Harley Reid has made eyebrow-raising comments about his call to re-sign with West Coast instead of requesting a trade back to Victoria.

Specifically, Reid remarked he felt he had to “do his time” with the Eagles as opposed to jumping ship this year with a year to run on his then-deal.

The 20-year-old midfield prodigy in August penned a two-year contract extension to cement his Eagles tenure until at least the end of the 2028 season.

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It came following a mountain of speculation and conjecture over whether the 39-gamer would demand a trade move back to his home state, with numerous suitors already lining up to lob bids.

But while Reid momentarily silenced skeptics by sticking fat with the Eagles, who finished wooden-spooners this year, the trade noise will inevitably return — especially after his comments on Thursday regarding that contract call.

“I think when you sit down with your close ones and your circle of trust, you try and find the right decision,” he told 9News Perth.

“But I think, either way, you’ve got to do your time. And for me, this wasn’t the right time, and I wanted to stay, and I look forward to seeing what happens.”

The former no.1 pick, who played in defence as well as the midfield this year, improved incrementally from a statistical perspective on his rookie campaign, averaging 18.8 disposals, 3.4 inside-50s and 3.9 clearances.

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Upon putting pen to paper on his new deal in late August, Reid expressed excitement about the Eagles’ direction and helping them rise back up the ladder.

“Since the day I arrived in Perth, the West Coast Eagles members and fans have been so supportive of me and our team, and the future with our young squad is super exciting,” he said.

“Playing at Optus Stadium in front of our fans is an unbelievable experience, and I love representing the club.

“The support from our coaches and my teammates has been amazing over the last two years, and I’m looking forward to continuing to develop my game and helping the team climb back up the ladder.”