Player Watch #20 Sam Reid

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Sam Reid

Sam Reid’s outstanding athleticism and strong contested grab make him a genuine threat inside 50. The 2012 premiership forward showed exactly that when he booted six goals in the Sydney Swans’ clash with Collingwood in Mark Grook at the SCG to win the 2019 Goodes-O’Loughlin Medal. The 2009 draftee can also play as a loose man in defence or pinch-hit in the ruck. Reid has had very little luck on the injury front in his time in red and white, but he didn’t miss an AFL match in 2019. He’s played 143 career games at the top level for a return of 154 goals.

Sam Reid
DOB: 27 December 1991
DEBUT: 2010
DRAFT: #38, 2009 National Draft
RECRUITED FROM: Wangaratta Rovers (Vic)/Murray U18

 

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1. I think he needs more help, the other forwards don't seem to help each other by putting blocks on or making decoy leads. Instead, they all fly for the same marks making it hard for anyone, let alone Reid, to mark the ball cleanly; but
2. At the same time, I don't think he's using one of his other strengths (besides his prodigious leap) to his advantage. In the draft combine testing he was one of the fastest in the 20m sprint, beating even Jetta and Rohan, yet how many times do we see him burn his opponent on the lead and take an easy chest mark.
 
Your second point is a good one but how many times do we see our midfield low their eyes and spot up a lead? Rarely IMO. Even in the third quarter last week we were scoring through crumbs off of long bombs into the forward fifty. Our forward line, whatever there is of it, is really struggling.
 
The kid needs a spell in the 2s. Sorry but enough is enough. He need to get his hands on the ball and rebuild his confidence.
Dropping someone like him doesn't help rebuild confidence - it makes it worse. Whether he gets hands on the ball or not will make no difference if he is a confidence player because after being dropped he will be shit scared of making mistakes when he gets back to the seniors.

Being dropped only helps with guys who are already confident and need a kick up the arse - it shows them that regardless of talent, they need to work.

If Reid is to be dropped it can only be because there is a better option and we think that better option provides more to the team moving forward.

In this situation, we could probably re-structure to move Reid out - especially if LRT isn't out for long. Once Tippett comes in it should be OK.

But make no mistake, nothing about this would improve Reid as a player. It would be done because, as of now, we don't think he is up to it.
 
I agree, any suggestions of dropping Reid are silly. The guy hasn't been clanging them but he still draws two defenders, the opposite team still looks to take him out of the contest, he works hard pushing up the ground, he will always make a contest. If he doesn't the mark it is not like he is being beaten he just doesn't take the mark and the ball is 50/50 in the forward line.

Further, he is one of those players that can take an epic, massive pack mark. If he can take a few of those game he is still a game changer. He is a far better option then White who makes some pathetic attempts imo.
 
Reid is a natural star. The one thing that is making him such a mediocre player of late is his lack of confidence. He's going to keep kicking 1 goal each match and go missing if this lack of confidence is to continue. He needs to somehow find a way to kick 4+ goals, then that will get him up and going. Even a specky or a 60 meter goal. There are no issues with his set shot, kicking style, mark etc, it's all in his head.
 
Really odd performance tonight.
Wasn't just that he wasn't holding his marks, he was totally misjudging the ball.
It was almost as if he forgot his contact lenses and couldn't pick the ball up in the lights.

Not suggesting that was actually the reason, but even when he's been down I at least had hope he would bring the ball to ground if he didn't hold the mark, tonight was almost too bad to be true without a specific reason.
I really find it hard to believe he is that devoid of confidence.
Maybe his biorhythms are out of whack.
 

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I'd like to see us get him on the ball more to improve is confidence. Get him onto a half back flank or a wing and get him to use his pace and skills. Would also allow him to get out into the open and take some uncontested marks.

Next week would be a good opportunity - replace LRT with him, play Pyke as a permanent FF, Goodes as CHF and bring in White as backup ruckman. Last time I saw ST Kilda they were quite small so he wouldn't need to play on a tall forward. I feel like he'd make a pretty good loose defender because, as I said before, he reads the ball well and always gets hands to it - just can't mark it. As the third man to a contest he would be very good IMO.

Anyway, it's probably reached the point where we need to do something and Pyke's development and marking ability up forward has probably given us an opportunity.
 
You cannot drop Reid, Firstly if you did drop him, who will replace him?
I agree with above sentiments dropping him will hinder not help is development, what he needs is help, opposition clearly crowd his space for his run and jump, so are we using the right game plan for him? I would challenge any one to dominate with long bombs coming into the forward line, we either need a proper leading FF (Walsh?) who leads straight and strong and prepared to split a few packs, allowing Reid to roam and create space, not get bogged down deep, this will allow him to get behind the ball and utilize his speed and ground skills that are very under rated, if he gets his hands on the ball a few times amazing how the confidence will soon return, change his role, takeaway the responsibility for a few weeks it will pay huge dividends.
Dropping him is not the answer.......
 
He was interviewed at half time at the ground last night and said he was about 90% likely to be not playing.
How did you manage to hear anything in those half time interviews?

Oh and the guy that won the Citibank $1000 thingo was sitting right behind us
 
You cannot drop Reid, Firstly if you did drop him, who will replace him?
I agree with above sentiments dropping him will hinder not help is development, what he needs is help, opposition clearly crowd his space for his run and jump, so are we using the right game plan for him? I would challenge any one to dominate with long bombs coming into the forward line, we either need a proper leading FF (Walsh?) who leads straight and strong and prepared to split a few packs, allowing Reid to roam and create space, not get bogged down deep, this will allow him to get behind the ball and utilize his speed and ground skills that are very under rated, if he gets his hands on the ball a few times amazing how the confidence will soon return, change his role, takeaway the responsibility for a few weeks it will pay huge dividends.
Dropping him is not the answer.......

Your first point is relevant. Point 2 is not.

Seniors is about putting the best 22 on the park to get us a win. This he wont learn anything in the ressies is irrelevant in a year were competing for finals.

Now I too am concerned about who would replace Reid if he were dropped, there doesn't seem to be a natural replacement for his role putting up there hand at this stage but if there were.
 
Seniors is about putting the best 22 on the park to get us a win. This he wont learn anything in the ressies is irrelevant in a year were competing for finals.
I disagree with this to an extent. Seniors is about winning flags. Whilst obviously the individual 4 points each week gets us to that goal, if you can still get most of those wins with some players who are outside the best 22 now but would be very important in about 20 weeks time then you need to weigh that up.

Personally I think White would provide more than Reid right now but the upside to Reid in comparison is huge. So we make the change when that upside no longer outweighs current performance. IMO :)
 
I disagree with this to an extent. Seniors is about winning flags. Whilst obviously the individual 4 points each week gets us to that goal, if you can still get most of those wins with some players who are outside the best 22 now but would be very important in about 20 weeks time then you need to weigh that up.

Personally I think White would provide more than Reid right now but the upside to Reid in comparison is huge. So we make the change when that upside no longer outweighs current performance. IMO :)
Isn't that what people were saying about White for 5 years - massive upside, massive potential? Why has he suddenly lost all of this upside?
 

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Player Watch #20 Sam Reid

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