West Coast coach Andrew McQualter admits it is a challenge to balance Harley Reid’s fire and flare.

Reid played one of the best games of his young career in Sunday evening’s defeat to Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval, but gave away six free kicks in the process and was involved in a series of heated clashes with fellow firebrand and former No.1 pick Jason Horne-Francis.

He had 27 touches and snapped an early goal that put them 19 points ahead in a rampant start. The 20-year-old’s day also finished with seven tackles, six clearances and 11 contested possessions.

But he became wasteful with the ball as a feud with Horne-Francis boiled over late in the game.

McQualter revealed post-match he had already addressed the issue with Reid and urged him to “dance with the line” between competitiveness and recklessness.

“It’s my job, it’s really challenging because I love the way he goes about it and I will say that continuously, because if you have all players being competitive as he is, then you’re on the right track, but he clearly crossed the line too many times tonight,” he said.

“I have had that chat with Harley already, he knows it and he is going to play up to that line every single week and that’s where we want him.

“We want it to be a dance with the line, but he doesn’t step over it.”

Horne-Francis had the final say with the footy in a final quarter where he kicked two of his three goals to ice the game. He played down the clash between the pair after the siren, despite celebrating his final goal by giving Reid a verbal serve.

“There was a bit of heat in it at the end there, which I like a little bit and I know a few of their players like as well,” Horne-Francis said.

“It’s all part of the game. It’s all in good spirit.”

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley also revealed he beelined for Reid to tell him he loved the way he played.

“I actually spoke to Harley Reid after the game, I love the way he plays footy,” he said.

“He is two years younger than ‘Hornet’, they look similar to me when I watch them play footy.

“And yeah, they’re not always going to get it right, I said this about Hornet, we’re not talking about Harley, but I can talk about where Hornet is in his development and the Eagles are pretty excited about what’s coming.”

Power midfielder Zak Butters had 38 disposals and was far and away the best player on the ground. Horne-Francis also took over after quarter time in a show of class beyond what West Coast’s young midfield could offer.

Without Jack Graham, Tim Kelly and with Liam Baker stationed at half forward, Reid worked in tandem with fellow youngsters Brady Hough, Clay Hall and Elijah Hewett.

“I kind of had to check myself a few times. You look at our midfield we had tonight and we are really excited about, but we’re young,” McQualter said.

“We have a midfield where Houghy has played about 10 games in the midfield, Harley is on about 30, Elijah is on about 15 or 20 and Clay Hall is on about five.

“I think you compare that to the games of the Port Adelaide players and I think realistically we are a few years behind that. We competed really hard, but it was an area that was a challenge for us tonight.”

West Coast next week take on Richmond, who now sit three games clear of them off the bottom of the table.