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<\/p>\nThere was a period of play where Reid seemed central to everything happening on the ground, good and bad. He was the one Eagles player with physical presence and creativity, but also the one giving away free kicks and flapping his arms at umpires, opponents and teammates in despair or complaint. It was not a new thing \u2013 his year has been marked by as many free kicks and remonstrations as moments of brilliance.<\/p>\n
Why? He is 20.<\/p>\n
He looks like a man, and plays with the skill, power and talent that draws comparisons to Patty Dangerfield. The difference is he is still a kid, while Dangerfield has three kids.<\/p>\n
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Jason Horne-Francis was fired up after kicking a crucial goal against Reid\u2019s Eagles.Credit: AFL Photos<\/p>\n
Reid has the temperament of a world-weary uni student who is technically an adult but still gets their parents to do their washing and explain insurance to them. Again, he is 20.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know if every game Harley Reid spends this much time talking to the umpires and the opposition and crowd, but it must be distracting,\u201d Mark Ricciuto said in commentary with an evident degree of restraint.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has got bucket loads of talent, but he is spending so much time worrying about other things other than communicating with his own players, or focusing on what he should be doing, or how can he help his teammates. He can\u2019t do everything.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is not fit enough to be a gun mid yet. He is going to work on that over the next couple of years, but he should just channel a bit more effort into the football side of things. I love watching him, I am not trying to be too negative, but he is just channelling too much energy into the wrong spots at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was the game where a trend became a problem. Reid has given away more free kicks (52) than any other player this year. There were six given away in Sunday night\u2019s game alone. In the same round, fellow No.1 draft pick Matt Rowell \u2013 a smaller man but also another precocious teenager who arrived in the game physically ready to play \u2013 drew seven free kicks and gave away five. He is a less animated figure on the ground than Reid.<\/p>\n
Reid has been fined numerous times this year \u2013 including for the bird \u2013 and on Sunday should have been suspended for tripping Travis Boak with a kick to both shins. Yet, somehow he drew just another fine. Fortunately, he is already quite well paid.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe clearly crossed the line too many times tonight,\u201d his coach Andrew McQualter said after the game, most likely with the trip in mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve had that chat with Harley already. He knows it, and he\u2019s going to play up to that line every single week, and that\u2019s where we want him… we want it to be a dance with the line that he doesn\u2019t step over.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Reid gave the Brisbane crowd the finger earlier in the season and was fined $1000 for misconduct.Credit: Fox Footy<\/p>\n
Some, such as Kane Cornes \u2013 a strong defender of Horne-Francis \u2013 criticised Reid for being too selfish in the way he plays and giving away free kicks. Being criticised by Cornes does not put Reid in a small club in the AFL, but while Cornes\u2019 critique was more strongly worded, the sentiment was similar to Ricciuto\u2019s in saying the Eagles youngster should focus more on just playing.<\/p>\n
This week on the TV show Cornes shares with Luke Hodge and Dale Thomas, the former Hawthorn and Collingwood premiership players stepped to Reid\u2019s defence. Hodge is possibly the best-credentialed person to talk about Reid. He was Reid before Reid \u2013 a No.1 draft pick with the body and ability to play immediately, he took time to work the bigger AFL world out.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is 20!\u201d Hodge pleaded.<\/p>\n