At 16 years of age, Read experienced an 11 cm growth spurt and he was subsequently put on the radar of several AFL teams due to his newly developed 200 cm frame.[7] The following year he received national exposure for the first time when as a bottom ager he was selected to represent the Allies several times in the U18 National Championships as well as the Gold Coast Suns Academy in the U19 Talent League.[8] His performances at the representative and club levels led to Read being placed in the AFL's 30-player National Academy program on the eve of his draft year and he was generally considered a second round draft prospect at the time.[9]
Read appeared in the Allies' first U18 National Championship win and his performances earned him the starting ruckman position in the 2023 U18 All-Australian team.[10] A month later he made his VFL debut for the Gold Coast, accruing 12 disposals and four behinds.[11] In mid-November, he finished second in the national combine 2km time trial by running a 5:56 and was rated as highly as the third best prospect in the 2023 draft pool by some recruiters.[12] A week later, he was drafted to his hometown team the Gold Coast Suns with pick 9 in the 2023 AFL draft after the Suns elected to match a bid from the Geelong Cats.[13] Read grew up supporting the Gold Coast Suns[14] and described being drafted to the club with his friends as a "dream come true".[15]