West Coast has resisted trade offers for the prized No.1 pick, selecting Victorian young gun Harley Reid first overall in the 2023 AFL draft.
Multiple clubs including Melbourne and North Melbourne had attempted to trade up for the top pick, but none provided an offer that was compelling enough for the Eagles.
Despite being a Victorian native, Reid has professed his excitement about starting his career in Western Australia.
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Reid is the third player to be taken first overall in the AFL draft by West Coast after the Eagles selected Drew Banfield in 1992 and Michael Gardiner in 1996.
The 18-year-old described his selection as “a big relief” after all the hype and speculation in the lead-up.
Reid was forced to bat away rumours that he would refuse to report to West Coast if he was selected by the lowly Eagles in the months leading up to the draft.
“It was (a big year), there was a lot of opportunities that came my way,” he told Fox Footy.
“I was pretty laid back with it all to be honest. I was just super grateful for the people around me.”
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His selection followed a hilarious interview with his parents.
Reid’s mother Vanessa was asked about her son’s eating habits by former Hawthorn forward Ben Dixon, and she stunned everyone with her response.
“Umm he loves his McDonald’s. No, he loves his food,” she said as the camera panned to a stunned Reid.
Reid’s father Mark admitted the family was happy to see him finally get drafted, admitting the lead-up had been “dragging on a bit”.
Despite Reid being one of the biggest names to enter the AFL in recent years, his father said not much had changed at home.
“Not too much different. He still fights with his older sister and torments his younger one,” he said.
“He’ll be out of the house so it’s one less to feed.”
Reid had voiced his dream to wear the iconic No.9 jersey at the Eagles, and had recently-retired Eagles big man Nic Naitanui in attendance to present the jersey.