AFL SAGA! He’s not worth $1million’: Eagles captain’s struggles continues in deep ‘loophole’
The AFL could use its free agency compensation system to hand West Coast what could be pick two in the upcoming national draft if Oscar Allen departs at the end of the season.
Footy Classified host Sam McClure says it is entirely possible, citing previous examples of the league using its “secret herbs and spices” formula to help battling clubs.
However, Essendon great Matthew Lloyd believes the Eagles skipper is no longer worth the approximately $1 million a season he would need to get paid to officially trigger band one compensation.
The AFL has previously handed out top picks to struggling clubs using this free agency compensation system, including giving pick three to North Melbourne in 2023 for Ben McKay’s departure.
Melbourne also received pick three in 2014 when key defender James Frawley left the club for Hawthorn.
The Eagles currently sit winless after nine games and while they are yet to formally apply to the AFL for a priority pick, they might not need to if Allen opts to depart and a club pays him enough to trigger a top draft pick under the AFL’s secret formula.
Brisbane has been strongly linked with the 26-year-old, with Nine’s chief AFL reporter Tom Morris reporting he would be a Lion right now if the season finished tomorrow.
However, Lloyd no longer believes the Lions should pay top price for Allen, given his form struggles in 2025, coupled with the general health issues that have kept him from the field since the start of 2024.
“I would have said at the start of the year, I was so positive about him saying I’d write him the cheque, but right now I wouldn’t,” Lloyd told Nine’s Footy Classified.
“It’ll be really interesting to see what sort of footy he can play because he’s not worth $1m right now. He’s worth probably $650,000.”
Veteran reporter Damian Barrett has long been a sceptic of the AFL’s free agency compensation model and believes the league will continue to use it without proper oversight.
“No, it’s not right. I’ve never been clear on (the compensation system), and I’ve had briefings on it and I’ve been given documentation on it, it changes every year,” Barrett said.
“Look at Joe Daniher. When he left Essendon to go to Brisbane he signed a three-year deal. Within 12 months of that deal being signed, the Lions added two years to it.
“The compensation pick was handed out on the initial contract which was clearly front-ended enough to make it appealing to have Daniher as a pick for Essendon in the top 10.
“They don’t like us talking about it, but that’s a reminder of how recent it was. They have supposedly cracked down on the loophole.”
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