Hot to Bo: Eagles' top pick returns for Cat fight
Bo Allan will return to West Coast's side for Sunday night's clash with Geelong, but the Eagles' top draftee is set for a role on the wing.
Allan will play his second match at the level in the WA Day eve fixture, edging fellow first-year gun Tom Gross out of the side.
Gross is one of three outs from the Eagles' side that lost to Adelaide by 66 points at the weekend, joining Jake Waterman (shoulder) and forward-ruck Bailey Williams (managed).
Allan will play his second game and first since he was suspended on debut for an incident with former Melbourne captain Jack Viney in his long-awaited debut in round eight.
It was the latest in a series of interruptions for the No.16 pick in last year's draft, with two separate bouts of illness costing him an earlier debut.
Allan is joined by forward-ruck Jack Williams — who is fresh of kicking four goals in the WAFL — and 203cm forward Archer Reid in coming into the team to face the fifth-placed Cats.
It means Eagles fans will have to wait to see fellow 2024 draftee Jobe Shanahan who was listed as an emergency alongside Hamish Davis and Gross.
West Coast coach Andrew McQualter hinted that Allan — who had spent the pre-season playing at half-back — could be set for a role on the wing after playing there for the Eagles' reserves against West Perth at the weekend.
'We did play Bo on the wing in the WAFL last week, so we're keen to explore a bit of mid, wing, half-back for him,' McQualter said.
Eagles WAFL coach Kyal Horsley praised Allan for his 15-disposal outing against the Falcons.
'Bo played with a tenacity and physicality which stood out in the conditions,' Horsley told the club website.
'He had some explosive moments where he opened the game up for us.'
Williams also returns for the first time since the loss to the Demons last month and will likely back up Matt Flynn in the ruck.
Archer Reid played the first nine games of the year but was managed ahead of the win over St Kilda and returned through the WAFL last week. Archer Reid of the Eagles kicks the ball. Credit: Morgan Hancock / Getty Images
The 19-year-old key forward is set to play as the second tall forward alongside co-captain Oscar Allen in the absence of Waterman.
Geelong have made only the one change, resting Jed Bews with Connor O'Sullivan coming into the 23.
Sunday, Optus Stadium, 5.20pm
EAGLES
B: R Maric H Edwards R Ginbey
HB: L Duggan S Brock L Baker
C: J Hutchinson T Kelly J Hunt
HF: J Graham A Reid E Hewett
F: T Brockman O Allen L Ryan
FOLL: M Flynn B Hough H Reid
I/C: N Long B Allan T Cole J Williams T Dewar
EMG: J Shanahan H Davis T Gross
IN: A Reid B Allan J Williams J Shanahan H Davis
OUT: J Waterman (shoulder) B Williams (managed) T Gross (omitted)
CATS
B: C O'Sullivan S De Koning J Henry
HB: Z Guthrie T Stewart M O'Connor
C: M Blicavs M Holmes O Dempsey
HF: G Miers S Mannaghan B Close
F: S Neale J Cameron T Stengle
FOLL: R Stanley B Smith T Atkins
I/C: L Humphries O Mullin O Henry T Clohesy M Duncan
EMG: J Bews O Wiltshire G Stevens
IN: C O'Sullivan
OUT: J Bews (managed)
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