Beams loving Lions’ success

COLLINGWOOD star Dayne Beams will switch from fan to foe when he faces his former AFL side the Brisbane Lions for the first time.

Beams is a certain starter at the Gabba tomorrow night after recovering from a migraine that ruled him out of last week’s win over the Western Bulldogs. And the way Brisbane is playing, the Magpies will need him.

Bolstered by the signing of ball magnet Lachie Neale from Fremantle, the Lions have exceeded expectations to sit 3-1 after finishing 15th last season. Beams sits in the rare position of having switched from both teams.

He was drafted to Collingwood in 2009 then sought a trade to Brisbane in 2014 to be closer to his father, who was battling cancer at the time and died last year. The 29-year-old came full circle when he rejoined the Pies during last year’s trade period.

Collingwood has mostly played on Thursday or Friday nights this season, allowing Beams to keep a watchful eye on the Lions’ games.

And while there is every chance he will be booed by the Lions faithful, he has been thrilled to see his old side tasting success.

“I actually sit there like a supporter,” Beams said yesterday. “I genuinely love watching them do well because I’ve been there the last four years when times have been tough.

“Last year was a step in the right direction and you could see that things were going to change in turn — it was just a matter of how quickly.

“It’s been really nice for me to see the guys who came into the footy club when I was there start to really progress in their careers and take that club forward.

“Their supporters are loyal and they deserve to see some success.”

Beams’s addition to a Collingwood engine room already boasting Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom, Adam Treloar and Taylor Adams had some commentators labelling it potentially the best midfield yet assembled.

The evidence to date suggests the quartet are a long way off hitting such heights, although Beams noted the midfield unit was still learning to jell.

While thoroughly familiar with 2010 premiership teammates Pendlebury and Sidebottom, Beams had never