Harley Reid snubs West Coast? AFL Draft participant energy is rising stronger

Prior to now, Australian Guidelines expertise within the AFL Draft have been pleased to get a possibility wherever on the highest degree.

Melburnian prodigy Chris Judd would have in all probability most well-liked to remain in his residence state when the 2001 Draft commenced, however as an alternative was chosen by West Coast at choose three and his life was transferred to Western Australia as an 18-year-old.

Judd was extremely profitable throughout his time on the Eagles, captaining the membership to the 2006 premiership, profitable a Brownlow and Norm Smith medal and incomes twin All-Australian honours earlier than his transfer again to Melbourne with Carlton for the 2008 season.

Immediately, budding gamers with standing within the AFL Draft are beginning to have extra management over their futures, with participant energy rising at a speedy fee in recent times.

Will Harley Reid be a part of West Coast within the AFL Draft?

MORE: Who’s Harley Reid? Potential No.1 draft choose dominates AFL Beneath 18s Nationwide Championships

Studies recommend projected No.1 choice Harley Reid has instructed West Coast that he does not need to be a part of the membership within the AFL Draft – though these are but to be confirmed by both get together.

AFL journalist Sam McClure was adamant sources had said to him that Victorian-based Reid had ‘primarily’ mentioned to the Eagles that he did not need to be drafted.

“I’ve had it put to me on excellent authority from a number of folks that I belief, that Harley Reid has primarily instructed West Coast that he doesn’t need to be drafted there,” McClure mentioned on The Tradies podcast.

“I need to be actually particular for our listeners – I’m not dressing this up and I’m not saying Harley has referred to as somebody on the Eagles and mentioned ‘don’t draft me’, it’s by no means that dramatic – however I feel some conversations which can be beginning to develop between the folks that characterize him … his uncle has been doing a number of the negotiations alongside together with his supervisor Nick Gieschen.

“So there’s all the time a level of gray on this and I’m not saying something express, so if I find yourself getting quoted right here I’m not saying Harley or his uncle or Nick or anybody in his administration has referred to as West Coast and mentioned ‘don’t draft him’.

“What I’m saying is that clearly he’s going to be the primary choose. I feel there are conversations beginning to go on with golf equipment which can be and with the individuals related to Harley that ‘look he might find yourself being the perfect model of himself if he stayed in Victoria’.”

Reid or his administration are but to touch upon the hypothesis, whereas West Coast soccer boss Gavin Bell denied there had been any hesitancy from the budding famous person to hitch the Eagles.

“No I’m not [aware of Reid preferring not to be drafted to West Coast],” Bell instructed SEN WA Mornings.

“Now that the state championships are completed, our recruiting group goes again by way of all their assessments of the gamers. We’re beginning to body up our draft board record and the communication between brokers and gamers has begun.

“We’ve had no indication from any gamers of an absence of willingness to need to come to our soccer membership.”

Bailey Smith, Archie Perkins affect their AFL draft outcomes

MORE: Bailey Smith: Western Bulldogs star to return in opposition to Essendon, Geelong commerce rumours

In the identical chat about Reid, McClure revealed Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith instructed interstate golf equipment that he most well-liked to remain in his residence state of Victoria.

Smith was ultimately chosen by the Bulldogs with choose seven of the 2018 AFL Draft, with interstate golf equipment Gold Coast (picks two, three and 6) and Port Adelaide (choose 5) opting to not choose the midfielder.

“Bailey Smith had the very same conversations (as Reid) with golf equipment on the similar time,” McClure mentioned.

“It’s not in opposition to the principles, it’s simply one thing that’s beginning to occur a bit of bit extra as these youngsters begin to have a bit extra of a standing within the public eye.”

Essendon expertise Archie Perkins was extra brazen in his makes an attempt to keep away from leaving Victoria, occurring radio to publicly make an announcement previous to  the 2020 AFL Draft.

Perkins admitted on SEN that he had instructed interstate golf equipment of his desire to remain in his residence assertion and warned he wouldn’t be ‘100 per cent’ dedicated if he was drafted by a membership exterior of Victoria.

“Sure, I’ve [told interstate clubs of my preference to remain in Victoria]. I hope they take that on board,” Perkins mentioned.

“I get that they’re doing what’s in the perfect pursuits of their footy membership, however I simply assume personally that I’m not prepared for that on this stage of my life.

“I really feel like it might impression me an excessive amount of and I don’t assume it might be of their greatest pursuits as a footy membership to have me there as a result of I wouldn’t be 100 per cent with it, and couldn’t actually commit myself 100 per cent versus staying right here.”

Perkins joined Essendon through choose 9 in AFL Draft 2020, with interstate golf equipment passing on the chance to pick him with 4 earlier alternatives.

Jason Horne-Francis, Tom Boyd head residence after being drafted interstate

MORE: Tom Boyd gives North Melbourne’s Jason Horne-Francis recommendation on commerce request

It is plain to see the danger that AFL golf equipment are taking by drafting gamers from interstate that are not dedicated to their venture.

North Melbourne chosen Jason Horne-Francis with choose no.1 within the 2021 AFL Draft  nevertheless it was fairly clear in the course of the 2022 season that the South Australian-born expertise wasn’t having fun with his time at Arden St.

On the finish of that season, Horne-Francis requested a commerce to his residence state and joined Port Adelaide at nice embarrassment to the Kangaroos.

In hindsight, North Melbourne seem to have been adequately compensated for the saga, with potential superstars Harry Sheezel and George Wardlaw becoming a member of the membership within the final draft.

However you marvel if North Melbourne had their time once more, would they’ve chosen to keep away from Horne-Francis within the draft or break up the no.1 choose throughout commerce interval?

Tom Boyd was chosen by GWS with the no.1 choose within the 2013 AFL Draft and after eight targets in 9 video games throughout his first season, requested a commerce to the Western Bulldogs in his residence state of Victoria.

Boyd was ultimately traded to Whitten Oval on the finish of 2014 for Ryan Griffen and choose six, with the proficient key ahead taking part in an vital position within the Bulldogs’ 2016 AFL premiership triumph.

What are West Coast’s choices if Harley Reid does not need to be a part of their membership?

If Reid does not need to play for the Eagles, it is going to imply a troublesome determination for his or her struggling membership.

They might select to simply keep away from Reid fully with the no.1 choose, choose one other participant who desires to move west, and let Reid slip right down to no.2 within the draft.

West Coast might attempt to commerce the no.1 choose and obtain a number of first-round alternatives, probably which means they safe extra expertise than a single participant might present.

Or the nuclear possibility is draft Reid anyway and attempt to persuade him to stay in Western Australia, earlier than organising a Horne-Francis-like commerce if the participant nonetheless desires to be in Victoria.

Is participant energy changing into too sturdy within the AFL Draft?

Liable to sitting on the fence, it is tough for budding AFL gamers to simply be instructed they should uproot their lives and transfer interstate for employment.

No skilled job works like that and with the attention of psychological well being points lately, it might be unfair on sure gamers additionally.

The difficulty is whether or not the present draft system begins to be compromised and is manipulated typically.

If there may be ever a case the place a possible AFL footballer does not need to be a part of an interstate membership just because they’re struggling, then the draft is heading into gray areas.

And the way would you even decide the particular reasoning of a gamers want to stay of their residence state, regardless of what they are saying publicly?

There is no such thing as a doubt participant energy goes to develop into extra frequent in AFL Drafts and it is going to be attention-grabbing to see how golf equipment and the governing physique reply.