List Mgmt. Welcome Harley Reid (Pick 1, 2023 National Draft)

[Jumpoff Joey]

I genuinely wonder if our recruiters expected him to be this good so soon

Personally think he’s surpassed what were already lofty expectations

This is the scary thing, he is ****ing 19 years old and already playing like that....

Does he even have a ceiling?

With a couple of pre-seasons and seasons under his belt, and everything that comes with it, strength, muscle, explosiveness and experience in real game time.

Its only going to make it easier for him, the knowledge that you can do things no one can. And he is doing it right now with the audacity and self-esteem taking on the big dogs and he hasnt even hit 10 games.

I dont want to put the kabosh on the kid but fcuck me.

What is the kid going to become??!!?!?!

 

[wce4premiership]

Fair points, but I don't begrudge North for asking. If you don't ask, you don't get. And every man and their dog knew pick 3 would be the compensation for Ben McKay once the season was over and we finished last.

And another point I think some may miss - would Harley have displayed the same kind of form at North?

I doubt he does.

Obviously he'd still be Harley, but would they plonk him on the HBF?

We have senior players like Gov, Barrass, Yeo, Duggan and Kelly who are playing brilliantly consistent football for 4 quarters most weeks. Then a few up and comers like Hough and Waterman who are dominating their position as well.

The team environment is a little healthier as a whole because we have some senior players in good form, these are the guys that kind of carry the team when the youngsters fade, the dependables. Yeo's early rounds when Harley was finding his feet would have been huge for him.

Reid would be amazing anywhere, but I think he's better in this set up, with the big crowd at the home ground, with Shuey as a stoppage coach, Yeo dominating the early rounds of the season and Harley getting the chance to rest forward rather than the HBF.

 

[THE A5]

This is why I say people are disappointed JD didn't level up. He was pretty ridiculous early on, but turns out that was just closer to his ceiling than some other players who take 4-6 years to really get going.

That might be the case but as harsh as it sounds I think his lack mental fortitude has also held him back at stages of his career. Very much a confidence player where when he has it he is one of the games key forwards but once he loses it his form drops off so much it looks like a genuine spud and he struggles to find his grove for a while. Been a few times throughout his career he’s found him self in ruts like thats. Reminds me of Mitch Marsh in that sense

 

[Hoskin300]

This is why I say people are disappointed JD didn't level up. He was pretty ridiculous early on, but turns out that was just closer to his ceiling than some other players who take 4-6 years to really get going.

Darling was more physically developed at 18 than most key forwards in the comp haha

Unfortunately he has always been a tad too short

 

[Sammy J]

**** this is good.

Just can’t get over how quick that move was to setup the second goal. Right arm quick fend, left arm immediate gather and was off to the races before Howes knew what hit him. Unbelievable.

 

[Broken_Chairs]

JD with Judd like stats to start

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

Breadsticks for hands to end

 

[Cuzz09]

Breadsticks for hands to end

Only as good as your last game and his last game was sick!

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[UseR2006]

 

[Hoskin300]

That might be the case but as harsh as it sounds I think his lack mental fortitude has also held him back at stages of his career. Very much a confidence player where when he has it he is one of the games key forwards but once he loses it his form drops off so much it looks like a genuine spud and he struggles to find his grove for a while. Been a few times throughout his career he’s found him self in ruts like thats. Reminds me of Mitch Marsh in that sense

Not heaps to do with his mental fortitude I feel. Darling is just undersized for the position he is meant to play. Unless he is in perfect form he physically can’t beat most defenders.

 

[Sammy J]

He’s got a head like every Betoota private school kid meme. Ooft.

 

[RanaNaved]

Remember that purple patch in 2018 where he was arguably the most dominant player?? That's what he could've/should've been for longer. As someone else mentioned, I think he mentally struggles

 

[Priddis Is Done]

Remember that purple patch in 2018 we're he was arguably the most dominant player?? That's what he could've/should've been for longer. As someone else mentioned, I think he mentally struggles

 

[random260]

What can't this man do? Mark of the year, Goal of the year. Now recruiter of the year?

 

[eaglespremiers]

Feel for him having to spend his birthday on his own...surely the team got around him?

I'm sure that this was not a Bo Callahan situation.

 

[ReidBetweenTheLines]

Reid’s leading our club in the Brownlow betting after 10 rounds.

 

[eaglevision]

Reid’s leading our club in the Brownlow betting after 10 rounds.

And paying $1.20 for the rising star with over half a season still to go.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

And paying $1.20 for the rising star with over half a season still to go.

Reid will likely get the chocolates, but it's a bloody quality field this season. Best in years.

Sam Darcy looks amazing, a lot of years Wilson would win it for sheer consistency, and that's before you even get to the McKerchers and Wardlaws.

 

[eaglespremiers]

I genuinely wonder if our recruiters expected him to be this good so soon

Personally think he’s surpassed what were already lofty expectations

In fairness to the recruiters what Harley is producing atm is far better than what he produced last year.

I think a large part of that is the coaching direction. Being privy to the inner discussions of the Pioneers coaches one of the things that they emphasize is that each player should play with a priority to make "each other look good". That is because often there are multiple players hoping to catch the recruiters eyes. They don't like Hollywood type acts on the field and they will be genuinely frustrated if a player tries to go it alone. Now that obviously makes a lot of sense for the Talent League (as well as the Champs).

Further, they are constantly worried about injuries due to the impact that injuries might have on a prospects chances. Now Harley was always going right at the top, regardless of injuries, but the club really tries to diminish any priority or preference for a top draft pick like Harley. You would've seen this last year on Harley's return from concussion. He had certain KPI, they weren't achieved, so the club took a conservative approach to his return and he sat out a couple of additional weeks before returning against the Knights.

However, at AFL level it's clear that Harley has been given free licence to try taking on the tackler, attack the 50m arc and attempt to goal on the run (Harley tried and missed a very similar shot for goal from the centre bounce IIRC against Richmond). So the fact that he is being restrained less at the top level (now that he has been drafted) means that he gets to really show the full scope of his abilities.

 

[THE A5]

Not heaps to do with his mental fortitude I feel. Darling is just undersized for the position he is meant to play. Unless he is in perfect form he physically can’t beat most defenders.

Nah he goes into into a massive shell and he doesn’t only struggle with big bodied players but the mid size players. Not now but before his last drop off Darling actually played better on the big defenders as he physically matched well on them but exploited them with his straightline speed and work rate. It was the midsize players that he tend to struggle with. Toovey and Stratton used to be very good on him.

Alot of confidence type players lack a bit of mental fortitude and they look down and out when everything goes against. Mentioned Mitch Marsh above another one was his older brother but another great one is Mitch johnson. He was one of the scariest mother****ers when he was on but when he wasn’t hehe was cold, looked shell shocked and genuinely horrible.

 

[MaxHunt]

Reid will likely get the chocolates, but it's a bloody quality field this season. Best in years.

Sam Darcy looks amazing, a lot of years Wilson would win it for sheer consistency, and that's before you even get to the McKerchers and Wardlaws.

Darcy does look great however this is his 3rd year in the system and he's 21 in a month or so. He did have a big injury with some damage to his lungs but he has has 2 full season in his club on Harley.

 

[eaglevision]

In fairness to the recruiters what Harley is producing atm is far better than what he produced last year.

I think a large part of that is the coaching direction. Being privy to the inner discussions of the Pioneers coaches one of the things that they emphasize is that each player should play with a priority to make "each other look good". That is because often there are multiple players hoping to catch the recruiters eyes. They don't like Hollywood type acts on the field and they will be genuinely frustrated if a player tries to go it alone. Now that obviously makes a lot of sense for the Talent League (as well as the Champs).

Further, they are constantly worried about injuries due to the impact that injuries might have on a prospects chances. Now Harley was always going right at the top, regardless of injuries, but the club really tries to diminish any priority or preference for a top draft pick like Harley. You would've seen this last year on Harley's return from concussion. He had certain KPI, they weren't achieved, so the club took a conservative approach to his return and he sat out a couple of additional weeks before returning against the Knights.

However, at AFL level it's clear that Harley has been given free licence to try taking on the tackler, attack the 50m arc and attempt to goal on the run (Harley tried and missed a very similar shot for goal from the centre bounce IIRC against Richmond). So the fact that he is being restrained less at the top level (now that he has been drafted) means that he gets to really show the full scope of his abilities.

Spot on. I think the other thing to consider is HOW Harley receives the ball at AFL level vs U18s. Yeo in particular absorbing tackles in the CBA and giving hands off to him in space makes his job a bit easier than a ball bobbling around in an U18 CBA that he needs to extract then get into space himself. The other good example is the 1 on 1 vs Howes goal where rather than kicking to Harley in a marking contest shoulder to shoulder TK kicks the ball to advantage knowing Harley will almost certainly keep his feet and beat him on the ground. In addition to winning his own footy, receiving quality ball in dangerous spots has really let him showcase his attributes.

 

[eaglevision]

Reid will likely get the chocolates, but it's a bloody quality field this season. Best in years.

Sam Darcy looks amazing, a lot of years Wilson would win it for sheer consistency, and that's before you even get to the McKerchers and Wardlaws.

I agree, I think a lot of “experts” under rated this draft. Reid is clearly head and shoulders the best player but take him out of the equation and you could throw a blanket over half a dozen good prospects who would be deserving winners. Do feel for McKercher with his injury, I hope the Roos pull stumps and get him right for next year so he doesn’t have an Oscar/Sheed situation. Will be a good exercise re-ranking the 2023 draft at the end of the year.

 

[kranky al]

I also generally find there is a strong correlation between the amount of 'No Opposition Supporters' thread prefixes and the amount of utter campaigners in the fanbase.

Actually the word your searching for is not strong, it’s exponential…

 

[Hoskin300]

Nah he goes into into a massive shell and he doesn’t only struggle with big bodied players but the mid size players. Not now but before his last drop off Darling actually played better on the big defenders as he physically matched well on them but exploited them with his straightline speed and work rate. It was the midsize players that he tend to struggle with. Toovey and Stratton used to be very good on him.

Alot of confidence type players lack a bit of mental fortitude and they look down and out when everything goes against. Mentioned Mitch Marsh above another one was his older brother but another great one is Mitch johnson. He was one of the scariest mother*ers when he was on but when he wasn’t hehe was cold, looked shell shocked and genuinely horrible.

Big defenders 6-7 years ago were way less athletic than they are now.

The reason why shorter athletic guys like Toovey and Stratton were able to play well on him was because he wasn’t that tall? I feel like you are agreeing with me. If he was 195cm-200cm they wouldn’t stand a chance.

I don’t even know when he has gone into “his massive shell”. Darling has mostly been very consistent across his career.

 

[UseR2006]

Keep it on Reid please.