West Coast soccer boss Gavin Bell says he isn’t conscious of any communication between his membership and Harley Reid that the recent Pick 1 favorite doesn’t wish to be drafted to the Eagles.
It comes amid a report Reid and his camp have begun to recommend his choice can be to remain in Victoria.
A strong and versatile 185cm participant from the Bendigo Pioneers, Reid is taken into account the highest prospect on this yr’s draft pool by most golf equipment. That standing was enhanced in the course of the latest nationwide carnival, with Reid successful Vic Country’s MVP award after booting 5.6 and averaging 20 disposals, 13 contested possessions and a competition-high seven clearances.
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AFL journalist Sam McClure reported on The Tradies podcast that “rumours in the industry have been circling for weeks now” about Reid’s choice to remain in Melbourne.
McClure reported conversations between golf equipment and “people connected to Harley” had begun round the place Reid needed to start out his AFL profession. McClure careworn West Coast hadn’t been straight instructed to not draft Reid, nor that he didn’t wish to transfer to WA.
However he did state: “I’ve had it put to me on very good authority from multiple people that I trust, that Harley Reid has essentially told West Coast that he doesn’t want to be drafted there.
“I want to be really specific for our listeners – I’m not dressing this up and I’m not saying Harley has called someone at the Eagles and said ‘don’t draft me’, it’s never that dramatic – but I think some conversations that are starting to develop between the people that represent him … his uncle has been doing a lot of the negotiations along with his manager Nick Gieschen.
“So there’s always a degree of grey in this and I’m not saying anything explicit, so if I end up getting quoted here I’m not saying Harley or his uncle or Nick or anyone in his management has called West Coast and said ‘don’t draft him’.
“What I’m saying is that obviously he’s going to be the number one pick. I think there are conversations starting to go on with clubs that are interested and with the people connected to Harley that ‘look he may end up being the best version of himself if he stayed in Victoria’.
“(The Bulldogs’) Bailey Smith had the exact same conversations with clubs at the same time. It’s not against the rules, it’s just something that’s starting to happen a little bit more as these teenagers start to have a bit more of a status in the public eye.”
He added: “I think West Coast are aware that Harley would prefer to stay in Melbourne. That’s coming from people connected directly to Harley. That doesn’t mean they won’t take him. It also doesn’t mean they’re being told not to take him.”
Asked on SEN WA Mornings if he was conscious of any communication between Reid’s administration and the Eagles suggesting he’d want to not be drafted to WA, Bell stated: “No I’m not.
“Now that the state championships are finished, our recruiting team is going back through all their assessments of the players. We’re starting to frame up our draft board list and the communication between agents and players has begun.
“We’ve had no indication from any players of a lack of willingness to want to come to our football club.”
Foxfooty.com.au has contacted Reid’s administration for remark.
Asked by SEN host Mark Duffield what the membership’s response can be if it’d heard, both straight or not directly that Reid didn’t wish to transfer interstate, Bell stated: “We want to bring in the best available talent with the picks that we have. We would work our way through a process, there’s interviews to do, conversations with agents that happen with all those players … there’s a lot of work to do before we make our selections.”
The hype round Reid – the very best prospect one recruiter had ever seen when requested by foxfooty.com.au about Reid earlier this yr — has been important. He was ‘papped’ by media at Perth airport when Vic Country arrived to play WA within the nationwide championships then was seen signing Eagles gear and having selfies with followers after the sport.
The Eagles are seemingly destined to complete on the underside of this yr’s AFL ladder, which might subsequently hand them Pick 1. Regardless of Reid’s choice, they face a major name on whether or not to carry their first decide or commerce it away to amass a number of early picks to assist speed up their rebuild.
Reid was requested at Perth airport final month in regards to the prospect of being taken by the lowly Eagles and transferring away from Victoria.
“I haven’t spoken much at all about wherever I’ll go. There’s a still a lot to go. I’m a country boy but I’m happy to look anywhere. Wherever that takes me is where I’ll go,” Reid instructed reporters on the airport.
Reid starred in Vic Country’s win over Vic Metro on Sunday, ending with 24 disposals, 14 contested possessions, 11 clearances, seven rating involvements and 5 marks to cap off his champs marketing campaign.
“I’m just out there to have fun, really,” Reid instructed Fox Footy post-match. “At the end of the day, that’s why I play footy and to meet new people.
“I’m pretty laid back. It’s good having the balance of where I come from. It’s pretty good.
I’m just a normal Harley. It always stays in my heart where I come from and where I am at the moment.”
Originally revealed as West Coast addresses report AFL No.1 draft decide favorite needs to remain in Victoria
Source: www.news.com.au
