Oscar Allen has spoken candidly about his surprise and disappointment at how his time with the West Coast Eagles ended, admitting the club’s handling of his situation opened his eyes to the business side of football.
Speaking on Mix94.5’s Pete & Kymba with Ben Cousins, the former Eagles captain revealed that the support he received from West Coast after his injury wasn’t what he had anticipated, and that the club’s reluctance to match Brisbane’s offer made his decision to leave inevitable.
“It was pretty eye-opening”
“Oh, I suppose a little bit, yeah,” Allen said when asked if leaving left a bad taste in his mouth. “And I understand now it’s a business, and probably the last 12 months has been pretty eye-opening with that aspect. I’ve been really fortunate that early days of my career, West Coast looked after me incredibly well. But clearly there’s been a lot of change at the footy club, so people that potentially always had my back in the past probably aren’t there in those roles anymore.”
He added that the “level of support” he received when his situation became public was “probably different than what I expected it to be.”
The 25-year-old said that while West Coast seemed hesitant to commit, Brisbane’s eagerness made the decision easier. “I get to go to a situation where I know that I’m really wanted… they’ve been really clear that they wanted me. So that’s a great feeling for me as a person,” Allen said.
Calling the move a “great opportunity,” Allen said Brisbane’s success both on and off the field made it the perfect environment to start fresh. “Why wouldn’t I want to go somewhere where everyone really wants to have me here?”