Pies welcome pressure

COLLINGWOOD’S midfield squeeze is causing welcome pressure, according to Pie Jack Crisp, with the grand finalists still searching for the right blend in the middle.

And Crisp said how returning star Dayne Beams “fits in” will be intriguing. Beams has been battling illness over the past week but will return to the club today as the Pies — spoiled for choice in the midfield — continue to tinker.

Crisp — who yesterday signed for another four seasons — admitted it is “pretty funny” to see how his football journey has ended up, having been traded to Collingwood as part of the deal that saw Beams sent to Brisbane, only to now call the former Lion a teammate. “It is pretty funny, we’ve had a few laughs about it,” Crisp said.

“I was looking for more opportunity down here, and I was lucky enough to get that, but now he’s made his way back to the Pies and it’s going to be interesting to see how he fits in.

“I’m looking forward to playing with him. He’s holding up really well — he’s been a bit crook the last week, so he’ll be back in at the club [today].

“Really looking forward to digging in the next couple of weeks and building into match practice and JLT games.”

Collingwood is set to welcome Adam Treloar and Daniel Wells back into its midfield, with Beams also to slot in alongside the likes of Taylor Adams, who Crisp said he hoped would be the next to sign a long-term deal.

Coach Nathan Buckley declared this week that he would not be afraid to drop the big names should their performances not warrant a berth, and Crisp said the formula was still being tested.

“There’s a lot of mixing and matching going on,” Crisp said.

“As Bucks has said, we’re still trying to find our right mix and we might not find it until late in the pre-season. We’ve obviously got so many players that can go through mid, forward and back.

“It’s a healthy competition for spots and as long as everybody’s healthy on the list, it’s going to put a lot of pressure on the older mids.”