Xavier Ellis: West Coast Eagles risking Oscar Allen's value every time he plays
Here's a hypothetical for you.
Let's say you own a car worth $40,000. Its a nice car, a car you are more than happy with, a car you haven't considered selling and one you'd be more than happy to keep.
One day a neighbour knocks on your door and says 'I love your car, I want to buy your car, I'm prepared to offer you $120,000'
The only catch for this too-good-to-be-true deal? The neighbour will collect (and pay for) the car when he returns from holiday in three months.
During the waiting period, would you be taking the car on long trips, off road, or leaving it at the local pub overnight? I wouldn't.
The Eagles need to seriously consider what they are doing with Oscar Allen, because right now pick 2 in this year's draft represents the $120,000 offer for the car. What happened to Jake Waterman on the weekend, could easily have been Oscar Allen.
Only a month ago similar conversations were being had about Essendon ruckman, Sam Draper, with Essendon looking to receive the same sort of compensation for Draper if he departed. Well, he now has a ruptured Achilles, and those offers have likely changed.
It isn't Australian sporting culture to sit, rest, or manipulate these kinds of situations, but I know what I'd be doing…
The Dockers have put together back-to-back strong performances, and their win over Port did not come off the back of Serong, Brayshaw and Josh Treacey. The victory was well rounded and put the Dockers back in the finals mix.
I still find it hard to understand the Luke Jackson debate. Jackson is a ruckman. Not a forward, and certainly not a ruck rover.
Gawn, Xerri and Cameron are the current standouts in a competition flooded with average ruckmen. As a sole ruckman, Luke Jackson would join that list.
He was by far the best player on the field on Saturday night, which wasn't and shouldn't be an outlier. I will continue to expect Jackson to be the dominant player on the ground as a ruckman.
Fremantle have some tough conversations coming up, with Fyfe, Darcy & Sonny Walters all looking to make a return to footy.
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