West Coast co-captain Oscar Allen injured after Eagles hold firm on contract negotiations

As devastating as it was to see West Coast co-captain Oscar Allen carried from the ground by trainers late in the last quarter, it’s a solemn reminder of the Eagles’ upper hand in contract talks.

As devastating as it was to see West Coast co-captain Oscar Allen carried from the ground by trainers late in the last quarter, it’s a solemn reminder of the Eagles’ upper hand in contract negotiations.

Eagles coach Andrew McQualter revealed post-game Allen has suffered a suspected plantaris injury. Often referred to as ‘tennis leg,’ it refers to a small muscle in the back of the lower leg.

And three clubs in three states will be sweating on the result of scans.

“We’ll still work through the details and get a report early in the week,” McQualter said.

“It’s always concerning when someone goes down like that off the ball.

“I don’t know the exact details of it, but I saw him come off and then our medical team just briefly said that we’ve avoided all the worst-case scenarios and we’ll work through what’s next.”

West Coast is hopeful that it’s not too serious and Allen has seemingly dodged an Achilles or ACL injury, a sigh of relief when a player goes down with no one around him.

But for the Eagles, Allen’s latest injury setback highlights the delicate tightrope the club has to walk for the rest of the season as Brisbane and Hawthorn circle.

On one hand, a crooked plantaris gives credence to West Coast’s stance on Allen’s future. Burnt by a history of philanthropic deals, the Eagles have been unwilling to offer Allen a long-term contract.

Put simply, the Eagles would love to retain Allen but it has to be on their terms. And those terms are currently favouring the 26-year-old’s lengthy injury history, not the years of service and leadership he’s committed to the club.

Medical opinion is that Allen will have to manage a knee issue for the remainder of his career and he started Sunday’s game with a heavily strapped left knee. He’s also battled foot and shoulder concerns across the course of his career.

Allen’s future at the Eagles is in doubt. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

“Whatever it is, we’ll wrap our arms around him,” young midfielder Elijah Hewett said. “Footy is a brutal game.

“Just when you think you’ve caught the back end of injuries, you might cop something new.

“He’s a pretty resilient bloke. I empathise with him. I had a long stint on the boundary last year and you question what matters to you and your identity in the game.

“He’s already been through that. He’ll figure it out. He’ll get through this one. He’s our skipper and the club will do everything they can to get him back.”

With West Coast not coming to the party, it’s no surprise that Allen has spent the last six months accessing his options. The key forward is believed to be leaning towards the Lions in search of more money and security.

That brings us to the second part of the Allen conundrum.

When he did limp from the ground, the narrative almost immediately became about the impact on a potential compensation pick.

A sizeable deal could net the Eagles a top five pick in this year’s draft. If Allen had suffered a serious injury, there’s every chance the pick could’ve slid down into the late teens or early 20s.

If Allen is going to walk at the end of the season, West Coast must get maximum compensation which makes things difficult if he is able to return late in the year.

Would it be irresponsible of the Eagles to put Allen in cotton wool for the rest of the year? Not if his value is at risk. There could be a world where West Coast is forced to retain Allen if potential suitors smell damaged goods.

West Coast has already handled the Allen situation poorly. Wheeling him out in front of the media after details of his meeting with Sam Mitchell came to light is symptomatic of that.

Giving him the best chance of an uninterrupted pre-season, wherever that may be, might be a chance to salvage that.

As for the game itself, it was a case of four steps forward, one giant step back.

Carlton threw the first punch. The Eagles responded. But West Coast’s first quarter collapse was a knockout blow.

Any hope of a West Coast win against the Blues was gone by quarter time. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

“We were pathetic in the contest,” McQualter said in a raw interview with Fox Footy at quarter time.

“We can’t accept it anymore. We can’t put up quarters like that,” was his measured response post-game.

Frustratingly, the Eagles outscored Carlton by five points in the final three quarters after conceding seven goals to one in the first.

West Coast will also revel in the debut of mid-season draft pick Tom McCarthy, who arguably produced the best debut in club history in becoming the first Eagle to rack up 30+ disposals this season.

But Allen is undoubtedly the story from an underwhelming night at Optus Stadium.