STRENGTHS:

+ Forward craft
+ Ground balls
+ Leading patterns
+ Marking
+ Mobility
+ Skills

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Consistency
- Conversion
- Physicality

It was a mixed season for Reid, who came into the year as arguably the most exciting tall forward prospect, but struggled to consistently hit the scoreboard against high quality opponents and teams. He still had his share of impressive games, going through a patch of kicking 11 goals in three appearances for Gippsland through the middle of the season, and was made to find other ways to impact games.

Reid adapted well to a couple of role changes through the season, first playing higher up the ground with more of a link up focus, where his ability to out-work opponents on the lead and get to good spots allowing him to accumulate and use the ball higher up the ground. He increased his duties as a relieving ruck option as the season went on as well, remaining competitive and registering good hitouts numbers, but arguably impressing most with his follow up work, where his clean hands allowed him to collect ground balls with ease and feed out to runners.

Reid’s time with Vic Country saw a return to his usual role deeper inside 50 and led to a mixed carnival, with his first two games against SA and WA a little underwhelming. However, against the Allies and Vic Metro, as the delivery from the midfield improved Reid lifted his output. He began to demonstrate the same marking and separation on the lead that had people so excited after his bottom-aged campaign, culminating with a seven-mark and two-goal game in the last of his four performances at the level.

Reid isn’t necessarily blessed with raw athleticism like some of the other talls in the class, although he is mobile, and makes up for it with his well developed forward craft, leading patterns and ability to out work opposition defenders. Those traits make him particularly dangerous when the ball is moving in quickly from transition play.

Once Reid gains separation from his opponent, they’re rarely able to recover the lost ground as his reach and strong hands allow him to hold the footy well out in front or overhead, even able to hold some good contested marks when he’s playing with some confidence.

Despite an up and down season, interest in Reid is sure to be high come draft time given his positives, with clubs certainly pondering whether they can get the best out of him. His physicality is an area that needs some work, and may come more naturally with improved strength, to allow him to start holding contested marks more consistently. There’s a decent sized gap between Reid’s best and worst as it stands, and bridging that gap will surely be a focus at the next level.