"Kissing the ground": Freo's lauding of list guru over Reid steal

Fremantle are once again the best out west, and much of their recent form is a credit to their up-and-coming superstar.

Already one of the Dockers’ most talented players, 2025 Rising Star winner Murphy Reid has taken his game to a whole new level, averaging 23 touches and six score involvements a game in just his second season at the top level.

Taken with the 17th overall pick in the 2024 National Draft, Reid was the steal of the night, and after racking up another equal career-high 26 disposals, 10 score involvements, five marks, five tackles, and three direct goal assists against the Eagles, the 19-year-old once again put his talents on display on the biggest stage.

Touching on his derby performance and his season so far, Kane Cornes has revealed that the Dockers’ list staff were far higher on Reid than other clubs ahead of the draft, and have since given immense praise to the list guru that delivered on draft night.

“I know we’ve discussed this multiple times, but what about the 16 picks before Murphy Reid,” Cornes told SEN Fireball.

“16 of them! Port Adelaide picked Joe Berry… how many picks did Richmond have in that draft? You’d think one of them would have gone to Murphy Reid, wouldn’t you?

“My information - as you journalists say, my understanding is - that Fremantle in that draft had him rated third. If Fremantle had Pick 3, they were taking Murphy Reid.

“This is a fact. Now, they think he would go one. Wallsy, David Walls (Fremantle Head of Player Personnel), credit to him. They are kissing the ground that he is walking on at Fremantle for that Murphy Reid pick.

“Very short sample size of two years of footy, and go, ‘how could no one have seen this’.”

The 2024 draft has delivered some of the game's best talents, with Richmond's Sam Lalor, North Melbourne's Finn O'Sullivan and Carlton's Jagga Smith making up a formidable top three.

On Sunday, sixth overall pick Harvey Langford had a career-best game for the Demons in a big win over Brisbane, while the Lions' Levi Ashcroft is already a premiership player.

Reid will line up against draft mate Jagga for the first time in their careers as the Dockers and the Blues face off in an Anzac Day clash this Saturday night.