No.1 draft prospect Harley Reid ‘annoyed’ by reports he doesn’t want to be drafted by West Coast

The coach of projected first overall pick Harley Reid has addressed rumors that the talented teenager already has a preferred team in mind for next season.

According to Harley Reid's coach, the top draught prospect is frustrated by rumors that he does not want to move to the West Coast.

Bendigo Pioneers coach Danny O'Bree stated on Thursday that Reid and his family were eager to set the record straight and make it plain that the young talent had no concerns about being picked by West Coast, or any other AFL team. O'Bree said that Reid and his family were eager to make clear that they had no reservations about being drafted by any AFL club.

"I spoke to him yesterday and he said exactly the same thing," O'Bree said of Reid. "That is what he has said in the past and I spoke to him yesterday and he said exactly the same thing."

He seems mildly irritated. He claims he has never mentioned or spoken of this with anyone. We don't want this to become a running gag. We'd like to put this to rest so he can get back to playing football. Indeed, that's his sole objective. Have some fun and play some football, he said in the Herald Sun.

He'll go anywhere there's a chance for him to play football. The article claims that he informed the West Coast that he did not wish to play for them. That is just false.

He'll do well in any school or program he enrolls in. Either on I-95 or in Victoria. With Harley, it wouldn't make a difference. He's a wonderful young man who will thrive in any academic setting.

Reid can play VFL again in the coming weeks for either Essendon or Carlton because the Coates League doesn't resume until next weekend and Bendigo has a bye in that round.

According to O'Bree, Reid is as eager as ever to prove he is the best youngster in the land, and he does not want to waste his momentum in the remaining weeks of the season.

The use of VFL should be considered. Those are the topics being discussed right now. We'll do our best to build a strategy for him. We won't deviate from our original goal of him returning to recreational football and completing his development. The Pioneers' strong finish should pave the way for him to guide us deep into the wild-card round.

Carlton and Essendon are two of our alliance partners. While he enjoyed his time at Essendon at the beginning of the year (during preseason), he has found his home with the Blues. As long as Harley is content with the decision, it doesn't matter which one is made.

Reid capped off the Under1-8 carnival for Vic Metro with a fantastic 11-clearance game, but he was up against stiff competition from the likes of Jed Walter, Nick Watson, and Xavier Duursma.