Bloodied, benched and consumed by a cascade of emotions, Oscar Allen sat on the sideline during the frantic final minutes of a pulsating AFL preliminary final and faced the possibility that his brave decision to leave Western Australia for Brisbane may have fallen just one week short of realising his dream. Instead, the Lions held on in extraordinary fashion to punch their ticket to the grand final, and Allen is now savouring every moment of a journey he says has already exceeded expectations.
A Rollercoaster Finish for Oscar Allen and the Brisbane Lions
Allen, 27, was forced from the action under the blood rule after sustaining a gash beside his left eye, watching helplessly from the bench as Hawthorn briefly snatched the lead in the closing stages. His interchange rotations had reduced the powerful forward to a spectator at precisely the wrong moment.
"I was on the bench at the end, and probably during the last couple of minutes when we went down, I was thinking about everything," Allen said. "I was thinking about things we could have done better, things I could have done better. I was thinking about the off-season — your head goes everywhere."
The match turned on a single, seismic moment that will be debated for years. A holding-the-ball decision against Hawthorn defender Jarman Impey in the final minute allowed Hugh McCluggage to slot the match-winning goal, sending the Hawthorn crowd into uproar and the umpires from the ground to a chorus of loud boos. In the Lions rooms, however, the mood was one of unbridled joy and relief.
Tears, Soccer Goals and Sheer Disbelief in the Lions Rooms
Captain Harris Andrews described the emotional aftermath as a "serious" high, while Jarrod Berry repeatedly used the word "crazy" to describe his best mate McCluggage's ability to produce two clutch goals under immense pressure. Irish utility Conor McKenna, who conjured a skilful two-touch soccer goal by dancing through congestion, said he felt grateful after a "wild last two minutes" to find himself back in a grand final. "I play a bit of soccer, so it is something I can do," McKenna smiled.
For Allen, the afternoon offered fewer personal highlights — he played a supporting role to Kai Lohmann's five-goal performance and watched Charlie Cameron deliver his customary brilliance — but the former West Coast Eagle was philosophical. "It's simply great to be a part of something special," he said.
New recruit ruckman Scott Draper was also visibly moved, with Berry noting that Draper had tears in his eyes at the final siren. "You can see how much it means to those boys," Berry said. "But there are also those guys who aren't playing at the moment — you just want to do it for them."
From Eagles Captain to Lions Believer: Allen Has No Regrets
Allen relinquished the West Coast captaincy and departed his home state under a cloud of media speculation 12 months ago. Yet he insists the move to Brisbane has delivered rewards that go well beyond on-field success.
"Even without the on-field team success, the way they made me feel welcome in this group — not only me, but my wife and my family — you can see why they've been so successful," Allen said. "It's such a great culture and great people. Footy aside, I'd do that 100 times over again."
Allen also noted that while a grand final is uncharted territory for many of his teammates, he has a unique historical reference point. He was an emergency player when West Coast won the 2018 premiership, attending the parade and travelling to Melbourne without taking the field. "To now be a part of it as a playing player is something I'm really looking forward to," he said.
Brisbane's hunger for a third consecutive premiership has been questioned throughout the season, but Allen, Draper and the Lions' infectious culture appear to have answered those doubts emphatically. For the Brisbane Lions, the road to the grand final has never felt harder fought — or more richly deserved.
