Fremantle Dockers stars like Caleb Serong and Andrew Brayshaw have prepared Murphy Reid for taggers

Fremantle are confident they have prepared young star Murphy Reid for when opposition teams inevitably start tagging him. Reid has produced a superb second season to become an important part of the club’s premiership pursuit, with his high footy IQ and composure a real strength for the 14-1 Dockers. The teenager’s creativity and skill have made Reid a fan favourite and it feels like it is only a matter of time before he gets targeted for extra attention by opposition teams. Assistant coach Joel Corey said Reid will be ready if that happens when the Dockers face Greater Western Sydney in Canberra on Saturday. “We have conversations of what it looks like for different players, and Murphy’s been part of that conversation,” Corey told The West Australian after a cold Fremantle’s Captain’s Run at Manuka Oval. “He’s had minders throughout this season at different times. It’s just that he’s shown an ability to be able to handle that and move forward, so it may not look like it at times.” Fremantle’s midfield is filled with stars and Caleb Serong, Andrew Brayshaw, Hayden Young and Shai Bolton have all been tagged at different points of their careers. Corey said having so many players who understand what it is like to be tagged has allowed everyone to provide input. “We facilitate a conversation around that, and the players end up teaching each other,” he said. “They’re the ones that are actually living it. Caleb’s had a lot of experience with it, Andy’s had experience with it, Bolts had an experience with it. “So they all share their experiences, and we look to learn off each other.” The man who could get the job on Reid is Greater Western Sydney’s Joe Fonti, who is in the midst of a breakout campaign of his own. The West Australian product has emerged as the Giants’ premier lockdown defender, taking on the opposition’s most damaging small and medium-sized forwards. He said he was “100 per cent” ready to test himself against Reid. “I always ask for the challenge and I love being given them,” Fonti told The West Australian. “He’s a great player and I take pride in taking strong players out of the game. “He’s tearing it up this year, as a lot of people are aware of. I spent a bit of time on him last year, when he was playing more forward than midfield. “He makes the most of the time he has with the ball. He’s obviously got a great footy IQ for a player at such a young age and has got a really clever skill-set and can make big plays for them. “It’s about not leaving the door open for him, not giving him many opportunities, because he’s a player that will make the most of it if you leave the door open for him.”