Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
West Coast star Harley Reid has declared he doesn’t want to change his aggressive approach, even if the “WA tax” means he will continue to give away free kicks.
Reid was crowned West Coast’s best and fairest winner for the first time on Friday night, beating out Jake Waterman and Tim Kelly for the award.
The former No.1 draft pick averaged 24.6 disposals, 13.4 contested possessions and 6.6 clearances per game in 2026, with his hard work in the off-season paying big dividends.
But Reid also gave away 69 free kicks – a new record in the AFL era – and he will miss the first two rounds of next season after copping a two-match ban for a sling tackle.
Reid is known for playing with an aggressive edge, but he feels like he has also been unfairly punished at times.
“I think at times I felt like I would get targeted in a way,” Reid said.
“The aggression that I play with is something that I’ve admired … watching other players play the game.
“Nowadays, obviously, they’re trying to minimise it at times, and I guess I can cross the line at times.
“But I play footy for the aggression, and I love watching hard footballers go at it.
“So it’s a bit frustrating seeing the way they’re getting a bit soft, but the WA tax is getting me a little bit.”
West Coast will continue to encourage Reid to play on edge.
“I think I do play my best footy at times when I’m playing on the edge,” Reid said.
“So I’m just trying to find that that line to be able to keep continuing to grow.”
Reid is contracted to West Coast until the end of 2028, and the Victorian has given every indication he wants to stay for the long haul, despite the Eagles’ on-field struggles.
West Coast managed only four wins this season on the back of last year’s one-win wooden spoon campaign, but the club has used successive drafts to cobble together a glut of talented youngsters that could form the nucleus of West Coast’s next premiership side.
One of those youngsters is No.1 draft pick Willem Duursma, who was already friends with Reid before arriving at West Coast at the end of last year.
Duursma has lived with Reid since arriving in Perth, with the situation helping the 19-year-old become an instant hit in the AFL.
And Reid made the surprising revelation that his own game had improved dramatically thanks to playing a leadership role for Duursma.
“It’s made me create a lot of good habits instead of being probably lazy at times,” Reid said.
“Having him in my household’s made me be able to take the next level to create good habits and be someone that he can look up to.
“(For him) to be able to be like, ‘Oh this is what’s going to make us get to the next level’.”
