Welcome Welcome to Freo Murphy Reid - pick 17 of the 2024 Draft

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“With a good pre-season there’s no reason why he can’t play a significant amount of footy for us next year,” Walls said on Reid.

“We rated Murphy really highly, to get him where we did we’re thrilled. We think he’s really versatile and just got real class too. He’s got great footy IQ, so we’re pleased to bring him in.”

Also said the other day he can play forward, wing and theres an option to develop him as a half back. Will be interesting if they go down that route. Has obviously worked really well recently with some skilled draft picks for other teams
 
gungho said:
Mate, it's not really a pivot. We are both Dockers supporters so why not stay relevant to our team. If a young midfielder has not played well in the forward line for us in the last 10 years (when drafted) then the odds that Reid will play well there are pretty low. It's surely not that complicated to understand.

You have landed at Freddy as the only other guy who was drafted as a mid and played well forward. Well, Freddy goes alright at a goal a game, but he's not really shooting the lights out. He's not really a typical forward either. He doesn't lead at the ball carrier much (does occasionally) and he rarely roves packs for goals.

Banfield is pretty much a moot point. He's a utility but a fringe player at best. He has definitely got the most out of his talent so fair play to him but the truth is he probably wouldn't get a game at most clubs and most people on here don't have him in the best 22.

If you go back to the original comment, Snuffy (who I think is a reasonable poster on here) suggested that Reid would not be competing with Fyfe, Serong, Young, Erasmus, Johnson and Brayshaw for a spot in the best 22, but would be competing with Freddy, Sturt, Banfield, Switta, Walters for a spot in the best 22. In other words, he's going to be thrown into the forward line. Now, given that no other midfielder drafted in the last 10 years (bar possibly Freddy) has had any impact playing forward in their first 3/4 years (regardless of aptitude, athletic prowess, opportunity ect)- wouldn't you use common sense and come to the conclusion that the odds of that strategy, either being used by the coaching staff, or indeed working if it is used, is pretty darn remote?
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I think the pivot is more in going from "competing with Freddy, Sturt, Banfield, Switta, Walters for a spot in the best 22" to "shooting the lights out" as a "typical forward".

If we're staying relevant to our team, the question would be, "what is the probability that Reid can perform better /achieve more than whoever is currently the least productive of the 5 players he's competing with, or maybe 2 least productive?", with a sub-question around what measures of productivity are we employing. To me he looks like he's got the disposal skills, vision and creativity to make a decent contribution to delivery I50 (measures: goal assists; score involvements; kicks I50 resulting in a mark), and the agility and smarts to maybe perform as traditional small forward. I wouldn't be expecting him to shoot the lights out in 2025, but bettering the worst of our current small / high half forwards from 2026 onwards doesn't seem too implausible.
 
Wallsy78 said:
“With a good pre-season there’s no reason why he can’t play a significant amount of footy for us next year,” Walls said on Reid.

“We rated Murphy really highly, to get him where we did we’re thrilled. We think he’s really versatile and just got real class too. He’s got great footy IQ, so we’re pleased to bring him in.”

Also said the other day he can play forward, wing and theres an option to develop him as a half back. Will be interesting if they go down that route. Has obviously worked really well recently with some skilled draft picks for other teams
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I said he could play anywhere between the arcs...glad Walls was listening.
 

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Joao said:
Watched some longer highlights and have updated my opinion.

Pros
  • I do get the Pendlebury comparisons. He's not as big obvs, but he does have the deftness around contest, the vision and the nicely weighted kicks. The handballs are as advertised - Mint. Doesn't really play like Serong like I initially thought.
  • Has genuine goal sense and appears to be a quality finisher, although they don't show you misses in highlights.
  • Has decent defensive intensity around the contest. Can't tell about his two way running.

RFI
  • I'm 100% convinced that he didn't go higher because of his athletic profile. He's clearly not a burst player. I'd also say that his top speed is lower than the Andy comparison thrown up. Hopefully the reports he's a good distance runner are true as I think he'll need to be.
  • Not expecting him to be a good forward pressure player.
  • No left foot
  • Zero threat in the air

Doesn't have a large frame, so not expecting a Neale/Serong type inside player but then it's hard to know how his body responds. I personally think you want him as first receiver anyway to make use of those handballs and kicks. Also means he can be dangerous from a flank or the wing coming up to stoppage.


I'm not sure how good Pendles would be if only 180cm and fair bit quicker, but I think we're going to find out if he has the drive to succeed.
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To get Reid at 17 is a steal imo so well done on Freo for grabbing him.
He reminds me of Shane Edwards who had a tremendous career at Richmond but took a while to get going because of his size.

He looks like he will comfortably play 150 games and tbh I’m a bit bummed out we overlooked him and Berry. Could be the ones we look back on and it could hurt type of thing.
 
Wallsy78 said:
Also said the other day he can play forward, wing and theres an option to develop him as a half back. Will be interesting if they go down that route. Has obviously worked really well recently with some skilled draft picks for other teams
Click to expand...

We do have form in that regard with young mids.
 
Dayts said:
Finally got around to watching his YouTube videos and can see the poise and clean disposal. Tbh reminds me of Caleb Daniel.
Maybe he’s our back flanker
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I get more Sheezel vibes, very clean and high footy iq but not athletic or fast, also similar kicking style. He also racked it up from half back so it might be a good shout that Reid starts there too.
 
I’ve now watched what I think is every minute of available football vision of this bloke and I’m actually pumped (after being flat on missing out on Bo - thought he was excellent in the Peel grandy and a top character, and Freo person to boot).

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a cleaner junior. He sort of runs at the ball and it sucks into his hands like magic. Very rarely fumbles. My god do we need one touch players like that.

Think his kicking is one sided and lacks punch but he does regularly kick to forwards advantage so it’s not like it’s poor.

Handball elite.

Seems to lift in big games and moments. Few good games in the wet as well.

Kicks goals.

Size and overhead marking the only clear deficiencies. The speed and defensive running criticisms seem like garbage - he’s clearly a great two way runner and regularly starts midfield chains from the back half.

I can see him getting games next year at HF but non defensively accountable half back / wing could also be really good.
 
ignoramus said:
I think the pivot is more in going from "competing with Freddy, Sturt, Banfield, Switta, Walters for a spot in the best 22" to "shooting the lights out" as a "typical forward".

If we're staying relevant to our team, the question would be, "what is the probability that Reid can perform better /achieve more than whoever is currently the least productive of the 5 players he's competing with, or maybe 2 least productive?", with a sub-question around what measures of productivity are we employing. To me he looks like he's got the disposal skills, vision and creativity to make a decent contribution to delivery I50 (measures: goal assists; score involvements; kicks I50 resulting in a mark), and the agility and smarts to maybe perform as traditional small forward. I wouldn't be expecting him to shoot the lights out in 2025, but bettering the worst of our current small / high half forwards from 2026 onwards doesn't seem too implausible.
Click to expand...
I agree that few shoot the lights out in any position in their first year. History has show that it is harder for new players to impact in the forward line - particularly ones that are not drafted as specialist forwards.
 
gungho said:
Mate, it's not really a pivot. We are both Dockers supporters so why not stay relevant to our team. If a young midfielder has not played well in the forward line for us in the last 10 years (when drafted) then the odds that Reid will play well there are pretty low. It's surely not that complicated to understand.

You have landed at Freddy as the only other guy who was drafted as a mid and played well forward. Well, Freddy goes alright at a goal a game, but he's not really shooting the lights out. He's not really a typical forward either. He doesn't lead at the ball carrier much (does occasionally) and he rarely roves packs for goals.

Banfield is pretty much a moot point. He's a utility but a fringe player at best. He has definitely got the most out of his talent so fair play to him but the truth is he probably wouldn't get a game at most clubs and most people on here don't have him in the best 22.

If you go back to the original comment, Snuffy (who I think is a reasonable poster on here) suggested that Reid would not be competing with Fyfe, Serong, Young, Erasmus, Johnson and Brayshaw for a spot in the best 22, but would be competing with Freddy, Sturt, Banfield, Switta, Walters for a spot in the best 22. In other words, he's going to be thrown into the forward line. Now, given that no other midfielder drafted in the last 10 years (bar possibly Freddy) has had any impact playing forward in their first 3/4 years (regardless of aptitude, athletic prowess, opportunity ect)- wouldn't you use common sense and come to the conclusion that the odds of that strategy, either being used by the coaching staff, or indeed working if it is used, is pretty darn remote?
Click to expand...
Sorry lad, but reducing the sample size from "any player in the last 10 years" to just Freo is a crazy level of moving the goal posts.
 
SupermanCapes said:
Sorry lad, but reducing the sample size from "any player in the last 10 years" to just Freo is a crazy level of moving the goal posts.
Click to expand...
Fine, let's just start the goal posts like this then - has there been any player that we drafted as a midfielder in the last 10 years that has performed well as a forward? If the answer is no (or maybe 1) then I'd say the chances of Murphy Reid playing well there are slim to none. (Regardless of attitude, aptitude, opportunity, athleticism or any other metric you throw at it).
By the way, it's still a pretty big sample size I am talking about. 25 players in fact.
 
gungho said:
Mate, it's not really a pivot. We are both Dockers supporters so why not stay relevant to our team. If a young midfielder has not played well in the forward line for us in the last 10 years (when drafted) then the odds that Reid will play well there are pretty low. It's surely not that complicated to understand.

You have landed at Freddy as the only other guy who was drafted as a mid and played well forward. Well, Freddy goes alright at a goal a game, but he's not really shooting the lights out. He's not really a typical forward either. He doesn't lead at the ball carrier much (does occasionally) and he rarely roves packs for goals.
Click to expand...
This is the statistical equivalent of saying "I went on Car Sales and bought 1 of the 30,000 cars being advertised in Perth. Therefore I failed to buy 29,999 cars." Freddy is someone we're hoping will have 10 years as a productive fwd. That's 1 of your 4 non-key fwd slots. That's pretty damn significant.
gungho said:
If you go back to the original comment, Snuffy (who I think is a reasonable poster on here) suggested that Reid would not be competing with Fyfe, Serong, Young, Erasmus, Johnson and Brayshaw for a spot in the best 22, but would be competing with Freddy, Sturt, Banfield, Switta, Walters for a spot in the best 22. In other words, he's going to be thrown into the forward line. Now, given that no other midfielder drafted in the last 10 years (bar possibly Freddy) has had any impact playing forward in their first 3/4 years (regardless of aptitude, athletic prowess, opportunity ect)- wouldn't you use common sense and come to the conclusion that the odds of that strategy, either being used by the coaching staff, or indeed working if it is used, is pretty darn remote?
Click to expand...
No. Because we literally are using that strategy with our top pick from last year, Cooper Simpson. Someone good enough for Walls to say he'd have picked him with a late first, and who already earned an extension to 2027. Drafted as a mid, trained as a fwd, played at WAFL as a fwd, played at AFL level as a fwd. So I think it's at least plausible we do the same thing we did last year this year. Alternately, we might train Murphy Reid as a half back or winger.

This is why it's important to go beyond Freo in asking this sort of question, otherwise you get a very limited perspective. The reason mids haven't magically turned into fwds here isn't some big mystery.

To put it simply, in the 2018 off season we were hoping that Connor Blakely would be our 2nd best full time mid as Neale left. Darcy Tucker was getting hype for being average. Not exactly a group that young inside mids would fear trying to break into. Fast fwd to the 2024 off season, our 3rd best midfielder just made the AA squad. We traded in a star mid-fwd (granted I assume he'll play less midfield time here). We have a young inside mid who in his 3rd season was basically the best player in the WAFL...and he's not even our best inside mid from that draft class. I think it's safe to say these are 2 very different circumstances that result in young midfielders being drafted here being treated very differently. Comparing young mids coming into Freo in those 2 eras is less so comparing apples to oranges and more so comparing apples to zucchinis.

Brayshaw, Serong and Young aren't being unseated from midfield spots anytime soon, Johnson and Raz have a headstart on any other young mids looking to take Fyfe's spot. So moving forward, unless we draft the next Tom Green who just has to play midfield (and Lucas Robinson in 2026 might just be that good), every "midfielder" we have drafted in the past 2 years and going forward is coming in with the expectation that they'll have to find their first (and maybe permanent) position somewhere other than inside mid.
 
CaseySibosadoHOF said:
This is the statistical equivalent of saying "I went on Car Sales and bought 1 of the 30,000 cars being advertised in Perth. Therefore I failed to buy 29,999 cars." Freddy is someone we're hoping will have 10 years as a productive fwd. That's 1 of your 4 non-key fwd slots. That's pretty damn significant.

No. Because we literally are using that strategy with our top pick from last year, Cooper Simpson. Someone good enough for Walls to say he'd have picked him with a late first, and who already earned an extension to 2027. Drafted as a mid, trained as a fwd, played at WAFL as a fwd, played at AFL level as a fwd. So I think it's at least plausible we do the same thing we did last year this year. Alternately, we might train Murphy Reid as a half back or winger.

This is why it's important to go beyond Freo in asking this sort of question, otherwise you get a very limited perspective. The reason mids haven't magically turned into fwds here isn't some big mystery.

To put it simply, in the 2018 off season we were hoping that Connor Blakely would be our 2nd best full time mid as Neale left. Darcy Tucker was getting hype for being average. Not exactly a group that young inside mids would fear trying to break into. Fast fwd to the 2024 off season, our 3rd best midfielder just made the AA squad. We traded in a star mid-fwd (granted I assume he'll play less midfield time here). We have a young inside mid who in his 3rd season was basically the best player in the WAFL...and he's not even our best inside mid from that draft class. I think it's safe to say these are 2 very different circumstances that result in young midfielders being drafted here being treated very differently. Comparing young mids coming into Freo in those 2 eras is less so comparing apples to oranges and more so comparing apples to zucchinis.

Brayshaw, Serong and Young aren't being unseated from midfield spots anytime soon, Johnson and Raz have a headstart on any other young mids looking to take Fyfe's spot. So moving forward, unless we draft the next Tom Green who just has to play midfield (and Lucas Robinson in 2026 might just be that good), every "midfielder" we have drafted in the past 2 years and going forward is coming in with the expectation that they'll have to find their first (and maybe permanent) position somewhere other than inside mid.
Click to expand...
You car sales analogy is absolute codswallop. We have drafted 25 midfielders in the past 10 years. None (bar Freddy) have been much chop when played in the forward line in their first few years. It's really not that complicated to understand that the odds of Murphy Reid (who is drafted as a mid) being good in the forward line in the first few years are statistically against him.

Your example with Cooper Simpson proves my point. He was thrown in the forward line for 2 games and dropped. That is the definition of "not doing very well" and he's a guy who spent more time there in his draft year than Murphy Reid.
 
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gungho said:
Your example with Cooper Simpson proves my point. He was thrown in the forward line for 2 games and dropped. That is the definition of "not doing very well" and he's a guy who spent more time there in his draft year than Murphy Reid.
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Disagreements about your way of assessing the difficulty of midfielders turning into fwds aside, surely we can at least agree that Cooper Simpson is in the "too soon to tell" camp. If you're saying Cooper Simpson's productivity in his 1st season is proving your point...Jesus Christ.

The example was merely taken to demonstrate that, going fwd, there will undoubtedly be more attempts to turn midfield prospects who are AFL quality into non-midfielders including small fwds, and more attempts = more success. Again, if you can't at least agree that that's axiomatic then you're just holding a position for the sake of holding a position.
 
Has that Pendles thing of just gliding into space without looking quick enough to do it.

I don’t see centre square potential, but could be really good coming up to stoppage ala Switta or sweeping because he reads it really well and makes good decisions.

If he is receiving that first handball from Serong/Andy/Young/Johnson then he is going to be good at getting it forward to advantage without getting overwhelmed by the pressure around the stoppage.

He does look a bit slow, if he was quick he’d have gone top ten, not sure halfback is a great option because I think too many half forwards can out mark or get out the back on him.
 
CaseySibosadoHOF said:
Disagreements about your way of assessing the difficulty of midfielders turning into fwds aside, surely we can at least agree that Cooper Simpson is in the "too soon to tell" camp. If you're saying Cooper Simpson's productivity in his 1st season is proving your point...Jesus Christ.

The example was merely taken to demonstrate that, going fwd, there will undoubtedly be more attempts to turn midfield prospects who are AFL quality into non-midfielders including small fwds, and more attempts = more success. Again, if you can't at least agree that that's axiomatic then you're just holding a position for the sake of holding a position.
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My argument is really simple. It appears really hard for guys drafted as midfielders to perform well in the forward line in their first few years when playing there.

Will Cooper Simpson disprove this theory? He might, but it doesn’t look promising so far.

You could make the argument that nobody has been played there, but I reckon they have. Even really high draft picks that play there (like Serong, Young and Brayshaw) did not perform well there in their first 5 years - when played there.

Like I said, Snuffy made the comment that Reid should be played in the forward line when he comes in. My only response was that might not be such a great idea. It is not an opinion that I have pulled out of my arse. It is an opinion based on evidence.
 
gungho said:
My argument is really simple. It appears really hard for guys drafted as midfielders to perform well in the forward line in their first few years when playing there.

Will Cooper Simpson disprove this theory? He might, but it doesn’t look promising so far.

You could make the argument that nobody has been played there, but I reckon they have. Even really high draft picks that play there (like Serong, Young and Brayshaw) did not perform well there in their first 5 years - when played there.

Like I said, Snuffy made the comment that Reid should be played in the forward line when he comes in. My only response was that might not be such a great idea. It is not an opinion that I have pulled out of my arse. It is an opinion based on evidence.
Click to expand...

I agree with you, and Reid doesn’t strike me as having the attributes to succeed up forward in the AFL, he might kick the odd snap or set someone up, but he won’t win a lot in the air, and he doesn’t have the pace to get out the back or loose on a lead.

Much better being able to roam.
 
gungho said:
it always amazes me how kids can get drafted (even high up in the first round) without being able to use their opposite foot.
If they were hell bent on being AFL footballers, you'd think they would put time into it. Also staggering that the pathways that lead to AFL don't seem to pick up on it and teach it.
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For an example of someone not having a left-foot affecting their game (and their team’s performance) check out Josh Weddle in the Port/Hawks final this year.
 
I’m not basing these comments just on Reid.
But a lot of these first round draft picks come out of tac cup. Different rules and predominantly set up for free flowing games and basically an opportunity for the kids to shine.
That’s great but the rules for vfl sanfl and wafl league comps are very different. More man on man , tagging allowed plus bigger bodies in pack situations against men hurt.
Let’s be fair these top kids are given the opportunity to be the best ( as they have earnt it )
They now move to a team situation where they are one of many of normally equal ability ( except maybe 2/3 a year ) they must learn game plans where metres count , 2 way running counts, 30 mins a quarter counts
But more importantly the league is fast harder impacts hurt but you must make position even though you have no breath.

So saying this player is this position and that spot isnt fair.
Those of watching wafl games know the crap out new draftees cop at peel.
It’s brutal but the good ones survive it.
Freo are in a great position these days we no longer have to throw these kids to the wolves and can be patient.
I like we have selected for skill and nous the last 2 years.
Give me a football brain over just an athlete any day ( within reason )

I like Simpson and I think Reid maybe better and I’m happy to watch them star at wafl level until they are ready
 
gungho said:
it always amazes me how kids can get drafted (even high up in the first round) without being able to use their opposite foot.
If they were hell bent on being AFL footballers, you'd think they would put time into it. Also staggering that the pathways that lead to AFL don't seem to pick up on it and teach it.
Click to expand...
A bit different to days past
When even in under 13s bush league you weren’t a good footballer unless you could use both feet and hands and it was trained accordingly
 

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Welcome Welcome to Freo Murphy Reid - pick 17 of the 2024 Draft

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