West Coast young gun Harley Reid has revealed the change in mindset that has seen him back to his best in 2026 after an up-and-down second season in the AFL.

Reid burst onto the scene after being taken with the No.1 selection in the 2023 national draft, but struggled with fitness woes and the league paying him more attention in his sophomore year.

However, the lessons of a tough 2025, when the Eagles tasted victory just once, seem to have paid dividends.

Reid revealed he returned to training a month earlier than he needed to, alongside the likes of Reuben Ginbey and Jack Graham, in the most recent pre-season in a bid to not only ensure he was in the best shape possible for 2026, but to also be a leader amid the Eagles’ young group.

“With people like that, they want you to get better, and they want to see you succeed. To come back early and to have them send me a message when I probably didn’t really want to get out of bed, like ‘Come on, where are you? Let’s go. You need those people, and I really respect that,” he told AFL.com.au.

“It was just about flipping that mindset so that every chance you get to do these things is a chance to get better. It’s the mentality that these are the next steps to hopefully one day be the best footballer in the AFL.

“That’s the end goal. I want to set little things to be able to perform consistently, to hopefully get there one day. I love going up against the big dogs that currently get that listed to their name. There’s an edge in me to be like, ‘Let’s go, I want to show I’m better.

“I don’t really like talking too much about myself, but obviously at the end of the day I want people to be able to look at me and be (saying) that for sure.”

Reid has also been doing regular boxing sessions and power training between rounds, with the midfield bull West Coast’s best-on in all three of their wins.

And he says the change has come with the maturity he is beginning to achieve after moving away from Victoria.

“I’ve been introduced to AFL footy now for 50 games, and I’ve been in the system for three years. I’ve been able to experience a lot of ups, a lot of downs, coaches and players gone by,” Reid said.

“I’ve been able to take it all in and lead the younger group that’s coming through, as well as being a third-year and young player in our team. I do personally feel that I have matured and that’s what I wanted to see in my footy.”

Reid’s hard-won maturity has had to come quicker than many of his peers, especially as teams like Hawthorn began throwing around contracts late last year that would have seen the young Eagle earn around $18 million over 11 seasons, while almost every other Victorian club attempted some form of lure for the boy from Tongala.

However, Reid opted to stay with the rebuilding Eagles until the end of 2028 and says it’s a decision that felt “right”.

“It’s pretty ridiculous with what got thrown my way. I needed to mature as a footballer, I felt, to be able to make the right decision and reach my full potential to be where right now I can keep growing. It’s difficult, it was a very tough decision on what to do, but I do feel like I’m a pretty loyal person,” Reid said.

“I really do believe in what’s growing (at West Coast), and the boys have been exceptional. The group we have, I see the massive step from last year. Don’t get me wrong, last year was bloody hard and mentally I felt unstable at times, and things didn’t go to plan.

“Looking at it now, I’m glad I did it, and I’m glad I am where I am. Hopefully now I can continue to keep growing, and hopefully we can get some wins, because that’s all I really want to do – win games of footy and soak it all in and keep gaining that success on the field.”

Reid has also copped a lot of heat on and off the field for his fiery, competitive nature, which often leads to run-ins with umpires and opposition players.

And the former No.1 draft pick says he’s been working with West Coast’s new psychologist, Jodii Maguire, to find the best way to channel his competitive spirit.

“I’ve done a lot of work with Jodii and she’s been great to be able to wire my brain to be able to think different and not use aggressiveness and those emotions,” he said.

“The answer to it is going back to 12-year-old Harley and staying present and just to think about how fun footy is. Another thing was to treat the umpires like you treat your coach. I do find at times I do get umpired differently, and it is frustrating, and I do find the inconsistency with calls… but [I am taking the approach] to treat them like you would with your coaches.

“The fire in the belly at the moment does sometimes get out of control, and I have to try to control those emotions, but hopefully they’re seeing that I’m getting a bit better at that. I’m trying to.”