistering form over the past two weeks has undoubtedly contributed to the Eagles winning both games, but the claims he alone has changed the club’s fortunes overlooks the stunning rallies of several key players.
If anyone can lay claim to turning around the dire performances of West Coast, it is Yeo.
Yeo (centre) with Liam Duggan (left) as they lead the team from the field after the win. Credit: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images
The 30-year-old has been ravaged by injuries over the past four seasons which restricted him to just 37 games. When fit and firing, there are few better inside mids in the game.
West Coast has been cruelly struck down by injuries, but they missed their midfield bull most of all and it’s no coincidence their dramatic fall from grace happened alongside their inability to keep their star onballer on the park.
But the dual John Worsfold Medallist is again bursting through traffic with brute strength, and has been explosive around stoppages.
Yeo currently sits fourth in the AFL for contested possessions.
The All-Australian is averaging just a tick over 26 possessions a game, which is his best season since the Eagles won the flag in 2018.
What also cannot be underestimated is how much his physical presence around the ball will aid in Reid’s development.
And Yeo is not the only veteran Eagle with a new spring in his step with the arrival of Reid.
The reports out of West Coast is Reid, who has won plaudits from the club for his humbleness and down-to-earth attitude off the field, has inspired several senior teammates with his unflinching desire to take on the best players in the competition.
Intercept king Jeremy McGovern is again clunking everything that comes his way and averaging just over seven marks a game. The four-time All-Australian has only played 46 games in the last four seasons, but is proving again why he’s one of the most damaging rebound players in the AFL.
Injury-prone backmen Liam Duggan and Tom Cole have started to return to their best form.
Divisive forward Jack Darling has started to influence games and hit the scoreboard in the past two weeks after going goalless for three games.
And oft-maligned sharpshooter Jake Waterman currently sits third on the Coleman Medal with 17 goals.
Young wingman Ruben Gibney is also emerging as one of the most exciting prospects in the competition.
Given when the Eagles were mauled by the Western Bulldogs in round three, many pundits were questioning whether West Coast would win a game this year, the club’s return to form over the last fortnight has been remarkable.
But they represent the first small steps on a big journey and coach Adam Simpson was quick to douse claims Reid was the player leading some supercharged revival.
“He’s playing with that spirit and freedom that I think we all appreciate and enjoy,” he said.
“Today he did a little bit differently, he kicked three and really energised the crowd and the players but we’re not expecting that every week.
“I’m sure Harley will be the first to say it’s not about him.”
Simpson can’t escape the stark reality, however, that no matter where the club is at in their arduous rebuild, in the eyes of the public it’s now all about Reid.
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