Lions rule out Beams departure
@andrewhammo72
DAYNE Beams is going nowhere.
Lions coach Chris Fagan says he was “puzzled” at speculation linking the red-hot favourite for this year’s MerrettMurray Medal as Brisbane’s club champion to a return to Melbourne.
Beams returned to Brisbane at the end of 2014 to be closer to his terminally ill father, but since Philip Beams’ death this season talk about his future within the footy industry has ramped up.
Beams (pictured) has been linked to Collingwood, Essendon and North Melbourne in various media reports this year and appeared to add fuel to the fire himself when he did not categorically squash the speculation in interviews after the Round 16 victory over Carlton.
While Fagan says footy rumours never surprised him, he gave no credence to the one involving his star midfielder.
“The bottom line is he’s contracted for two more years at the footy club, so I’m not sure anything is going to happen,” Fagan said. “He’s a
Lions player.
“It would take something extraordinary for him not to be, and you look at his form, I see him on a daily basis, how he engages with the group and how he talks about
our future and I’d be really puzzled if something different to that happened.” Beams handed the captaincy over to Dayne Zorko while he grieved the loss of his father but Fagan says he has never given the club any sign he wanted out.
“None whatsoever, I’m amazed by it, but it is what it is,” he said.
The 2010 Collingwood premiership player is averaging 28 disposals a game this season and is back in the sort of form that saw him named an All Australian in 2012. Fagan says while he was always a fan, he admits he didn’t realise just how good the 29-year-old was. “There is no doubt he would be a deserving All Australian this year,’’ he said. “I remember him playing for Collingwood and he was a pretty good player but probably in that team there were others who shaded him like (Dane) Swan and (Scott) Pendlebury.
“But it has made me aware since I moved up here and coached him how good he is.
“Same with Dayne Zorko, I didn’t really appreciate how good he was.
“So it is a great credit to him and he has got plenty more years left in him I think.’’
While the Lions are likely to make just one change, replacing injured defender Darcy Gardiner, Gold Coast are battling to field a side, with coach Stuart Dew revealing they are down to 28 fit players to choose from.
Captain Steven May and midfielder Brayden Fiorini both spent time away from the club for personal reasons this week and are also in some doubt while key defender Rory Thompson faces a fitness test after missing two weeks with a hamstring injury.
“We are down on numbers, but with that comes opportunity and I think that is important,’’ Dew said.
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