Oscar Allen may have played his last game for West Coast after the club confirmed the co-captain will be sidelined for the “medium term” with a calf and Achilles tendon injury.
In other injury news around the league, star GWS defender Sam Taylor will miss four to six weeks with a fractured toe, while his teammate Brent Daniels has succumbed to an adductor injury.
Sydney are hopeful of welcoming back Tom Papley and Errol Gulden for Saturday’s clash with Port Adelaide, while Collingwood duo Pat Lipinski (concussion) and Brayden Maynard (plantar fascia) could also return this week.
Allen suffered his painful-looking injury while sprinting behind play during Sunday’s 34-point loss to Carlton.
The 26-year-old immediately pulled up lame and slumped to the turf before being gingerly helped off the field by two trainers.
West Coast released a statement on Tuesday afternoon revealing Allen had suffered damage to his left calf and minor damage to his Achilles, but there had been no rupture.
They say he will miss for the medium term, with a more precise timeline to be given in the coming weeks.
“We’re relieved Oscar has not ruptured his Achilles tendon, which aligns with our medical team’s initial assessment, and the good news is that surgery won’t be required,” West Coast’s football manager Gavin Bell said in a statement.
“Oscar is understandably disappointed by this setback, but he’s a resilient individual and he’s already focused on his recovery and on continuing to support and lead the team during this time.”
Although Allen’s injuries aren’t considered serious and won’t require surgery, it remains to be seen whether Allen will be able to make it back again this year.
Even if he does return to full fitness in time for the last few rounds of the season, West Coast will be taking a huge risk if they play him.
Allen is a restricted free agent who is being heavily chased by Brisbane and Hawthorn.
The deals currently in front of him reportedly dwarf what Allen is being offered by West Coast.
If Allen decides to leave, West Coast are likely to receive tier-one compensation from the AFL.
With West Coast (1-13) hot favourites to finish last on the table and get the No.1 draft pick that comes with it, their tier-one compensation for losing Allen would be pick No.2.
Even before Allen got injured, West Coast were being urged to wrap their star forward in cotton wool for the rest of the season to avoid him picking up a serious injury that could affect his worth on the open market.
Meanwhile, Giants defender Taylor will wear a moon boot to protect his fractured toe for the next two weeks before beginning to rebuild his training loads.
Taylor suffered the injury during last week’s upset win over Brisbane.
Giants duo Toby Greene and Jake Stringer could return for Sunday’s clash with Gold Coast if they make it through main training on Friday.
Vice-captain Stephen Coniglio is on track to return in round 17, after the Giants’ bye.
Oscar Allen. (Photo by Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
‘It had to be perfect’ – Freo keep captain on ice
Fremantle have ruled out captain Alex Pearce for Thursday night’s clash with Essendon in Perth, but supersub Nat Fyfe is edging closer to being unleashed for a full game.
Pearce hasn’t played since developing a hot spot in his shin following the club’s round-11 win over Port Adelaide on May 24.
The 30-year-old missed wins over Gold Coast and North Melbourne either side of Fremantle’s bye, but he still isn’t ready to resume.
Fremantle are taking an extra cautious approach given Pearce’s history of leg fractures and there are no guarantees the star defender will be ready for next week’s home clash with St Kilda either.
“It’s going to be a bit too tight to get him up for this week,” Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir said on Tuesday.
“It hasn’t quite progressed the way we wanted it to, and to get him up for this week it probably had to be perfect, and it just hasn’t been.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
“We have to give him a little bit longer. He’s not in drills and he needed to be in drills by today.
“He hasn’t quite got there. He’s moving around, but hasn’t taken that next step yet.
“I can’t put a time frame on it, but we’re hoping for next week.”
Fyfe has made a huge impact as the sub since returning from a hamstring injury, tallying seven final-quarter possessions against Gold Coast, and racking up nine disposals in a little more than a quarter against North Melbourne.
The role has proven to be a perfect way for the 33-year-old to be eased back into action.
“He might be a permanent sub. He might be able to play until he’s 45 and do that the rest of his career,” Longmuir joked.
Despite that quip, Longmuir says it’s not a role Fyfe can do long term.
“My gut feel is you can only be the sub for so long,” Longmuir said.
“We’ve had players who were the sub for three weeks in a row and I probably feel like that is the max.
“So if he (Fyfe) is the sub this week, there will probably be one more before we either have to get some game time (into him) at the lower level or get him into the team (for a full game).”
Fit-again Fremantle duo Michael Walters (knee) and Jaeger O’Meara (foot/hamstring) are set to make their returns via the WAFL this weekend.
Fremantle (8-5) have risen to eighth on the back of four straight wins, while injury-hit Essendon (6-7) are coming off three.
© AAP
