West Coast need to do more to support Harley Reid when the rising star is in the sights of a tagger, according to sidelined defender Brandon Starcevich.

Reid was restricted to a season-low 17 disposals and managed only one clearance under heavy attention as the Eagles were dealt a brutal reality check in a 128-point drubbing at Optus Stadium on Saturday.

As his frustration grew over the course of the game, he also gave away two free kicks which led directly to goals, firstly for failing to return the ball to ruckman Brodie Grundy after a free kick and later for remonstrating with the Swans after Angus Sheldrick’s elbow to the head of Reuben Ginbey.

On Monday, Eagles coach Andrew McQualter told 7NEWS the AFL had apologised to the club and said the second of the free kicks was paid in error.

Starcevich said sidelined midfielders Elliot Yeo and Deven Robertson were badly missed in a number of areas over the course of the night, but particularly in providing Reid some assistance in dealing with the extra attention.

“It was pretty tough for Harley on Saturday. He probably didn’t get a whole lot of help, which is something that, as a team, we need to focus on when Harley’s got a bit of attention,” Starcevich told 6PR.

“If anyone’s got a tag or someone going with them, it’s important to try and help them out a bit.

“Harley’s still learning how to deal with that as well, so there’s plenty for him to learn, but plenty for us to learn as a group as to how we can support him through it.”

Despite successfully putting the clamps on Reid, Jordon had nothing but praise for the 20-year-old and revealed why he was chosen as the Swans’ target.

“He’s a competitive person and he really, really wants to win,” Jordon said on Tuesday.

“I felt like I did a pretty good job on the weekend, he’s an extremely talented player and can break the game open, who you’ve got to be pretty diligent all game.

“I felt like I was able to do that for most of the game.”

Jordon added Reid to a list of famous scalps that include Fremantle ball-winner Caleb Serong and Brisbane dual Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale, among a host of other high-profile victims.

The former Melbourne midfielder said he relishes the challenge of taking on the opposition’s best player.

“I’m a pretty competitive person and I enjoy that challenge every week. If that’s my role for the team, I’m more than happy to do it and if it can contribute to us winning games of footy, I’m more than happy to do it,” he said.

“(You have) definitely got to watch a lot of vision. I’m often going up against their No.1 player as well. If you give them a split second, they can just break the game open like that.

“(Watch plenty of vision, sit down (with the coaches) and try put a plan in place.”

West Coast coach Andrew McQualter conceded the Eagles did not do enough to protect their star midfielder, adding it won’t be the last time Reid gets tagged.

That could come as soon as this weekend in Gather Round, with Geelong tagger Oisin Mullin likely to attempt to curb Reid’s influence at Norwood Oval on Sunday.

“Jordon is one of the best taggers in the competition, and I think (Harley) is not the first and he won’t be the last player that he does that to. He’s just so good at it,” McQualter said.

“(But) we didn’t help Harley enough. We had some plans in place, but it’s going to be part of what we do going forward because I imagine it’s not the last time that he’ll get tagged.

“We need Harley playing great footy for us. I think that’s what is needed, so his teammates have got to help him do that.

“We tried quite a few different things and we moved him positionally a few times. It wasn’t quite the level he’s been at the last few weeks, but that’s what you get from a 20-year-old.