James Aish could help facilitate Dayne Beams arrival at Brisbane from Collingwood

COLLINGWOOD remains hopeful it will secure Brisbane youngster James Aish as part of the Dayne Beams deal.

Brisbane Lions player James Aish. Pic Darren England.

WHEN James Aish arrived at Brisbane one year ago, it was with a sense of uncertainty.

Five young players had left. The coach was gone and the on-field forecast was bleak.

James Aish came in fourth position in this year’s rising star award. Pic Peter Wallis

As early as draft night last year, it was open knowledge that rival clubs suspected Aish was one who could join the exodus.

NOT SO FAST DAYNE, BEAMS DEAL STALLS

On Thursday night, that theory was tested, as the phone of the man who finished fourth in the Rising Star award this year went berserk with friends, twitter followers, everyone, asking the same question.

“What’s this about you joining Collingwood?”

Aish was shocked, but not as much as his coach Justin Leppitsch, who took aim at those “that have plans to destabilise us” and emphatically shut down the online scuttlebutt, saying “Kids will not be traded”.

But as the Dayne Beams deal ticked past Collingwood’s self-imposed deadline yesterday, leaving the two clubs in a mexican stand-off, there remained some, albeit faint hope at the Westpac Centre that the slick wingman and two-time premiership player from Norwood, could yet be a Pie.

As fanciful as that sounds for the Lions, the contract that has been waiting for Aish to sign all season remains unsigned. This week Aish’s manager, Liam Pickering, headed north to talk turkey with the gun midfielder and his family about his future.

Aish said he was unequivocally happy up north, but the two or three-year extension went back in the drawer.

To be fair, even if Aish slammed his fist on the table and demanded out on the back of his sensational debut season, the Lions would still probably say no.

But, so too, are the Pies to Beams.

The club is adamant it isn’t bluffing when it says it will keep Beams against his wishes next year. For the 2012 Copeland Trophy winner, this is an infuriating, if not inconceivable proposition.

For Nathan Buckley, it has to be unworkable.

For a club that has emphasised so heavily on team culture, how could it accommodate an unhappy player? Would he sulk in the corner of team meetings and mope at training?

Or would he even stay in Melbourne?

Collingwood would count on the professionalism of a footballer to at least perform on the field. Buckley has told Beams to get ready for preseason.

Problem is, even if a trade deal isn’t done, his locker will be empty.