Oscar Allen (footballer)

Last updated

Oscar Allen
Oscar Allen 2019.3.jpg
Allen playing for West Coast in July 2019
Personal information
Date of birth (1999-03-19) 19 March 1999 (age 26)
Place of birth Perth, Western Australia
Original team(s) Whitford JFC
West Perth
Draft No. 21, 2017 national draft
Debut 8 July 2018, West Coast Eagles vs. GWS Giants, at Perth Stadium
Height 197 cm (6 ft 6 in)
Weight 98 kg (216 lb)
Position(s) Key Forward/Utility
Club information
Current club West Coast
Number 12
Playing career1
YearsClubGames (Goals)
2018– West Coast 105 (151)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2025.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Oscar Allen (born 19 March 1999) is a professional Australian rules footballer who plays for and co-captains the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Contents

Junior career

Allen is from Perth, Western Australia. [1] He played junior football at Whitford Junior Football Club, and also played basketball. As a junior, he played as a small defender, before a 10 cm (3.9 in) growth spurt at 16 [2] meant he started to play key-position roles. [3] Allen joined West Australian Football League club West Perth in 2016. He initially played at colts level. [4] At West Perth, Allen played as an inside midfielder, a centre-half forward, a centre half-back and a ruckman. [3]

He played for his state as co-captain [5] in the 2017 AFL Under 18 Championships and won the Larke Medal as the best player in the first division after kicking 11 goals over four games. Allen said he was "really excited" about the award, but it "wasn't something that went to [his] head". [3] He played as a centre half-forward, but was named in the Under 18 All-Australian side as a full-forward, confusing WA coach Peter Sumich. [2] Allen was lauded as a possible early pick in the 2017 national draft after his performance. [1] He was compared to former St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt by his West Perth coach Bill Monaghan, [6] and to Essendon forward Jake Stringer. [2] [5] Allen played two reserves matches with West Perth, where he played with his older brother Angus. He also played two senior matches to give him experience at a higher level. [3]

AFL career

After speculation that West Coast would take Allen with their first selection (pick 13) in the 2017 draft, [3] he was eventually selected by the club with pick 21. [7] He arrived at the Eagles with a tibia stress fracture, which Allen believed was character building. Forwards coach Jaymie Graham said that senior players were impressed with his work ethic. [8] He made his debut in round 16 of the 2018 season against the Greater Western Sydney Giants at Perth Stadium. [9] He he accumulated seven disposals at 100% efficiency, two marks and three tackles. Allen singled out his smother on Giant Matt de Boer and watching Nic Naitanui take a flying mark as highlights. [10] Allen played a defensive role in his AFL debut with West Coast, but said that he was happy wherever coach Adam Simpson played him and that he was sure he would play as a forward at some point. [11]

Allen received a Rising Star nomination in round 21 of the 2019 AFL season for his three goal effort against Adelaide at Perth Stadium. [12]

In the 2023 AFL season, Allen kicked 53 goals and finished runner-up to Tim Kelly in the Club Champion Award. [13]

In November 2023, Allen was named co-captain of the Eagles. [13]

On 19 June 2025, Allen was ruled out for the rest of the 2025 season after opting to undergo knee surgery while recovering from his calf and Achilles tendon injury. He damaged his calf and Achilles four days earlier against Carlton and subsequently decided to undergo patella tendon surgery to fix an ongoing issue with his left knee. [14]

On August 24, 2025, just one day after their season came to end, the West Coast Eagles confirmed that Allen had advised the Club of his intention to explore his options as a restricted free agent. [15] Speculation on where Allen would be playing in 2026 had occurred for some time, after news broke he had met with Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell in early May, before taking time away from the club. [16]

Statistics

Updated to the end of 2024. [17]

Legend
  G  
Goals
  K  
Kicks
  D  
Disposals  
  T  
Tackles
  B  
Behinds  
  H  
Handballs  
  M  
Marks
SeasonTeamNo.GamesTotalsAverages (per game) Votes
GBKHDMTGBKHDMT
2018 West Coast 1220113821850.00.56.54.010.54.02.50
2019 West Coast 122120111347921375581.00.56.43.810.13.62.80
2020 [a] West Coast 1215188864613244411.20.55.73.18.82.92.75
2021 West Coast 122128161545821299391.30.87.32.810.14.71.96
2022 West Coast 120
2023 West Coast 1223532317068238113372.31.07.43.010.34.91.60
2024 West Coast 12112016782710552131.81.57.12.59.54.71.21
Career93139756352869213911931.50.86.83.19.94.22.112

Notes

  1. The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Personal life

Allen has two brothers: Gareth, a lacrosse player who won a bronze medal for Australia at the 2010 World Lacrosse Championship in Manchester; [3] and Angus, who has played for West Perth Football Club's reserves. [3] [18] He was educated at St Mark's Anglican Community School.[ citation needed ]

References

  1. 1 2 Twomey, Callum (3 November 2017). "Tomorrow's Heroes: Workhorse rises to challenge". afl.com.au. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 King, Travis (7 July 2017). "Larke medallist shoots into first-round contention". afl.com.au. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Waterworth, Ben (1 November 2017). "AFL Draft 2017: Oscar Allen a versatile WA prospect that can play anywhere on a footy field". Fox Sports . Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  4. "Oscar ALLEN". West Australian Football League . Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  5. 1 2 Lacy, Bridget (24 June 2017). "Stringer-like Allen's draft stocks on the rise". The West Australian. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  6. Quartermaine, Braden (11 November 2017). "WA's Allen bolts into top-10 reckoning". PerthNow. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  7. Curley, Adam (9 July 2018). "Eagles fan Oscar a winner at second chance". afl.com.au. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  8. King, Travis (2 February 2018). "Stress fracture 'character building' for young Eagle". afl.com.au. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  9. "West Coast Eagles Vs GWS Giants – Match Centre". afl.com.au. 8 July 2018. Archived from the original on 8 May 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  10. Dickinson, Rhys (9 July 2018). "Nic Nat's grab a highlight for Allen". westcoasteagles.com.au. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  11. King, Travis (9 July 2018). "New Eagle would relish chance to man speedy Pie". afl.com.au. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  12. Dickinson, Rhys. "Allen wins Rising Star nomination". westcoasteagles.com.au. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  13. 1 2 "Duggan, Allen named co-captains". westcoasteagles.com.au. 29 November 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
  14. "Season over for Eagles co-skipper after undergoing surgery". afl.com.au. 19 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  15. "Club statement: Oscar Allen". westcoasteagles.com.au. 24 August 2025. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
  16. "'Everyone hated me': Oscar Allen on fallout from Mitchell meeting". afl.com.au. 1 May 2025. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
  17. "Oscar Allen". AFL Tables. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  18. "Angus Allen". West Australian Football League . Retrieved 15 June 2025.