Dayne Beams opens up on why he wanted to return to Collingwood

DAYNE Beams left Collingwood in a blaze of controversy four seasons ago, having said that he had only a “working relationship” with Nathan Buckley. Now, he explains, that has all changed.

RETURNING Magpie Dayne Beams says his heart has always been at Collingwood and he’d “never felt right” playing against his former club while in Brisbane.

The 28-year-old, who four years ago moved to the Lions to be by the side of his sick father, was today sent back to Collingwood at the trade deadline.

The Pies handed over two first-round selections for Beams and will enter 2019 with the most powerful and hyped midfield in the competition, while the Lions avoided the untenable situation of having a player at their club, who made clear he didn’t want to be there.

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Dayne Beams spent the past four years with the Lions, but always planned to return to the Pies. Picture: AAP

Beams said he always told his father, who died earlier this year, that “I would end up finishing career at Collingwood”.

“My heart has always been at the Pies but, four years ago the circumstances were that I needed to get back to Brisbane to be with my dad,” Beams said on Nine’s The Trade Table.

“Collingwood are the club that obviously I started my career with and I have always had a real soft spot. It’s never felt right playing against them. Every time I come up against them it’s always been very weird for me and strange.

“I would have rathered stayed in Brisbane for 12 months and revisited the situation than play for any other Melbourne club and that’s just a reality of it.

Beams has fought a battle with depression and said the decision to return home was best for his family.

“I don’t make decisions from a football point of view, I do what’s best for my family and at the moment with the stuff that I am still going through it was best for me to get back to Victoria and be around my family,” he said.

“I’m grateful that both clubs are able to come to an agreement and I’ve landed back at Collingwood.

Collingwood handed over pick 18 this year, its first-rounder next year and pick 56, receiving picks 41 and 44 and the prized signature of Beams.

At one stage a trade that looked certain to fall over ended up with the Pies giving up a huge draft haul for a 29-year-old.

But Pies list boss Ned Guy said securing those two picks in the 40s meant the club did not jeopardise its aspirations to heavily consider top-25 prospects Isaac Quaynor and Will Kelly.

Brisbane football boss David Noble told the Herald Sun of the Collingwood offer: “We didn’t have to relent but it ended up the deal that came across our desk was too good to knock back.”

The Pies welcome back a 2010 premiership star.

Beams left the Pies in a blaze of controversy four seasons ago, having said that he had only a “working relationship” with coach Nathan Buckley.

But through good mate and former teammate Steele Sidebottom he met coach Nathan Buckley in the days after the Grand Final loss to patch up their relationship.

But Beams claimed “that was never the case”.

“I’ve had some discussions with Bucks in the last couple of weeks,” he said.

“He’s on holidays now, so it’s hard to get a hold of him, but I’ve had some conversations with him about how — I wasn’t happy with I guess the way that it was — that we left.

“I’ve had a lot going on in the last four years and I think he’s also matured as a person as well in the last four years.

“Our relationship as it sits now is a very strong one and I can’t wait to get back and play for him.”

Beams adds a destructive edge to Collingwood’s hardworking midfield, as one of the best goalkicking midfielder finishers in the competition.

Collingwood at one stage feared Brisbane’s determination to keep Beams would prevent the deal going through, but from 3pm onwards they believed they had their man.

Guy said the Pies “absolutely” felt the deal might topple at one stage, after only discovering Beams’ renewed interest in a return in trade week.

“It popped up late. But probably it became a reality in the trade period when we thought we would get it done.

“One of the key focuses for us was making sure we got those picks in the 40s to keep our draft strategy and bring in the talent we want in 41 days time.”

Dayne Beams has returned to Collingwood in a trade deadline deal with Brisbane.

The Pies had made it clear they were hunting for key position reinforcements and eventually settled on former Dogs full back/ruckman Jordan Roughead for pick 75 on a two-year deal.

Guy said he could play multiple positions and from Round 1 next year, the list boss aware he would be unable to secure his former client Steven May when the Suns wanted pick 5.

Guy said the Pies were working on a deal for Tyson Goldsack, adamant he and uncontracted defender Levi Greenwood would be at the club next year.

Brisbane is now faced with the prospect of surging up the ladder without their most dangerous player but is aware it has a fleet of exciting young kids who are willing to fill the vacuum.

“When I was at Adelaide we lost Dangerfield and other players stepped in and they played in a Grand Final,” Noble said.

“At Hawthorn Buddy Franklin left when Fages (Chris Fagan) was there and players stepped forward. We will find people to come in and fill that breach, I have no doubt about that.”

Noble said securing the Pies first-rounder next year — replacing the one they handed over to secure Lachie Neale — meant they could lure another star next year if they wanted to come to the Lions.

Originally published as Dayne Beams opens up on why he wanted to return to Collingwood