Harley Reid garnered many comparisons to footy icon Dustin Martin prior to being drafted to the West Coast Eagles as the No 1 pick during the 2023 AFL National Draft.
Whether it’s his vision, his ability to break tackles or his eye for goal, the 20-year-old bears some similarities to the Richmond great, and is one of the AFL’s most exciting young midfield prospects.
While the Eagles slumped to finish rock bottom on the AFL ladder last season, Reid has still impressed in his first two years, booting 24 goals for the club while dominating defenders with his creativity and physical attributes.
But the 20-year-old midfielder is now looking to improve and has turned to Martin for some advice.
During an interview with Channel 7’s Mitch Cleary, Reid revealed that he sat down for dinner with the three-time Norm Smith Medallist and several other West Coast players. They included Martin’s former Richmond team-mates Liam Baker, Jack Graham and West Coast head coach Andrew McQualter – who worked as a coach with the Tigers between 2014 and 2023.
The rising Eagles star admitted he was ‘starstruck’ and ‘a bit nervous’ about meeting Martin, despite having previously come up against the 2017 Brownlow medallist on the pitch just before the Richmond great retired in 2024.
Harley Reid (pictured) said he was left ‘starstruck’ after sitting down for dinner with Dustin Martin
Martin (pictured) won three premierships
‘[I] said to the boys after, I was like, I never really get starstruck or nothing,’ Reid said, reflecting on the meeting.
‘I was sitting there a bit nervous.
‘I was in the middle of ‘Fridge’ [Graham] and Bakes [Baker] thinking, oh s***, what’s going to happen here?
‘It was actually very good for me. I thought I learned a lot in a small amount of time. And yeah, he [Martin] is just an all-round top bloke.’
Reid also revealed that Martin had offered to give him some advice if he needed it in the future.
‘He sent me a message after it to reach out any time I’d like, so I respect that a lot and, yeah, I’ll probably use it when I need to,’ Reid added.
Reid made 19 appearances for the Eagles during the 2025 campaign, but found himself at the centre of several controversial moments, notably flipping the bird at a group of Brisbane Lions fans who heckled him, during the Eagles’ defeat by the Queensland club in Round Two.
Now entering his third season at the club, the young midfielder said he was looking to mature as a player and let his footy do the talking on the pitch.
Reid (pictured) revealed that the meeting was ‘very good for me’ and that he ‘learned a lot’ from Martin and his Eagles team-mates
Martin (pictured) also sent a message to Reid offering up advice in the future should the Eagles star need it
‘Obviously, it was a big learning for me and trying to work out things to keep my head in the game and not go elsewhere,’ he said.
‘All the boys back me in and I respect that and I’ll do my best to stay in the game and in the moment for the boys.’
Despite speculation rising last year that he could move to a Victorian club, the midfielder re-committed to the Eagles in August, putting pen to paper on a deal that will see him wear the gold and blue guernsey until the end of the 2028 season.
He feels he is coming into his best form, after changing his nutrition and focusing on improving his fitness during the off-season.
‘I feel the best I have ever in my career,’ Reid said.
‘Body-wise, I think I’ve learned a lot about my body and I know my body a lot more now. I can test it.
‘Feels like the time’s bloody flown going into my third year this year but I think it’s just more the little things, how to become the best person and the best player I possibly can.
‘It’s probably more along the lines of professionalism off field.’
