Eagles can land the ‘deal of a lifetime’ if their captain leaves. It’d take breaking AFL’s great taboo

The winless West Coast Eagles would receive the “deal of a lifetime” should co-captain Oscar Allen walk out at the end of this season, AFL journalist Jay Clark believes.

Allen, who was last month forced to publicly apologise for meeting with rival club Hawthorn, was a late withdrawal from his side’s two-point loss to the Tigers on Sunday due to knee soreness.

His expected exit continues to hang over the club, but with the Eagles now looking extremely likely to finish 18th, top-band free agency compensation could give them the top two picks in the draft.

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Speaking on Fox Footy’s First Crack, Clark says the club should have “chauffeured” the West Australian junior to that now infamous Sam Mitchell meeting in the hopes of landing pick 2 as a result.

“He didn’t play because his good knee was a little bit sore for this one – it was a late call, only half an hour before the match he pulls out,” Clark said.

“They are bottom of the ladder the Eagles. To be honest, if he departs and gets them pick 2, well that’s the deal of a lifetime for the West Coast Eagles Football Club.”

Clark added given the “acrimony” of Allen’s meeting with Mitchell, where the co-captain was then rolled out in front of Perth media to issue an apology in the days that followed, his exit could prove crucial for the club’s future success.

Top-level free agency compensation is tied to a club’s finishing position, like how North Melbourne had pick 2 and then got pick 3 for Ben McKay’s exit a couple of years ago.

“They get pick 1 and pick 2 in this year’s draft for where they are at – well that’s the perfect antidote,” he said.

“If they were cranky about the meeting with Sam Mitchell, well maybe they should have chauffeured him to the meeting and bought the bottle of red wine because that’s how good a deal it would be for West Coast.”

Clark likened the Allen scenario to that of former Bulldog now Cat Bailey Smith, who didn’t play a game in 2024 due to a knee injury and then requested the trade to Geelong.

“I think we can all be mature about this – the question is: does he do a Bailey Smith (and not play again due to injury)?” Clark questioned.

“I know he’s a leader for this football club – do you give any thought from either West Coast or from Oscar Allen to pull the pin on this season? Or am I being a bit mischievous there?”

Allen is already playing out of position at the Eagles in 2025, with new coach Andrew McQualter preferring Jake Waterman and Archer Reid as the talls in attack.

The subsequent shift to full back has already drawn the ire for fellow First Crack panellist David King who called the move “degrading”.

“I’d just like to see him play where he’s been for a number of years and just let him compete,” King said on Sunday night.

“These are the games we are talking about (against Richmond) – games decided by moments late, you want your best players out there.

“The West Coast have got to make the best decision for the football club – they don’t want any injury impacting the likelihood of getting pick 2.

“I just think it would be an uncomfortable feeling for the AFL community – we’re not ready for this. To warehouse a player at Round 10 for the potential of going to another club next year – I just don’t think that’s a part of our code.”

When the debate turned to being “uncomfortable” with a move to sideline Allen, Clark replied: “He was held hostage in that press conference (after the Mitchell meeting made headlines), wasn’t he? So we’re past the point of uncomfortable.”

Fellow First Crack panellist Leigh Montagna said he believed it’s worth “the conversation”.

“See what’s best for everyone – for all parties, what it looks like,” he said.

Allen’s move to defence hasn’t proved fruitful so far for the Eagles, who are ranked the worst defence in the competition. In attack, they are also the AFL’s worst for points scored.