Axed West Coast defender takes shot at 'cowardly people' following Harley Reid's sad admission

Delisted West Coast Eagles defender Josh Rotham says some of the personal criticism AFL players are subjected to on social media is "disgusting" after Harley Reid revealed the constant scrutiny had taken a toll on his mental health. The Eagles confirmed on Monday that Rotham would not be offered a contract for 2025, ending his eight-year stint at the club.

Rotham played 72 games for West Coast after being taken with pick No.37 in the 2016 national draft but he struggled to lock down a spot in the side, only managing 13 games in each of his last three years. The 26-year-old said he understood the club's decision to delist him in what is a "ruthless" industry.

But now without a club, Rotham said he feels he can speak out about the abuse players cop online. "It’s just the nature of the beast in a way, I think. It’s so accessible now, social media," Rotham told SEN this week. "I wouldn’t say this if I was still at the club, but I’m going to say it — there are people who can sit on the couch and be stuffing their face in pies and tell you how to play the game. I find it quite funny.

"But as a player, you’ve just got to find ways to block it out. Some of the stuff you can receive on social media in your direct messages is pretty disgusting. I just try to ignore it, listen to people within the four walls for the last eight years, and my family and friends.

"It’s tough but it’s what we sign up for. People are passionate about the game, so there are two sides to it. If people are going after you as a person, that’s different, but there can be some cowardly people going after you.”

Harley Reid opens up about emotional toll of maiden season

Rotham's comments come as earlier this month Reid opened up on how the constant ridicule had taken a toll on him in his first season in the AFL. The 2023 No.1 draft pick attracted unprecedented levels of hype and mania this season, with the midfielder attracting headlines for everything he did both good and bad.

Reid was featured on the back page of newspapers more times than he played in his maiden season and while if anything he exceeded expectations it hasn't been easy for the youngster. "It was pretty hard at times, I feel,” Reid said earlier this month at an event as a Caulfield Cup Carnival racing ambassador.

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"For me, I tried to do all I could with my footy and let my footy do the talking, but it’s pretty hard. Ninety-five per cent of it’s mental and I think if you can win the mental game and go out there feeling confident." The 19-year-old was also regularly ridiculed online and admitted he had to try to avoid it at all costs for his own sanity. “I think, my generation, a lot of it’s social media and, these days, it’s all on social media. So, I think that was something that was very hard to control and came with a lot of pros and cons, I guess,” Reid said.

“For me, it was probably more just escaping from that world and staying in reality and staying in the moment.”