Oscar Allen never touched West Coast’s premiership cup in 2018.

As was an emergency for that game at the end of his first AFL season and didn’t play on the big day.

He didn’t think he’d earned the right and heeded the advice of a teammate not to go anywhere near the silverware.

The West Australian hopes that all changes on Saturday when he lines up for his new AFL team, Brisbane, against Fremantle in the AFL grand final.

“I haven’t touched the cup, haven’t touched the medal,” Allen said.

“Mark LeCras actually told me in his first year or second year in 2006, he missed out, he was dropped late in the year, and he wouldn’t touch one until he was able to hopefully win one.

“I grew up idolising Mark LeCras; he was my favourite player. Played for the same junior footy club. So, when he won in 2018, he said, ‘Don’t touch it, mate. Wait till you get one of your own’. So here’s hoping.”

Allen, 27, has been inundated with good luck messages from former teammates and Eagles staff, such as Jeremy McGovern, Liam Duggan, Jake Waterman, Mark Le Cras and John Worsfold.

“They’re mates for my life. We’ve worked together for what nine or 10 years, and in an intimate environment like a footy club, you become family,” he said.

“So those guys and not only players but staff members have reached out. Legends of West Coast that I played with earlier in my career, the support’s been awesome.

“My mates like Jakey Waterman, Liam Duggan, like my core guys have reached out as well and not just grand final week.

“We’ve been mates throughout my whole footy career since I was 18 years old. So the colours I’m wearing don’t really change that.”

Allen feels vindicated for his move to the Lions after a year from hell, underlined by injury and a coffee meeting with Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell.

He also had to fight his way back after being sidelined for almost three months with a foot injury.

Allen played in just one final across eight seasons at West Coast. In one at Brisbane, he has already played in two and now lines up in a grand final.

“Short answer: yes. Obviously, there was a lot of pressure,” said Allen about whether the move had paid off.

“I had pressure last year with stress and injury, but there’s pressure in all forms.

“Like, was I going to stay? What was going to happen? And then there’s pressure because we have got the biggest game in my life this weekend.

“That was probably one of my thought processes with my decision to come to the Lions is the history they’ve had of getting guys who have had a history of injuries and being able to get them up and going.

“They’ve been awesome. All of our physios, doctors, support staff, they’ve been terrific all year, and I can’t be more grateful and thankful for the work they put in for me this year.

“But apart from the footy, I think just the culture that Brissie have set out and the support that they put around me and my family - my wife (Lorna) who’s now pregnant - we’re expecting our first kid.

“So there’s always a lot of change in life, and it’s just been a really smooth year to be honest.

“I’ve really enjoyed it … footy injury aside, it couldn’t have gone any better.

It’s been an interesting year, a lot of change, but clearly very happy with how things have turned out.

“I’ve come to the club to play important games, and clearly this weekend is going to be the biggest and most important. So just really looking forward to it.”

Allen said the Lions players were relieved that gun midfielder Lachie Neale was able to reverse a one-match ban to be free to play in the premiership decider.

“He’s a really talented player. He’s a superstar of the comp,” Allen said.

“It’s great to have him. But if he wasn’t to get through, we’d prepare for that as well.”

The Brisbane key forward said it was “funny” how he would line up in a grand final against Fremantle, his arch-enemy as a West Coast player.

“The boys have been asking me a few questions. Obviously, I’ve played them quite a lot in my career; it’s funny how things turn out in the footy,” he said.

Allen said he was happy to play a support role in the Brisbane forward line alongside Logan Morris, who has kicked 69 goals this season, and Eric Hipwood.

“As a key position player, bring a strong contest,” Allen said.

“And obviously with the other tall forwards around me, Loges is a terrific young player. He’s had an unbelievable year, so just support him as well as I can.

“That’s what Eric and I have been trying to do, and we don’t really think about who gets the end product as long as we’re kicking a good score as a forward line and putting on a lot of pressure, and that’s something we’ve been able to do.

“We’ve been able to score really highly in the second half of the year.”

The Lions will focus on Fremantle’s run and stun from the back half, which was a key reason why the Dockers beat them by 25 points in round 12 at the Gabba.

“Every team this time of year, if you allow them to transition the ball, it becomes hard for the defenders to be able to slow them down, so clearly, that’s a mindset,” he said.

“Being able to slow them down and give our backs a chance to set up is always important in big games.”

Allen said his own form was building.

“Internally, the club’s happy with it. Obviously, I’d like to hit the scoreboard a little bit more, but my role is probably a little bit different,” he said.

“I thought I had a couple of good weeks and then the last couple of weeks have probably been a little bit quieter. So just trying to do as best I can for the team.

“It’s not really about outcomes, it’s about process, and I feel like my process has been pretty good on game day.

“And that’s just the life of a forward. Like sometimes you get on the end, and sometimes you don’t. As long as you keep staying true to doing the right thing, running the right patterns, making a good contest, it generally tends to take care of itself.”