Oscar Allen says he can't rewatch the infamous April press conference when his meeting with Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell came to light, declaring it as "the worst experience of (his) life".
Allen crossed from the West Coast to Brisbane as a free agent at the end of last year, putting a halt to a tumultuous time that resulted in six wins in three seasons. Mitchell's. and immense pressure as co-captain of the Eagles.
Following his meeting with Mitchell, the Perth club put him up to front the media, which, upon reflection, was like forcing him to walk the plank with sharks circling.
"It was fair dinkum, probably the worst experience of my life, to be honest," Allen said.
"It was something I will never watch again, and I don't want to watch again.
"You say I was on the brink of tears. Trust me, before the interview I was crying and after the interview I was crying."
Allen was amid a big contract season, with multiple clubs coming for his signature, especially given his free agency status.
Although there's an acceptance that discussions with rival clubs occur, the key forward wishes the Mitchell chat had been "kept in a more private manner".
"I wish that was something that was done differently," he told Code Sports.
"It was good learning for me and something I will reflect on.
"I also think it was a bit of a ‘genie in a bottle' in terms of where the AFL landscape is and (how) it has been probably happening for a long period of time.
"I was the first player for whom there became really public knowledge about it.
"It became a bigger thing than potentially I thought it was."
Allen declared that the time placed a lot of pressure on not only him, but also his support network.
"It was a lot. It just puts a lot of weight on your partner, your friends. Your partner's family. Her friends," he said.
“Everyone feels worried. You are in a bubble, and there is so much external stuff going on."
But the situation revealed what was important to the former Eagle, and offered plenty of learnings to take forward in his career.
"But the things I learned from that situation, and how I can potentially handle things differently. What I learned about people and learned about myself was really important," Allen added.
"It prioritised what was important for me, and that was getting the most out of my footy career that I possibly can.
"Making my family and myself and my wife as happy as we can be."
Allen was unveiled in Lions colours for the first time last week against Carlton in a match simulation in Brisbane.
Unfortunately, he suffered a concussion and is in protocols and will miss the Gold Coast clash on Thursday.
Allen will be pushing for a club debut in the Opening Round against the Western Bulldogs on March 7.
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