West Coast coach Adam Simpson has urged individuals to depart Harley Reid alone amid hypothesis the No.1 draft prospect doesn’t need to be a part of the Eagles.
Reid is the most popular of favourites to be chosen with the prized No.1 decide at this 12 months’s nationwide draft, with the Victorian already being dubbed ‘the next Dustin Martin’.
West Coast (1-16) are on a 15-match shedding streak and can end final on the ladder barring an enormous turnaround within the closing six matches of the season.
Rumours are circling that Reid’s administration have made it clear to potential suitors – particularly West Coast – that the 18-year-old is eager to remain in Victoria.
If the Eagles needed to draft Reid, the star onballer would haven’t any possibility however to go west.
But his reluctance may sway West Coast into buying and selling away the No.1 decide to a Victorian membership for as many as three first-round picks in return.
Simpson believes there was an excessive amount of stress positioned on Reid.
“Just leave the kid alone,” Simpson instructed reporters on Thursday.
“It’s a little bit unfair to be putting this much pressure on someone so young, albeit he’s a very talented player.
“I don’t think it’s fair to push him on this. I feel sorry for the situation because he’s got a big career ahead of him and (people) just need to back off a bit.”
With gamers together with Shannon Hurn, Nic Naitanui, Luke Shuey, Jamie Cripps, Jack Darling, Andrew Gaff and Jeremy McGovern set to retire inside the subsequent three years – some as early as this season – West Coast face lots extra painful rebuilding.
The Eagles have received simply three video games because the begin of final season and at the moment have a dire share of 48.8.
But Simpson pointed to West Coast’s robust on- and off-field historical past as an enormous cause gamers ought to need to be a part of the membership.
“One thing I do know about West Coast is their finals percentage is probably top three or four in the last 30 years,” Simpson mentioned.
“(The Eagles have won) four premierships, they’re the most financially stable club in the country, and we’ve just ticked over 100,000 members.
“So it’s not the worst club to go to, and we don’t lose too many players once we get them.”
Simpson, the No.14 decide within the 1993 nationwide draft who went on to notch 306 video games with North Melbourne, mentioned anybody who will get drafted needs to be keen to go wherever within the nation.
“That’s the way the draft works,” he mentioned.
“Of course you’ve got a preference to stay home.
“I didn’t want to get drafted to Brisbane in 1993. But I would have gone (if they had taken me two picks earlier). So it’s not a big issue.”
West Coast might be with out McGovern (concussion) and Reuben Ginby (hamstring) for Saturday’s conflict with Carlton at Marvel Stadium.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
