West Coast continued their raid of Victorian talent in this year’s national draft, landing midfielder Sam Allen with pick No.29 on the second night.
The Eagles took the smooth-moving wingman despite rupturing his ACL earlier this season after only three games for the Oakleigh Charges.
While recovering from the injury, he was invited to the national draft combine, indicating he had attracted plenty of interest from clubs.
Allen joins Willem Duursma (No.1), Cooper Duff-Tytler (No.4) and Josh Lindsay (No.19) in Victorian stars being recruited by the wooden spooners this year.
The 18-year-old was a highly-rated prospect this season, with his elite running traits putting him around the first round of this year’s draft.
Camera IconAllen marks. Credit: Rob Lawson/AFL Photos
He ran a sub six-minute 2km time trial as well as being ranked No.1 nationally in the running vertical jump with a leap of 101cm.
Allen started well for the Chargers, averaging 21 disposals in his first three matches before he sustained the serious knee injury at training for Vic Metro.
The teenager also has a strong football heritage as the grandson of 1968 Melbourne best-and-fairest winner Ray Groom.
Rather than use their second selection of the night at No.34, the Eagles opted to trade with Hawthorn and move back to pick 52.
The deal saw them secure third-round selections in both 2026 and 2027 from the Hawks.
West Coast also traded with Hawthorn on the first night of the draft, sending St Kilda’s 2026 second-round pick to the Hawks to move one spot up the board, where they selected dashing defender Lindsay.
More to come
