As he returns to Collingwood, take a look at five facts you may not know about 2012 Copeland Trophy winner Dayne Beams.

A (very) late call up
Despite a strong NAB Cup campaign, Dayne Beams wasn’t picked to play in the opening round of the 2009 season.

He wasn’t picked to play the following week, either, instead getting set to play in a VFL practice match against Geelong at Kardinia Park.

That all changed when Dale Thomas came down with a bout of gastro.

“I got up at 7am and went down to Geelong to get ready to play in the VFL,” Beams explained after his whirlwind debut against Melbourne that afternoon.

“I got ready to go and then Paul Licuria came in and said ‘take your boots off, mate,’ and I thought ‘what’s going on here?’

“He said ‘you’ve got a game in the ones’ and I was stoked, so it’s good to go out there and get a win.”

Beams picked up 18 disposals, six tackles and a goal against the Dees and barely missed a beat from there on, winning the Harry Collier Trophy as Collingwood’s Best First Year Player.

But it wasn’t just the numbers that left an impact on Beams during his senior debut.

The roar of the Magpie Army during a 53-point win certainly made a lasting impression.

“They’re a loud bunch, aren’t they? They’re great,” Beams told Collingwood Media after the match.

“The supporters are what keeps the club going.”



Captain Nick Maxwell gives Dayne Beams a pat on the back as they leave the field after Beams' debut against Melbourne in round two, 2009.

A rare distinction
Beams is now among players such as Des Tuddenham (Collingwood-Essendon-Collingwood), Bill Picken (Collingwood-Sydney-Collingwood), Ian McMullin (Collingwood-Essendon-Collingwood), Mark Orchard (Collingwood-Sydney-Collingwood) and Chris Tarrant (Collingwood-Fremantle-Collingwood) as those who returned to Collingwood after a stint elsewhere.



Mark Orchard (right) chases former Sydney teammate Greg Stafford. Orchard is one of six players to have begun their careers with Collingwood, only to leave for another club before returning.

Stepping aside
Beams kicked 26 goals in 25 games back in 2010, finishing sixth in the Copeland Trophy just months after his 20th birthday.

Twelve months later, things weren’t so rosy.

Collecting 21 disposals and six tackles in the Qualifying Final against West Coast, Beams took to the field against Hawthorn in the Preliminary Final two weeks later.

The match was an epic, one of the most memorable finals of recent times, thanks to Luke Ball’s match winning goal with minutes remaining.

Beams watched that goal sail through from the interchange bench, having injured his groin midway through the night.

Just as teammate Simon Prestigiacomo did one year earlier, Beams stepped aside from the Grand Final team the following week, watching on as his Magpies fell to Geelong in the biggest game of the year.

Pies pick up a Copeland winner
Beams’ arrived marks the first time Collingwood has recruited a Copeland Trophy winner since 1986.

How is this possible?

The last Magpie to win a Copeland, play elsewhere and then return home was Billy Picken, who won the ’83 Copeland, spent the next two years with Sydney and then ended up back at Victoria Park for one more year in 1986.

Prior to that, Des Tuddenham, who won the Copeland in 1963, crossed to Essendon from 1972 until 1975, before returning to Collingwood for the 1976 and 1977 seasons.

The class of 2008 reunites
Since he began as Collingwood’s chief recruiter in 2004, Derek Hine has been known for bringing in the double acts through the National Draft.

In 2005, it was Dale Thomas and Scott Pendlebury (picks No. 2 and No. 5)

In 2006, it was Ben Reid and Nathan Brown (picks No. 8 and No. 10)

In 2008, it was Steele Sidebottom and Dayne Beams (picks No. 11 and No. 29).

At long last, Steele Beams is reunited.

The pair, along with Jarryd Blair, were the youngest members of Collingwood’s 2010 premiership side. All three arrived at the club at the end of 2008 and by 2 October 2010 were key members of the best team in the competition.

Sidebottom and Beams are close friends, but have not played together since they were 24.