Teenage sensation Harley Reid has joined illustrious company by taking out the AFLPA’s Best First Year Player at the 2024 AFL Awards ceremony on Thursday night.
Last year’s top draftee lived up to the unprecedented hype and handled the expectation superbly, cementing himself in West Coast’s midfield under the wing of star teammate Elliot Yeo.
The physical 19-year-old didn’t take a backward step throughout his debut campaign, mixing it with some of the competition’s biggest names.
Reid averaged 18.6 disposals, five clearances and four tackles in 20 games this year and kicked 10 goals.
He relished the big stage, saving two of his best performances for the intense RAC Derby rivalry against Fremantle.
Reid helped set up a stunning victory over the Dockers in round six with 19 disposals and three goals that sent the raucous home Eagles crowd into a frenzy.
He notched a season-best 29 touches in the return ‘away’ clash as West Coast threatened another boilover.
Reid, who is ineligible for the Telstra Rising Star award due to a two-game suspension, becomes the third Eagle to clinch the AFLPA Best First Year Player, presented by Local Expert.
Premiership-winning West Coast stars Daniel Kerr and Chris Judd received the award in back-to-back years in 2001 and ’02, while reigning John Worsfold medallist Tim Kelly took out the gong at Geelong in 2018.
The list of previous winners of the AFLPA Best First Year Player award includes a ‘who’s who’ of modern-day superstars, including Nick Daicos, Marcus Bontempelli, Isaac Heeney and Jeremy Cameron.
