OSCAR Allen might not get the dream return against former club West Coast on Saturday night, despite likely being available for selection.

Allen has been sidelined with a foot fracture he suffered in Brisbane's round seven win over Adelaide, missing its past 10 matches.

However, the Lions' off-season recruit is now ready to return – just in time to face the club he used to captain at Optus Stadium on Saturday night.

That is, if coach Chris Fagan selects him.

"It's a hard decision," Fagan said following the two-time premiers' win over Essendon on Sunday night.

"I'm not sure what we'll do.

"I know it's against his old team, but he hasn't played for a while and hasn't played a lot of football for the last two or three years."

After 53 goals and an All-Australian squad of 44 selection in 2023, Allen was dogged by knee, calf and Achilles problems in his final two seasons in the west.

His departure at the end of last season was uneasy, with a story of a meeting with Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell earlier in the year leading to him fronting an emotional press conference.

Allen played the first seven games of Brisbane's campaign, kicking 12 goals, before his latest setback.

The Lions have now won five games in succession, with Logan Morris and Eric Hipwood holding down the key posts, and Sam Draper and Darcy Fort sharing the ruck and resting forward duties.

Spots are hard to find in a forward line that also features Cam Rayner, Zac Bailey, Charlie Cameron, Kai Lohmann and a red-hot Conor McKenna.

"We'll have to talk whether the best thing is for him to have a game in the reserves first and then bring him back or whether we throw him in at the deep end," Fagan said.

"Given the performance tonight, it's going to be hard to change the team, I think."