The West Coast Eagles plan to place highly-regarded pair Oscar Allen and Luke Edwards on the AFL’s inactive list as the club looks to protect their long-term interests.

Allen has been in and out of a moon boot with a foot injury which is making slow, but encouraging progress.

Rather than expedite his treatment with the view to playing late in the season, the club has opted to plan a meticulous and considered approach to his return.

Allen, who has played 59 games since being drafted with selection 21 in the 2018 ballot, has not played this season after the injury flared in the pre-season.

Edwards, selection 52 in the 2020 draft, worked his way through osteitis pubis in the pre-season to play three games, but was subbed out of the game against Collingwood when the groin pain returned.

He played a WAFL game a few weeks later against South Fremantle but again felt discomfort.

“After discussions with the players and medical staff we have decided in the best interests of their welfare to ease back on the workloads of both players,” Football Manager Gavin Bell said today.

“While it is extremely disappointing, we have to consider the bigger picture.

“We would dearly love to have both Oscar and Luke out there helping us to achieve the best possible results at the back end of the year, but the medical advice is that they would benefit from a conservative rehabilitation.

“Given that we are almost at the halfway point of the season and they would need a considerable block of training before they could look at resuming, it is in the best interests of both players to wind back and take a long-term view.

“Oscar and Luke are both great competitors and want to help us improve in the short term, but they will remain integral in the program as they support of their teammates for the rest of the season.”  

They will join exciting young midfielder Campbell Chesser and premiership defender Tom Cole on the inactive list.