Sheed was taken with pick 11 in November last year, and the Kalgoorlie boy was terrific in his first-up effort against Fremantle, gathering 17 possessions as well as taking four marks and laying two tackles.
After the match, Sheed told Eagle Eye TV that the hard work over the summer months was the key to his good start.
“I’ve been working pretty hard with them over the pre-season, so to put it into practice was really good today,” the 18 year-old said.
“I struggled early on, but once the game picked up and once I got into it, I thought I’d done all right.
“It’s been a long pre-season, but it’s finally good to get into it.”
Midfield tasks don’t come much harder than taking on the bulk and talent of the Dockers, but Sheed says it was an invaluable learning experience.
VIDEO: Watch the full match highlights here.
“They’re big, they’re real big,” he said.
“You’ve just got to find other ways around it and play to your strengths, and I think we’ve done that today.
“So yeh, it gives me a lot of confidence.”
Eagles coach Adam Simpson, also taking part in his first official match as an Eagle, said Sheed’s effort was very positive.
VIDEO: Adam Simpson's post-match press conference.
“He’s a baby, so just to get that exposure, it would have been great for him, a good thrill,” said Simpson.
“To get a sense of what it’s like to play in front of a crowd like that, he would have never done that before.
“We were really happy he got an opportunity and got through the game, and to get 17 touches is really good.”
