Reid may have even elevated his name above the likes of Euroa’s Will Hayes, Seymour match-winner Jack O’Sullivan, Rochester bull Joe Atley and Kyabram ruckman Zac Norris as the most influential player of the season.
In my opinion, they are some of the most dominant players in the GVL this year.
Reid had 30 disposals (17 of them contested), 10 ground ball gets and eight clearances in a typically combative display that was rewarded with 151 ranking points.
Reid’s outstanding display took a little of the gloss off the work of Kyabram’s Tom Holman, who was similarly brilliant for Kyabram.
Holman kicked four goals, had 16 disposals (all but three of those contested), took four marks inside forward 50 and laid an amazing four forward 50 tackles.
His performance was only hindered by inaccurate kicking, he kicked 4.4.
If not for that return he may have even overshadowed the Echuca co-coach.
Holman finished the match with 137 ranking points, including a two goal opening quarter where he accrued 52 points.
Reid’s influence could have been even greater if not for the three misses he had on goal in the third quarter when Echuca took control of the match.
Reid, who played 98 games in two stints with Greater Western Sydney Giants between 2012-21, was originally drafted to the Western Bulldogs in 2008.
The 33-year-old returned to Echuca last season and was injured early in his first game with the club.
He returned in round 14 last year and kicked four goals, playing every game from that point and was a member of the premiership team.
His influence on the competition this year has been significant, 35 goals in 17 games and a leader in several statistical categories in the GVL.
Reid has contributed as much in attack as he has in the mid-field, unstoppable in both those areas against the Bombers on Saturday.
He took three marks inside 50 and finished with 3.3, regularly moving into the centre and responsible for seven inside 50 entries.
Seven of his nine tackles were in the mid-field and he had eight score involvements.
Reid’s season measures up well against the likes of Hayes, O’Sullivan, Norris and Atley.
He is a top five player in centre clearances, ball-up clearances, groundball gets, forward 50 tackles and tackles.
Against the Bombers on Saturday, he was involved in a terrific battle with Liam Ogden, who finished the game with 23 disposals and 10 clearances, to go with five inside 50s and eight groundball gets.
While Zac Norris’ 103 ranking point tally was down on his season average he did manage seven clearances and five inside 50s.
Norris is the competition’s top clearance player and leads the competition in ruck gathers.
O’Sullivan, Atley and Hayes are the three most prolific mid-fielders of season 2023.
Hayes (578 disposals), Atley (519, no finals) and O’Sullivan (494) also dominate the ranking points — split by Shepparton’s Adam De Cicco — with two of the three still eligible for the Morrison Medal.
Atley was suspended and with his team not winning enough games would have probably struggled to match it with the likes of Hayes, O’Sullivan, Norris and Reid — from the top for teams of the competition.
