AFL Academy beckons for Reid

By Josh Huntly

Dec 12, 2021

Ducking and weaving: Tongala Football Club’s Harley Reid has gone one step further in the AFL’s talent pathway, with the 16-year-old selected for the NAB AFL Academy squad. Photo: Martin Keep/AFL Photos Photo by AFL Photos

Following selection for next year’s Victoria Country outfit, Tongala Football Club’s Harley Reid has gone one step further in the AFL’s talent pathway, with the 16-year-old selected for the NAB AFL Academy squad.

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The 30-player squad was announced on Thursday, with Reid named as one of eight under-age players, just one week after he was named for the Victorian Country side to compete at the National Championships next year.

The NAB AFL Academy is a noted stepping stone in the path to the top-flight, and Reid has been selected among a highly-touted group of 2022 draft prospects.

"Selection into these squads is great recognition for all the players and continues to highlight the AFL and AFLW as the first-choice sport for our most talented athletes," national academy manager and coach Tarkyn Lockyer told AFL Media.

"Members of the NAB AFL and AFLW Academy will be given the opportunity to develop themselves as people and players under the guidance of expert coaching, high performance and wellbeing staff.

"The program is aligned with the National Talent Pathways philosophy of 'developing better people, better players' by using a holistic development approach to focus on the growth of the individual, on and off the field, and their ability to contribute to a team environment.

"The program content will be delivered through a mixture of face-to-face and online modules. Each of the squads will also get the opportunity to showcase their talents in a high-performance camp and representative game."

Reid will join up-and-coming elite talent from all around Australia for a high-performance camp in April before playing a match in May, potentially against another VFL side, such was the case against Geelong during the 2021 program.

By Josh Huntly