Far from the expanses of Tongala Recreation Reserve, Mt Barker was the next stop on an exciting journey for Tongala’s Harley Reid.
Last weekend’s AFL Gather Round in South Australia provided another opportunity for the highly-touted youngster to showcase his wares, trading the Bendigo Pioneers jumper for the blue, green and gold of the AFL Academy.
He joined some of the brightest under-age football talents in the country in a clash against Port Adelaide’s SANFL side last Saturday, following the AFL clash between Brisbane and North Melbourne.
Already drawing significant raps in his draft year early in the season, the 18-year-old showed why that was the case in a supreme performance against the Magpies, collecting 21 disposals, six marks, seven clearances and a goal in the 13-point defeat.
Running around through the midfield, forward and backline at 185cm, Reid was uniquely equipped to tackle the bigger bodies.
“It was a great opportunity and a good challenge too because probably half their team were listed AFL players,” Reid said.
“I was pretty happy with how I played.
“I always love playing against older, bigger bodies. Playing seniors my whole life really from a junior, I adjusted pretty early. I loved the challenge.
“We only had four days to really get a game plan together. I felt we all took it in and utilised it well.”
Despite only turning 18 on Monday, Reid is one of the most highly-vaunted junior talents in Australia at present.
Performances like the one against Port and a stellar start to his Coates Talent League season as captain of the Pioneers have many across the AFL spectrum tipping the Murray Football League export for the top spot at the national draft.
But how is the man at the centre of the hype taking it all in?
For Reid, he is just taking it day by day and enjoying his footy.
“At the start, it didn’t really get to me,” Reid said.
“I just try not to think much of it. It’s a lot of pressure behind it and it's tough at times, but I’m just hoping I can play some good footy and just take it day by day.
“With the leadership at the Pios, it’s something I wanted to implement into my game, so it makes me feel more team-oriented than individually focused.
“I’ve really enjoyed (the Pioneers’ captaincy). That was something I wanted to implement back into my game, I was a captain throughout my junior years at Tonny.
“I felt the will for that return and I was happy to lead the boys out this season.”
Off the field, the VCE student is tackling his studies at Echuca’s St Joseph’s College, using the final week of the school holidays to take a well-earned breather after a busy month of football.
But his next challenge isn’t far ahead with a potential VFL berth on the cards.
“I played four weeks straight of footy and I was going to go to Carlton for the week and play a bit of VFL with them,” Reid said.
“We sat down and thought it would be good to have this weekend off, reset mentally and physically, and maybe next week I might play.”
A proud Tongala boy, Reid has been unable to suit up for his beloved Blues this season, and with such a big year on the cards it seems unlikely he will be able to.
But despite that, Reid has been a presence on the sidelines for several Tongala games, and with a crucial clash against Cobram this week waiting for the eighth-placed Blues at Tongala Recreation Reserve, the young gun is planning to be there to will his side on.
“I’m trying my best (to catch a game) when I can,” he said.
“This weekend they have Cobram, so I’ll head over and watch that one with them. I watched the Nathalia game on Good Friday and that was good.”