Reid staying the course
Sam Reid is excited to have extended his contract with the Swans until 2017
THE SYDNEY Swans have kept Greater Western Sydney and the rest of the AFL at bay by re-signing young key forward Sam Reid until the end of the 2017 season.
Still a teenager for 11 more days, Reid's contract was due to expire at the end of 2012 and there had been plenty of speculation about cross-town rival GWS' desire to lure him out west.
Instead, the young centre half-forward has signed a five-year extension and, while terms weren't disclosed, there's little doubt Reid's new deal makes him the AFL's latest million-dollar man.
The Swans also announced on Friday coach John Longmire had signed an extension that takes him through to the 2014 season, but the big news was Reid, one of football's brightest prospects.
He played 23 of a possible 24 matches in 2011, including both finals, kicking 22 goals and leading the Swans in contested marks.
"From all the time he's been at the club, he's really stood out as a first-class prospect for us and really worked hard to get himself where he is today," Swans chief executive Andrew Ireland said.
"We're really conscious of the changing face of AFL football with the new teams coming in, free agency and the like, so it was really pleasing Sam was agreeable to a long-term contract with us.
"Obviously it's not easy to find key forwards and Sam's filled that role for us really well.
"We were always confident, and Sam and his management always indicated, that Sam's preference was to stay with the Swans.
"But the reality was, GWS have got an opportunity this year and at the end of next year to secure uncontracted players.
"So you do need to plan well into the future and I can tell you John [Longmire] has been banging on my door regularly through the season to see if we could get the deal done."
Reid admits he was aware of the speculation surrounding a possible move to GWS, telling AFL.com.au his teammates had stirred him about it during the season.
But he says he "didn't hear anything formally" from the Giants.
He was also pleased to avoid the sort of speculation that the likes of Tom Scully had to endure before he left Melbourne for GWS.
"Seeing that last year, it probably made it really tough on him and his teammates," Reid said.
"So it was great to get it done nice and early, not only for me knowing what I'll be doing over the next few years but also knowing that speculation won't be there."
Despite his age, Reid said his lengthy contract allows him to already start planning for life after footy.
"It really came down to how much I love it here in Sydney and the guys that are at the club," he said.
"The young group we've got, it's really exciting going forward and I want to be part of that.
"It's really good security that Sydney have offered me and I've thought long-term about what I can do after footy and this has given me a chance to set up what I can when my career does finish."
Longmire has also been rewarded after leading the Swans to sixth place in his first season after replacing Paul Roos as head coach.
"I’m obviously really appreciative of both the club and the board's decision to extend my contract," he said.
"I think we've got some of the more talented younger players coming through that are going around.
"There's certainly exciting times ahead."
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of the AFL or the clubs