Blood and tears spilled as Lions newcomer rides emotions of pulsating ‘prelim’

As Hawthorn snatched the lead in a pulsating final three minutes of a preliminary final for the ages, Oscar Allen accepted his brave move across the country 12 months earlier had fallen a week short of his dream.

Interchange rotations had reduced the powerful forward to a late-game spectator, removed from the frantic action and unable to influence the outcome from the sidelines as a trickle of blood rolled down his cheek from a gash beside his left eye.

“I was on the bench at the end, and probably during the last couple of minutes when we went down, I was thinking about everything,” he told this masthead.

“I was thinking about things we could have done better, things I could have done better. I was thinking about the (coming) off-season, you know, your head goes everywhere.

The flip to next week will go down in footy folklore – a holding-the-ball decision paid against Hawthorn defender Jarman Impey in the final minute that allowed Hugh McCluggage to kick the match-winning goal.

The decisive moment sent the baying Hawthorn crowd into meltdown and the umpires were loudly, and unfairly, booed as they left the ground.

But there was no such angst in the raucous Lions rooms after the match. There was sheer joy and relief. They had been to grand final in the previous three years, but this one felt harder fought, harder earned.

Spent-looking skipper Harris Andrews labelled the breathtaking aftermath a “serious” emotional high, beaming teammate Jarrod Berry kept saying “crazy” about his best mate McCluggage’s ability to kick two late clutch goals, while Conor McKenna said he felt grateful after a “wild last two minutes” to be back in a grand final.

The Irishman also acknowledged his part in a match filled with exhilarating highs, a skilful two-touch soccer goal while dancing through congestion.“I play a bit of soccer, so it is something I can do,” he smiled.

For Allen, there were no such highs. He played a bit-part to the dynamic Kai Lohmann’s five-goal heroics, or watched in awe as Charlie Cameron did Charlie Cameron things.

Not that the 27-year-old blond forward minded. He said it was simply great to be a part of something special.

Nor did he feel a sense of vindication for handing in the Eagles captaincy last year, amid ongoing media speculation, and departing his native Western Australia for Brisbane.

“Even without the on-field team success, like the way they made me feel welcome in this group – not only me, but my wife and my family – you can see why they’ve been so successful,” Allen said.

“It’s such a great culture and great people. Footy aside, I’d do that 100 times over again.”