Footy legend Peter Sumich quits his media job after being barred from criticising one of the AFL’s brightest young stars over his ‘puppy fat’
- Sumich had written for the Western Australian newspaper
- Hit Harley Reid with some criticism in a recent column
- The 56-year-old has now talked it out with his former employer
Former West Coast star Peter Sumich has resigned as a columnist for the newspaper after an article he wrote criticizing the Eagles’ No. 1 draft pick, Harley Reid, was rejected.
The 56-year-old said he stopped writing for the West Australian because the newspaper called his take on Reid “too harsh” and refused to publish it.
βI gave the kid a boost and said he’s going to be a good player, but everyone’s going to keep going like he’s going to be (former West Coast superstar) Chris Judd,β Sumich said. News Corp.
βI was there when Chris Judd was there and what I saw of Chris Judd in his first two or three years, this kid doesn’t even compare to Chris Judd, so I don’t know why people keep going.
Sumich (pictured at a 2022 West Coast game) has resigned from his job at the newspaper after his column criticizing Harley Reid was knocked back from publication
Reid (pictured during an exhibition game this month) was drafted No. 1 overall by the Eagles and is considered a generational talent by many experts
βI said he has a little puppy fat and he needs to clean up this and that, but that was it.
βHe (Reid) has been here since December or so, let’s say 50 days, and I think he’s been in the paper for 40 of those 50 days… and on the back page (front) probably 20 of them….β ..it’s not a good sign.’
Reid was snapped up by West Coast last November, a move that surprised no one in football.
The highly rated Victorian was perhaps the most hyped draftee in AFL history, with many pundits considering him a generational talent.
Reid was forced to defend himself ahead of conscription amid speculation he was reluctant to move to the other side of the country.
βIt was quite annoying sometimes when they said it and you haven’t even met yet,β Reid said.
Sumich’s banned column took a shot at Reid for having “a little puppy fat.”
The legendary West Coast striker also said Reid cannot be compared to Eagles great Chris Judd (pictured earlier this year)
Sumich (pictured playing in the 1991 AFL grand final) retired as the team’s all-time leading goalkeeper after playing 150 games
βIt (the Eagles jumper) is on me now, so hopefully that kind of clears up my desire to get out there and get stuck in.β
Reid joined a rebuilding West Coast team that has won just five games over the past two seasons and will wear the number 9 guernsey made famous by club greats Ben Cousins ββand Nic Naitanui.
Sumich built a well-deserved reputation as one of the league’s premier strikers as he scored 514 goals in his 150 appearances for the Eagles from 1989 to 1997.
That made him the club’s all-time leading goalkeeper when he retired, and he played a leading role in the club’s first premiership win in 1992.
After his playing days were over, he became an assistant coach at West Coast and Fremantle.