Beaming Pies

[Kirby]

Good God, Hutchy was just trying to suggest he's now worth $500k a year based on 2 months of top football.

I'm with Thomas on this one, that's just way too much for what he's "proven" so far. His suggestion of $250k may be a little low but around $300k seems about right for 2 years, then the big contract comes next.

I'm not worried with Paul Connors becoming his manager as I think he's pretty straight and one of the netter ones.

 

[standingroomonly]

Open market price in the AFL is a strange thing. Most starting rotation Mids "deserve" $400k+, not all of them can be, especially in a mature, talent stacked team like ours.

For him to get "market value" firstly a team would have to trade for him or risk the draft.

Plus all clubs have salary cap pressure. Best case a club might have a couple of hundred K spare. So they have to delist, trade or cut the pay of a couple of players on top of facilitating the trade.

It comes down to a choice. Play for less and chase a flag, or walk to the pre season draft with $500k on his head to the GC, although surely with their kids maturing it'd be tightening up there too.

 

[Boris the Contradiction]

It used to surprise me when people criticised him and now I am surprised when people praise him. I am not surprised because I don't rate him but because I think he has been ridiculously underrated by the majority of football fans, including Collingwood fans. If it wasn't for the misplaced public opinion of him, people would be saying that if the All Australian Team were decided today, he would be a lock. His performances warrant it and I would go as far as to say that he has been in our best three players this season so far - in a team on top of the ladder.

Dayne's performance levels since he debuted have been nothing short of sensational in terms of output and consistency. In fact, I'd go as far to say that he has been the best kid we've had at the club in many years when you consider that he offered immediate high level output consistently. Even Pendlebury didn't "do it" as early as he did.

The "Beams doesn't play well in finals" school of thought isn't based on anything solid either. In fact, it was based on a poor Grand Final showing when he was a second year player. He was playing against what was the most ferocious team in the league as a kid and as most would, he struggled. Last year he had 21 possessions and 6 tackles in the Qualifying Final which was hardly a poor showing and he was injured for the rest of the final series, barring a few minutes at the start of the Prelim. I think people have put too much emphasis on the 2010 Grand Finals and this is because he has rarely struggled in most other games he has played for the club and also because the most comparable player to him at the club, Steele, excelled in those Grand Finals. Both of these guys are exceptional talents and will be elite (if they are not already) but how Beams is not seen as the better prospect bewilders me. Granted he is less creative by foot (not by hand in my opinion) and Steele lays more tackles but Dayne is more consistent, is a more penetrating kick, is physically bigger, is stronger over the ball, is a natural clearance winner (probably the most natural I have seen at Collingwood) and he is better overhead. Beams is simply the best all round natural midfield talent we've had in ages.

Midfield: Thomas, Pendlebury, Sidebottom
Foll: Jolly, Swan, Beams
Rotation: Didak, Ball, Wellingham, Blair

The other clubs must hate our guts