Maxy on Beams Trade

[Pies4shaw]

You're entitled to your view, as is Tannin - and I'm very aware that I seem to be just about the only person on Nick's who was genuinely pleased to see Beams go (and had been wanting it for the preceding three seasons).

I understand that he's an accumulator and his numbers look great but I just don't think he does much damage to the opposition unless he's kicking lots of goals. Swan, Pendlebury, Sidebottom, the player who used to be Dale Thomas and Luke Ball all had or have attributes that turn games. Beams doesn't.

I just never thought much of Beams as a player - to me he is just a bloke who happened to be in a winning Grand Final team but barely fired a shot in either. I'm confident he was trying his best both days and I would never criticise his effort. I just think he's another in a long line of apparently "top" players who can't step up to the necessary level when it really matters because they don't have the special qualities needed in the biggest of games.

There are a number of A-grade midfielders in the AFL. Ablett, Dangerfield, Fyfe, Pendlebury, for example. However you describe Beams - and wherever you draw the line on what's "elite" - he was never in their class. He had a year where he got a lot of disposals - interestingly, I saw that as symptomatic of the team's decline, since he was mostly getting disposals that had been in Pendlebury's and Thomas' hands the previous year.

[Tannin]

A good, thoughtful post, Pies4shaw. Actually, Beams has long seemed to me to be one of those players who are possession monsters but never quite click it as true greats. Who was that player over at Footscray who retired a couple of years ago, the one who used to get close to 40 possessions a game every week but somehow never hurt you that much? A bit like that.

This is not to denigrate Beams: he's a very, very good player, but as you say, one who seldom really hurts teams unless he kicks a few himself. You'd have him in your 22 every day of the week, but he's not a Pendlebury, a Judd, a Playerwhousedtobedalethomas, a Watson, or a Dangerfield. He's in that next level down, more like Murphy or a Gibbs (though he's better than either of those two), what you might call an "A-" grade player.

And as you say, who wold you rather have playing in your grand final side? A Beams? Or a Sidebottom? Or even ... dare I say it ... a Crisp?

[yin-YANG]

I agree with your Pies4shaw… I always thought Beams owed us with his poor GF performance in 2010. In 2011 final series he was injured and did nothing and pulled out of 2011 GF if my memory is correct. It is not a game I like to watch over.

Beams was blasted along with other mids for being lazy by Pendles… side stepped up again - Beams chose to leave… he was a one way runner and often waited for goal opportunities around the 50m arc. He was a good finisher and accumulator - but I was not shocked how he left the club and I was not upset when we scored Crisp, DeGoey and Greenwood - we did well - and I would certainly not give back our 3 new guys for Beams. We are better off!

Beams A- ok maybe - although I would say a B+ given he has done nothing of merit when it counts in the finals. Sidey stepped up in GF's and I like the way Crisp goes about it, also De Goey - these guys have the right stuff even if they are not yet at Beams level… watch this space though!

[September Zeros]

[Tannin]

[Pies4shaw]

[September Zeros]

Man hug.*

Game on. Go Pies!

[skaman]

Crisp superb again today. I never thought I would see this level, so soon. Great player with more in the tank to come.

[Flashman]

Crispy was fantastic and his pressure acts (11 tackles) was fantastic. The mighty Cam tipped Crispy to be a gun for us and as always he was on the money.

De Goey was also bloody impressive coming on as the sub I thought and won some crucial contests.

Throw in Greenwood and we'll finish well in front in this deal.

[Duff Soviet Union]

[Damien]

Beams was gone anyway so I think it's more a matter of 'we didn't get screwed' and we may well have come out even if not in front.

[September Zeros]

[Tannin]

[HAL]

Who is he telling this to?

[Jezza]

Crisp's unexpected but great form this year has really tipped the balance of the trade in our favour substantially especially if De Goey becomes a great player for us and Levi replicates the form he demonstrated last year with North Melbourne with us this year when he recovers from a fractured ankle.

This topic actually arose on Triple M pre-match yesterday when I was listening to it in the car on the way to the MCG. Brian Taylor, Danny Frawley and Jay Clark (Herald Sun journalist) were discussing this trade. Clark and Frawley believed that Collingwood were the winners out of the trade especially with Crisp's emergence this year but BT was adamant that there's a long way to go to determine who wins the trade and even going as far as saying that Beams' "career hasn't started yet" which is a ridiculous statement to make to be honest.

However I did agree with BT overall however that there's still a fair way to go to determine who wins the trade but assuming all players involved in the trade including pick 67 for Brisbane all live up to their expectations then I think Collingwood will be the overall winners in the end. I liked the praise that was provided from Clark and Frawley about our list management and the way we're focusing on building a great side rather than thinking about the present moment.