THE PATH that Richmond champion Dustin Martin followed to become an "incredible team player" could contain important lessons for young West Coast star Harley Reid, according to his coach Andrew McQualter.

Reid met with Martin this pre-season when the three-time premiership Tiger was in Perth, with the 20-year-old joining McQualter and teammates Liam Baker and Jack Graham for dinner with the retired superstar. 

The pre-season form, physical condition, and growing maturity of Reid this summer has excited key figures at West Coast as he enters his third season, with McQualter seeing obvious parallels with Martin's career progression. 

The former Richmond assistant and caretaker coach said there was a clear opportunity for Reid to learn from a player who performed under the relentless spotlight that the young Eagle has also navigated in his first two seasons. 

"It had been in the works for a little while. Dustin comes over to Perth a little bit and spent some time over here, and we were just catching up for dinner," McQualter told AFL.com.au. 

"He was more than happy for Harley to come along and just meet him and spend some time with him. They both live pretty unique lives as high draft picks [who are] quite recognisable in the public scene. 

"But Dustin was able to have a pretty extraordinary career, so if we can impart some of his knowledge and what shifted for him over his career onto Harley, then I think everybody wins."

McQualter joined the Tigers as a development coach early in Martin's career and was promoted to midfield stoppages coach in 2017, with Martin producing an historic season that year that saw him win the first of three premierships and Norm Smith medals, as well as the Brownlow Medal.  

The coach said there was a key shift in Martin's approach that allowed him to progress from being a very good player to one of the game's greats, potentially containing a valuable lesson for Reid.  

"To live in their shoes is not something I've had to ever do … but for me, what changed with Dustin is he just became an incredible team player. That's what I saw first-hand," McQualter said.  

"I think If you watched Dustin's first five years of his career, he was a good player, a very good player. 

"But what changed is he just became so focused on winning and doing whatever it took for the team to win. 

"Sometimes that looked different for him, and that might be the same for Harley. So that'll be an important lesson to learn."

McQualter said there was no doubt Reid had matured through his third AFL pre-season after opting to remain in Perth during his break and focus on his physical preparation. 

The 2023 No.1 pick enjoyed an outstanding debut season in 2024 but was disappointed with his second campaign, putting steps in place early to make sure he rebounded the way he wanted this year. 

"It started last year. He didn't have the season he wanted to, but he's not the first 19-year-old to get his second season wrong," McQualter said. 

"It happens and it's a really tough caper. He had a really good first year, but I think during the year he wasn't happy with the way his [second] season went. 

"We sat down and we really supported him and made a plan on how to maximise his time and his off-season and pre-season. 

"Harley wants to be a great player and he wants this club to win. So he's putting the pieces together of what that takes and he's on the right path."

Supporting Reid in the midfield this year will be mid-season recruit Tom McCarthy, who has rivalled the young Victorian as West Coast's standout pre-season performer. 

McQualter said there were elements of McCarthy's skill set that had amazed him after playing 10 of a possible 12 games last year, making a seamless introduction to the elite level last year despite not completing an AFL pre-season. 

"The ceiling is … I know it's high. I don't know how high," McQualter said of McCarthy, whose ability to move through traffic and use the ball well has stood out this summer.

"I often watch him, and I'm actually amazed by his composure. Every standard of football he's played, he's so calm. 

"He works incredibly hard. He's got endurance and speed. But his smarts and composure are what stand out the most. I'm excited for his year."