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Live sport on SN this weekendAdam Simpson responds to Cornes' Harley Reid criticism ahead of second season
Nic Negrepontis • March 4th, 2025 10:46 am
Former West Coast coach Adam Simpson has responded to Kane Cornes’ concerns for Harley Reid.
The Port Adelaide great feels the former No.1 draft pick will likely suffer from “second year blues” given his interrupted pre-season and Cornes’ belief that Reid lacks the training standards required to maximise his output.
“I am super confident Harley Reid is going to be a star of the game. He is going to get there. I am seriously concerned about what he is going to deliver this year,” Cornes told SEN Breakfast.
“I’m certain he doesn’t love training. I’m certain of it. From informed information that I’ve got.
“I’m concerned about the interruption to his pre-season and I’m concerned about him getting only four kicks in a pre-season game. I just am.”
Simpson agreed that Reid has work to do, but believes Cornes’ take on the teenager’s training standards is not accurate.
“He wouldn’t know. Like, I know, I was there. He’s a good trainer,” Simpson told SEN WA Breakfast.
“That’s the thing, he’s working on his body. Getting it AFL ready, which is going to take longer than a Nick Daicos who comes in fully prepared, elite preparation and diet through the under 18s system.
“Harley is still learning those things. That’ll take a little bit of time. His body is not in AFL condition in terms of AFL ready. So, dealing with 50km during the week of training and backing it up day after day.
“I haven’t seen Harley over pre-season, but there’s some work to be done on getting AFL ready. It’s not that he’s lazy or doesn’t like it. It’s just going to take a bit of time.”
As for whether Reid will suffer ‘second year blues’, Simpson was less inclined to comment: “Who knows. I’m not sure. It’s a guess.”
