The first season of the SANFLW competition began in 2017, but long before Reid arrived at the Parade from the Greenacres Football Club her football resume was already loaded from over a decade of playing at what was then the highest level in the state for women’s football.
Before the SANFLW was established in 2017, women’s football had been played in the South Australian Women’s Football League (SAWFL). This was the top level for women’s football from 1991-2016. (In 2017 it merged with the South Australian Amateur Football League to form the Adelaide Footy League). With the advent of the SANFLW in 2017, a new top tier for women’s football in South Australia was established.
By 2017, Reid’s football resume already included a litany of awards, beginning with the SAWFL Pitman Medal for Rookie of the Year in 2005. In 2006, she was also selected in the SAWFL Team of the Year and to cap it off, was selected as an All-Australian following the National Women’s AFL Championships.
Reid was a four time winner of the Dutschke Medal for the Best and Fairest player in the SAWFL, in 2008, 2010, 2013 and 2014. She was again selected as an All-Australian in 2013, and in and amongst these accolades she also accumulated six club Best and Fairest Awards with Greenacres in 2005, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Reid was also a two-time premiership player winning titles with Greenacres in the Division 1 SAWFL in 2009 and was the premiership Captain in 2013. Her career at Greenacres encompassed in excess of 160 games, and culminated with life membership and induction into the Greenacres ‘Team of the Half Century’ in 2015. Reid also represented South Australia in over a dozen games at three national championships in 2006, 2011 and 2013.
Reid had been retired as a player for two years when she was enticed by coach Steve Symonds and Assistant Coach Michelle O'Brien to come out of retirement and join Norwood. Norwood was rewarded in spades. Reid was an outstanding midfielder for Norwood, known for her contested ball ability on field and as a selfless team mate who played a strong support role to inaugural coach Steve Symonds. In 2017, Reid became a premiership player at Norwood when the team won the inaugural SANFLW premiership after defeating North Adelaide at Unley Oval. To cap it off, Reid saluted once more by taking out the inaugural Best and Fairest award for the women’s team.
In the next few years, Reid persisted with niggling injuries that affected her playing time on field but importantly and significantly, she played a significant role in developing and leading other players, particularly younger players.
Reid retired in October 2020 at the age of 38, after 15 years of top flight football. In March 2021, she became the first women’s past player to be appointed to the Norwood Past Players and Officials Committee.
Chris Brown and Michele Reid, October 2024