Ed Allan, the son of inaugural Fremantle captain Ben, says he’s happy to go anywhere on draft night and credits his dad as the biggest influence on his footy career to date.
The 18-year-old endured an injury-interrupted season in 2022 to only play six games for the Claremont WAFL Colts after stress fractures in his back, but left a glowing impression on recruiters.
Earlier in September, AFL Talent Ambassador Kevin Sheehan declared Allan as a player who would certainly get selected in November’s National Draft.
“All the clubs will have watched him late in the year, but they’ll be double-checking (their ratings again). He was always going to get drafted just on what we’d seen of him, but gee the position now will be very, very interesting as to where he goes based on that performance,” he told AFL Trade Radio.
Ben Allan also starred for the Hawks in the early 1990s before moving to the Dockers, but only managed 98 games at his first club.
It leaves Allan ineligible to be a father-son selection and free to be picked by any of the 18 clubs.
The inside midfielder himself credits his dad as a key to his carer thus far.
“He’s obviously been my biggest influence,” he told SEN’s WA’s The Run Home.
“I always go up to him for advice pre-game, post-game he always gives me feedback.
“He gives me advice whenever I want really… he’s always there to help.”
Allan averaged 25 disposals per game in his limited time on the ground in 2022, but his draft combine testing results also have him well placed to be taken high in the draft.
He finished first in the 20-metre sprint (2.81 seconds), fifth in the agility test (8.255) and also in the top 10 for the vertical jump (68cms).
Allan sees himself using those assets on both the inside and outside of the contest.
“I’m a tall inside midfielder, and I see my biggest strength – aside from my height – is my running ability,” he stated.
“That’s just working from contest to contest, my work rate, and I like to think I’m pretty good on both sides of my body with hand and foot as well.
“They’re probably my biggest strengths.
“I watch a fair bit of Ed Langdon running on the wing… and I also watch a bit of Marcus Bontempelli and how he goes on the inside. They’re different players but I take some stuff from both of their games.”
Allan added he’d spoken to several clubs already ahead of the National Draft on November 28 and 29 and is happy to be drafted interstate.