Why Harley “can’t leave now” following JHF sledge

Harley Reid simply must stay at West Coast for at least another year after his sledge directed at fellow former no.1 draft pick Jason Horne-Francis.

Keen lip-readers have detected that the Eagles young gun said to Port Adelaide’s Horne-Francis, “Back to mummy after one year”, referencing his shift back home from North Melbourne after just one season.

Reid mixed his best with his worst in Sunday’s eventual loss to the Power at the Adelaide Oval, picking up 27 disposals at 44 per cent efficiency, with seven tackles, six inside 50s and six clearances, but giving away six free kicks.

His ill discipline cost the Eagles on numerous occasions and prompted coach Andrew McQualter to comment on his on-field behaviour.

“I love the way he goes about it, and I’ll say that continuously,” McQualter told reporters.

“If you have all players being as competitive as he is you’re on the right track. But he clearly crossed the line too many times tonight.

“I’ve had that chat with Harley already. He knows it, and he’s going to play up to that line every single week. That’s where we want him and we want it to be a dance with the line that he doesn’t step over.”

Pondering Reid’s antics, including the sledge, SEN’s Tom Morris wondered if Reid should be committing himself to the Eagles for the third year of his initial contract.

Throughout 2025 Reid has been linked with a possible return to Victoria either this year or in 2026.

Morris said: “What about his ‘go back to mummy, leave after one year’ sledge of Jason Horne-Francis?

“Does that bode well for West Coast fans? Because it would be hypocritical for Harley Reid to seek a trade at the end of this year, two years into his contract, after Horne-Francis did it after one?”

Kane Cornes agrees with that sentiment while criticising the 20-year-old for his skylarking amid an error-riddled performance.

“He can’t leave now. He’s going to have to at least stay for another year, so that’s good news for Eagles fans,” Cornes said.

“The problem for Harley is when you put yourself out there like that and when you are as vocal and in the face of the opposition as that - then you stand alongside Horne-Francis at a forward stoppage and you fall asleep and he makes you look foolish, then you’ve got an issue.

“Or when you are in the face of the opposition and then you cough up an easy throw over your head and Travis Boak kicks a goal at a crucial stage of the game.

“Or when you win a free kick, you play on, you try and do too much and you kick it out on the full. Or when you give away six free kicks and a 50-metre penalty.”

Cornes loved the fact that McQualter spoke publicly about Reid’s misdemeanours, but does feel it’s a little too late after continually getting away with such behaviour.

“For Andrew McQualter to say he’s crossed the line… he’s crossed the line so many times and the club has never said anything,” Cornes continued.

“This guy gives away more free kicks than anyone and he’s as undisciplined as anyone and they’ve never pulled him in to line, so what do you expect? It’s like when you don’t discipline your kids and two years later they act out, and you’re like that’s not good enough.

“You’ve had the opportunity to pull them in to line for two seasons. They’ve never done it publicly and maybe they’ve had enough.

“I’ve been saying it since his first year and people smashed me for it. Now the same people that smashed me for it are saying the exactly the same thing. He’s got to get fitter and get more disciplined.”

While Cornes acknowledges Reid’s pure footballing ability, his ill-disciplined and “selfish” nature is too frequently costing the Eagles.

“Harley Reid was at his undisciplined best,” he said further.

“There’s some good things in his game that you admire, don’t get me wrong. He had a crack but you can’t accept that (giving away free kicks off the ball).

“He is a selfish footballer at the moment. I think he’s so selfish with the way he goes about it and he’s costing his team from that point of view.

“There’s a line there when you repeatedly cost your team… if this was Horne-Francis doing this, Kingy (David King) and the rest of the footy world would be absolutely smashing him like they have in the past.

“I don’t know why Harley gets a free pass. I’m glad that his coach is calling it out because its the right thing to do.

“I saw it live yesterday and it was as undisciplined as you are going to see.”

The bottom-placed Eagles pushed the Power all the way before going under by 26 points. Reid was one of his side's bets while Horne-Francis starred with 27 touches, six clearances and three goals.