Reid, in his first year at the Sydney Swans, followed in his family’s strong football tradition when he was drafted by the Club in the third round of the 2009 AFL Draft.
Sam’s father Bruce played for Footscray, while his uncle John was in the first group of footballers who played for the Sydney Swans in 1982. To top this off, Sam’s brother, Ben, is in his fourth year at the Collingwood Magpies, and like Sam, wears the number 20 on his back.
Having such a strong network around him made the transition from under-18 Murray Bushrangers player to AFL draftee all the easier.
“Dad played 119 AFL games, he played 80-90 games at the Bulldogs when it was Footscray, and a few more games at Carlton after that, and my uncle played with Dad as well. But my uncle came up to Sydney when the Swans became ‘Sydney’ from South Melbourne in 1982. He played the first two years when they became Sydney,” Reid said.
“Dad always had something just to help me out, he still does today with games that he watches, because he’s been through it himself and he knows a fair bit about it, so he’s really helpful. He coached me all through juniors through to under 14s, so he’s taught me a fair bit.”
Watching Ben go through the initiation into life as an AFL footballer after he was picked up in the 2006 draft was a great learning experience for Sam, who would one day love to play against his brother. Sam says that while they don’t talk about footy a lot when they are together, Ben is also always happy to help out.
“He’s always giving me tips, mainly what he did to get where he is and all that, he’s fairly helpful,” Reid said.
Reid had his first taste of AFL football as a year 10 student, when he spent a week doing work experience at the Magpies headquarters after Ben was drafted to the Club.
The experience was invaluable for Reid, and made his desire to become an AFL footballer even more of a goal.
“I worked with the development coach there, that was in Ben’s first year. So I lived with Ben for a week and I saw what he did every day and it looked pretty good from where I was sitting.
“It was pretty good, a few of my mates were jealous, but I loved it,” Reid said.
Strong performances with the Murray Bushrangers and Vic Country last year held Reid in good stead leading into the 2009 draft camp. Reid impressed at the camp, and despite being the second youngest player in attendance, ranked equal second in the kicking test and was in the top eight percent for the 20 metre sprint.
“I probably tested the best at each thing that I ever have so it was pretty successful for me, but it was a tiring four days, pretty mentally as well just having interviews by clubs. It was pretty full on,” Reid said.
One of the interviews was by the Swans, with Reid eventually being the 39th player picked up in the draft. Being selected by the Swans was as much of a shock to Reid as it was to the Club, which expected him to be picked up earlier in the draft.
“I spoke to them once at draft camp, and that was it until draft day when they drafted me. (It was a) big surprise.”
While Reid says it was hard at first to make the move from Wangaratta to Sydney, he has now come to love his new home. Having fellow Murray Bushrangers player Dylan McNeil also drafted to the Club - as well as Gary Rohan, who he played with for Vic Country - made settling in much easier for the youngest player on the Swans list.
“Dylan actually came up on the same plane, it made it heaps easier, it really helped out knowing someone,’’ Reid said.
“It was pretty hard at first, but all of the guys at the Club make it pretty easy. Lewis (Johnston) and Nick (Smith) who I’m living with, they both help out heaps,” Reid said.
Reid has been developing as a defender since he arrived at the Club and his outstanding performance for the Swans Reserves in round six of the AFL Canberra competition resulted in him being awarded best on ground against the Belconnen Magpies.
Reid says his performance at fullback last weekend was “one of the better games” he has played so far this season, but credited teamwork as the reason behind the Reserves 63-point win against the Magpies.
“We all just did our job, it was a good team effort. We all played really well and from what Frosty (Coach, Daniel McPherson) said, he was pretty happy with us all.”
The Reserves will be looking for back-to-back wins this weekend when they face Ainslie at Ainslie Oval. Last time they met, the Reserves were 43-point winners over the tri-colours and Reid says his side will be in with a good chance of a repeat performance if they continue on from last week’s form.
“Probably just what we did last week, everyone just play their own role, that’s what we are about. I think mainly if everyone just plays their roles, usually everything should go to plan and we’ll play good footy if we all do that,” he said.
