Oscar Allen celebrates a goal during the match between North Melbourne and West Coast at Blundstone Arena in round 22, 2024. Picture: Getty Images

BRISBANE is making plans for life after Joe Daniher, with the Lions eyeing West Coast free agent Oscar Allen.

The Lions are understood to have already spoken with Allen as he enters his free agency season.

The co-captain of the Eagles will qualify as a restricted free agent this season, meaning West Coast will be able to match any bid for him in the case he explores rival interest, with Brisbane's intent to hit the key forward market already clear.

Allen and the Eagles have been in discussions for some time about a new deal, which was complicated by the key forward's long absence after his knee injury last year that saw him miss 14 weeks. Talks at the Eagles have centred around a medium-term extension at this stage. 

The 25-year-old has played 93 games for the club, with his best season coming in 2023, when he kicked 53 goals from 23 games. This year will be his second season as co-captain at the Eagles alongside Liam Duggan.

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Daniher's retirement call after Brisbane's epic premiership win gave the Lions little time to hit the key forward market last off-season, with the club securing veteran marking option Sam Day from Gold Coast as a pick-up.

Given his free agency status, Allen shapes as one of the main key forward targets for clubs, with Carlton ruckman/forward Tom De Koning also set to garner significant interest on the market. 

Of other key forwards out of contract in 2025, Geelong and Richmond spearheads Jeremy Cameron and Tom Lynch are at the end of their free agency deals, while Collingwood's Brody Mihocek, Geelong's Shannon Neale and Essendon's Harrison Jones are among others in the last year of their current contracts. 

Jeremy Cameron kicks a goal during the preliminary final between Geelong and Brisbane at the MCG on September 21, 2024. Picture: AFL Photos

The Lions have had success in turning around the fitness fortunes of previous recruits in Daniher and Lincoln McCarthy, and have had targeted approaches to key players in their build, including Tom Doedee in 2024, Josh Dunkley in 2023, Daniher in 2020, Callum Ah Chee in 2019, Lachie Neale and McCarthy in 2018 and Charlie Cameron in 2017. 

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Their own free agent Brandon Starcevich is expected to garner interest from both West Australian clubs while he makes his own contract decision after being a key player in Brisbane's premiership push.