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How Harley Reid handles the pressure of being WA’s most famous sportsman

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Outcome reported
  • West Coast midfielder Harley Reid says he is still learning to manage the intense attention that has followed him since his draft year.
  • Reid averaged more than 24 disposals per game, won West Coast’s John Worsfold Medal and received the Geoff Christian Medal as ABC’s best WA-based player.
  • He will miss the opening two rounds of the 2027 season after an unsuccessful appeal against a suspension for a dangerous tackle.

Harley Reid had already become a public figure before he played a single AFL game. In his draft year, the then 17-year-old dominated debate over where he would play. Since joining West Coast in 2024, attention has followed him almost everywhere.

I think that’s probably still something I’m trying to work on. It is hard, don’t get me wrong.

· Harley ReidHe discussed the challenge of coping with constant public attention.

“I think that’s probably still something I’m trying to work on. It is hard, don’t get me wrong,” Reid told 102.5 ABC Perth’s SportsTalk program. He said trips out of Perth, including camping, helped him reset. “It is probably something I’m still trying to get my head around and understand.”

The hype began before his debut. Western Australia’s daily newspaper put him on its back page 25 times before he had played a game, a level of pre-debut attention no player had previously received. Reid said he notices the pressure but tries not to let it affect him. “I feel like if my mental state’s there and I’ve prepared well, the pressure isn’t there. I know I’ve done the work.”

I feel like if my mental state’s there and I’ve prepared well, the pressure isn’t there.

· Harley ReidHe explained how preparation helps him manage pressure.

Reid has since produced his best season, averaging more than 24 disposals per game and winning West Coast’s club champion award, the John Worsfold Medal. He also received the Geoff Christian Medal as ABC’s best WA-based player for 2026.

It’s that WA tax. If I was playing in Victoria I reckon we’d have had a different outcome.

· Harley ReidHe joked about his suspension after West Coast lost its appeal.

But Eagles supporters will not see him until round three of 2027. West Coast failed to overturn his two-game suspension for a dangerous tackle on Hawthorn’s Jai Newcombe. Reid joked that it reflected the “WA tax,” saying he believed the result might have been different if he played in Victoria. He is also trying to control his off-the-ball behaviour while preserving the aggression and competitiveness that he considers central to his game. West Coast hopes Reid, Willem Duursma and Reuben Ginbey can help return the club to the AFL finals.

I know I’ve done the work.

· Harley ReidHe described his confidence in preparation as a way to handle pressure.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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