Cecil Moore wrote:

The convention is that forward
current flows away from the source and reflected current flows
toward the source.

Exactly.

Since in the real world, forward current is
always greater than reflected current, there is always a net
current flow away from the source, by convention.

The current plot for an antenna is a standing wave plot. The
superposition of foward and reflected current is a standing wave. Your
"net current" here is a standing wave. Convention dictates that current
alternates in direction, and that standing waves don't. They stand.

There exists no "reality" in which more current "goes in" one end of a
device than "comes out" the other.

73, Jim AC6XG