Brisbane premiership player Jonathan Brown says playing in “one of the worst teams” of the last 25 years is a significant factor in the struggles of second-year Eagles prodigy Harley Reid.

Reid, the No.1 draft pick in 2023, has struggled in his first three clashes of season 2025 for West Coast, averaging 14 disposals, down from 18 in an impressive debut campaign, and has gone from collecting nearly five clearances a game to less than three.

With the poor form has come fits of frustration that have seen the 19-year-old caught up in petty melees, including copping a $1500 fine in the western derby, and free kick staging, catching the ire of pundits and fans.

However, Brown went to bat for Reid, stating he “clearly hadn’t lost his talent” and if he were at a better team, he wouldn’t feel the need to lash out.

“He’s in such a unique situation it’s hard to relate to. That two-team town that’s got the media focus right on him from the get-go (creating an) enormous amount of pressure,” he said on On The Couch

“And he’s played in one of the worst teams in the last 25 years. If he was playing for Hawthorn, imagine how much he would be dominating. He wouldn’t feel the need (to lash out).

“To me, he looks like a competitor; he looks like a goer and an enforcer. He clearly hasn’t lost his talent, but there seems to be an element of frustration.

“If you excel in your first 12 months, it can be really hard to back that up because progress isn’t linear.”

West Coast have regularly occupied the last three spots on the ladder since 2022 and sit dead last again after two grim losses to Gold Coast and Fremantle as well as a fighting loss to reigning premiers Brisbane to open 2025.

AFL legend Leigh Matthews added Reid’s struggles could also be a symptom of his success, with opposition teams putting work into him while his abilities raise the performance bar.

“If we go back 12 months, he’s in fantastic form. He’s an 18-year-old man-child making the senior players look like kids,” Matthews said on On The Couch.

“And sometimes I wonder if you play too well too early; it’s not great for you in the long term. All of a sudden, he’s in a bad spot, and he looks like he’s playing a bit angry and a little bit over-aggressive.

“It shouldn’t be that complicated (to fix). He’s just allowing a naturally aggressive attitude to overflow a bit.”