HAWTHORN great Luke Hodge can\u2019t help but feel for young draftee Harley Reid after reports were made that the future potential number one pick doesn\u2019t want to be drafted to the West Coast Eagles.<\/p>\n
It was reported earlier this week by leading AFL journalist Sam McClure that Reid has \u201cessentially told West Coast that he doesn\u2019t want to be drafted there\u201d.<\/p>\n
The suggestions made on McClure\u2019s Tradies Podcast were later shut down by Reid\u2019s manager Nick Gieschen.<\/p>\n
Labelling the reports as \u201cabsolutely wrong\u201d, Gieschen was staunch in his response to McClure\u2019s comments.<\/p>\n
\u201cWrong, absolutely wrong,\u201d he said on SEN Breakfast.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf there was ever any thought of that, I would get on the phone and speak to Rohan O\u2019Brien and have a chat about it. We\u2019ve never had to because from our point of view, it\u2019s not an issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cHarley is open-minded, he\u2019s excited about what\u2019s ahead and let\u2019s just see what happens once the footy finishes.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn terms of him having a preference of staying in Victoria, he\u2019s not from Victoria (Melbourne), he\u2019s from country Victoria three hours out of Melbourne.<\/p>\n
\u201cHarley will go wherever the draft takes him.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it does end up in Perth, yeah, it\u2019s a big move and it\u2019s a lot to take in. That\u2019s no different to a lot of the other interstate players they\u2019ve drafted over the years – Luke Shuey, Andrew Gaff, Campbell Chesser who we had a couple of years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all part of being an AFL player and going through the draft process. He\u2019s open minded, let\u2019s get through the year and we\u2019ll see what happens after that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hodge, who was taken at number one by the Hawks in the 2001 draft, knows what it’s like to be a young lad from the country in the spotlight.<\/p>\n
The four-time premiership Hawk says this type of journalism will continue to happen given the environment of the current AFL media.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is where I sit back and understand why clubs, managers and players are scared of the media,\u201d Hodge told SEN\u2019s Crunch Time.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a 17-year-old kid who hasn\u2019t been drafted yet and his name is being dragged through saying \u2018he doesn\u2019t want to go to West Coast\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is why when we all sit back and go \u2018this is a breath of fresh air to hear a football player be honest and say what they really think\u2019 it’s because things get taken out of control.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I first heard the reports, I thought \u2018what\u2019s he doing, why is he saying that he needs to be smarter than that\u2019, and then you find out from his manager that it\u2019s totally untrue.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou feel for him and unfortunately because we have so many people in the media and they want to break stories and get it out, this is going to continue to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hodge said this is why star athletes are so weary of the media and being taken out of context.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou feel for the young fella, he\u2019s probably sitting back and going \u2018jeez is this what AFL is up for, every time I\u2019m in the media whether it\u2019s true or not it\u2019s going to get reported\u2019,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the hardest thing, that\u2019s why we turn these young, loveable and energetic country guys who want to be open and have a joke, we turn them into robots.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause they\u2019ll say something and people will take it the wrong way and the next thing it\u2019s plastered all over the media and then he gets taught by his manager, his family friends or himself and say \u2018I better be cautious on what I say now\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
As it stands, the Eagles hold pick number one for the 2023 draft, but it remains to be seen if other clubs will trade for the prized selection.<\/p>\n