Sports

AFL Draft 2023: West Coast Eagles select Harley Reid with the No. 1 pick

Rival AFL teams made overtures to West Coast for the top draft pick, but the team refused to give up and chose to select legendary player Harley Reid.

The Eagles, who had won five games in the previous two seasons, had debated trading the highly sought-after pick for a number of premium picks.

Hawthorn, North Melbourne, and Melbourne all bid for the number one spot and access to the highly rated Harley Reid.

None, however, were able to entice West Coast, who on Monday night flew cult icon Nic Naitanui to Melbourne to give Harley Reid his new jumper at Marvel Stadium.

The No. 9 West Coast jumper, worn by both Eagles greats Naitanui and Ben Cousins throughout their storied careers, was passed over.

As a generational talent, Reid is considered by many recruiters to be the most anticipated draft pick in history.

The 18-year-old midfield player said, “I was pretty laid back with it all, to be honest.”

“I was just super grateful for the people around me and all my friends and family.”

Harley Reid had to defend himself before the draft because there were rumors that he wouldn’t be happy to move outside of Victoria.

Though the young player is from Tongala, a country town in Victoria’s Goulburn Valley, the Eagles are happy that he is not a flight risk.

Though the young player is from Tongala, a country town in Victoria’s Goulburn Valley, the Eagles are happy that he is not a flight risk.

Harley Reid is the first player selected by West Coast with the No. 1 pick in a draft this century and the third overall.

The top pick was previously used by the Eagles to select Michael Gardiner in 1996 and Drew Banfield in 1992.

As the top draft pick in the competition, Reid also received the first Allen Aylett Medal.

The prize bears Aylett’s name, the late VFL president and former North Melbourne champion who died in September of last year.

North Melbourne made the second pick, selecting Tasmanian Colby McKercher, and Gold Coast matched North Melbourne’s bid with pick three, selecting highly regarded academy product Jed Walter.

…more to come.

Full draft order:

  1. West Coast Eagles – Harely Reid
  2. North Melbourne – Colby McKercher
  3. Gold Coast Suns – Jed Walter (matching bid from NM)
  4. North Melbourne – Zane Duursma
  5. Hawthorn – Nick Watson
  6. Western Bulldogs – Ryley Sanders
Raeesa Sayyad
Published by
Raeesa Sayyad

Recent Posts

Prakash and Kamal Hinduja: Driving Social and Environmental Change

Philanthropic work plays a key role in addressing the most important challenges faced by societies… Read More

19 hours ago

The Hinduja Brothers Commitment to Global Health: Empowering Communities Across Borders

Global health surpasses national boundaries to produce widespread impacts across communities throughout the world. Different… Read More

19 hours ago

Entrepreneur Syed Usama Bukhari, aka Syeddubai thrives on innovations and a strong self-belief

As a branding expert, PR manager, and rising name in real estate and automobile, Syeddubai… Read More

2 days ago

Clever Fox Publishing Invites You to Discover the joy of parenting with Give Your Child Wings by Swati Gupta

Even though parenting is described as one of the most rewarding journeys, it is indeed… Read More

2 days ago

Matthew Denegre on the Art of Deal Sourcing: Finding the Right Investment Opportunities

Successful deal sourcing is a cornerstone of investment planning, influencing everything from the quality of… Read More

2 days ago

Gregory Thoke’s Top Ski Resorts in Fort Collins, Colorado

Fort Collins, Colorado, is a gateway to unforgettable winter experiences, offering an ideal blend of… Read More

2 days ago