Essendon big man Sam Draper has also joined the fold, with the 2017 No.1 draftee pick looming as the ruck replacement for McInerney. The recruited pair arrived last week and had gruelling fitness sessions under the Queensland sun.
Already the 26-year-old Allen, who missed most of the 2025 season after undergoing knee surgery while still recovering from calf and Achilles issues, has made an impression on Andrews and the role he could play in nurturing rising young forwards Logan Morris, Kai Lohmann and Ty Gallop.
The Eagles’ Oscar Allen will join the Lions next season.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
“It’s obviously disappointing to lose Cal, but he’s got to look after his family at the same time, and he’s a little bit closer to home [in Western Australia] which is important,” Andrews said.
“I wouldn’t go as far as to say we’re the destination club of the AFL, but we’ve definitely been able to do a good job over the last five years of getting some really high-quality recruits. Oscar was the captain of West Coast, so I’ll certainly be picking his brain a little bit about leadership, and he’ll offer a lot in that space to us.”
Other additions to the Den have included highly touted draftee Daniel Annable, with the No.6 pick seeking to force his way into a midfield boasting Lachie Neale, Hugh McCluggage, Josh Dunkley and Ashcroft brothers Will and Levi.
Already he has caught Andrews’ eye, who lauded the teenager as “super fit, very skillful and a really great football brain”, who would thrive with the motivation of “trying to knock some of the older guys off their perch”.
As for replacing Starcevich, who missed large chunks of 2025 with concussion, rising star Jaspa Fletcher will take on a more senior role once he heals from shoulder surgery – a task he was embracing alongside wounded teammate Jarrod Berry (shoulder).
Finishing with a career-best campaign for disposals (575 at 21.3 a game), inside 50s (68 at 2.52) and rebound 50s (91 at 3.37) after finding a home in the backline, Fletcher was adamant he had other gears to reach.
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“It’s a different challenge for me and something I haven’t quite experienced coming back from an operation. [But] I’m looking forward to it, and I’ve got a great mate in Bez beside me to get me through,” Fletcher said.
“I was pretty proud of my year, but I know I can get better. Post my operation I was looking to 2026, I’ll be trying to attack my rehab as best I can and get my body ready to go – I’m able to run now which is nice.”
Andrews said Starcevich would be a hard man to replace.
“He’s one of the all-time great teammates to play with – so tough and resilient down there – and we’ll obviously miss his ability to lock down on really dangerous small forwards,” he said.
“But at the same time, I think he missed maybe 13 or 14 games last year and … we were able to work our way through that. When guys unfortunately leave, other guys step up.”