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“Thought I did something wrong”: Murphy Reid’s brilliant All-Australian reaction

By Lee Fletcher

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Murphy Reid admits he feared he was in trouble when Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir and football boss Joe Brierty called him into a meeting last week.

He was worried he'd done something to upset the Dockers.

Instead, the 20-year-old was told he had earned his first All-Australian selection.

“It was Monday last week, I got called into JB's office and and JL came in as well,” Reid told SEN WA Breakfast.

“I thought I did something wrong. I didn’t know what I did, and they wanted to talk to me. I was sh---ing myself sitting there.

“They pretty much told me and I was over the moon.

“I certainly wasn't expecting that chat to go down that path.”

The selection capped a huge second season for last year's Rising Star Reid who was also named the AFLCA's Best Emerging Player alongside St Kilda's Max Hall.

Standing on stage at the All-Australian presentation with some of the biggest names in the game was a moment he is still coming to terms with.

“It was unreal to be standing up there with stars of the game,” Reid said.

“It was pretty surreal and certainly a pinch-me moment.

“When you’re standing up there and the cameras are on you, it’s pretty cool.

“They’re obviously the stars of the game, stars of the season, and to be recognised in that bunch, I’m very grateful.”

Reid also celebrated the success of long-time friend Jagga Smith, who claimed the Rising Star award after returning from a knee injury.

The pair have known each other since their junior football days in Melbourne.

“It was heartbreaking for him last year,” Reid spoke of Smith who missed his debut season with an ACL injury.

“To see him come back this year and absolutely kill it, it shows the kind of character and person he is.

“He’s an unbelievable bloke and an unbelievable player.”

Reid now turns his attention to Fremantle’s Qualifying Final against Hawthorn at Optus Stadium next weekend.

He missed the Dockers’ final two games of the home and away season after suffering a testicular injury against Melbourne but says he is fully fit.

“The legs, the body’s feeling great.” Reid said.

“Good to go and really excited to play.”

The enforced break also gave Reid his first extended rest since arriving at Fremantle.

He expects opposition attention to continue after the Demons used a hard tag on him but says he has worked closely with Fremantle’s midfield group and assistant coach Joel Corey on how to handle it.

“I’ve had a fair bit of attention this year,” Reid said.

“I guess it’s a bit of a compliment from the other team.

“We’re lucky enough to be in a position where we’ve got a home final in front of a crowd that absolutely loves us.

“We’ll train hard this week, we’ll do our homework and hopefully come out running and really get after it.”

Fremantle will host Hawthorn in a Qualifying Final at Optus Stadium next Thursday night, with a place in the Preliminary Final on the line.

Fremantle