Toast Beams pushing Ball

[jonbe54]

Now I'm a huge Luke Ball fan and am on record in a number of threads as saying he's the best thing to happen to the Pies in ages but. . . .

Beamsy is closing the gap as an extractor. His season since Luke was forced out has taken off, again don't get me wrong as Dayne has always been a fave but his inside work has naturally lifted and he has been allowed to flourish with much more midfield time.

We have missed his threat on the forward line a little but that has been more than compensated for by his work in and under.

How many teams could lose an outright champion extractor like Ball and have the midfield continue to purr along without missing a beat?

There has been huge praise heaped upon the very deserving shoulders of Sidebum who has definitely stepped up but lets not forget young Beamsy in the mix

 

[Tbone McGraw]

I was of the opinion that there is no way we could win a flag without ball. I thought we had no replacement for him on our list. However beamsy has stepped in perfectly. The last 2 games were against the 2 hardest midfields currently in the game and our young mids have been superb. Special mention also to jarryd Blair.

Beams has always been a very good home and away player. His next step will be to dominate finals consistently and i reckon the last 2 games will be as close as you can get to finals, so he may be on the way.

 

[Temploar]

Beams and Blair aka "The dynamic inside duo" = Ball.

 

[76woodenspooners]

Agree Jonbe, Beams is maturing with the extra responsibility. He's taken it up another gear.

But to my eye, Blair's improvement has been even more noticeable in that area.

As for Beams pushing Ball, I think there's always a place for Ball's leadership on the ground. I think Ball will be one of those players ho stops playing footy because of retirement or injury rather than being dropped for bad form.

 

[jonbe54]

Agree Jonbe, Beams is maturing with the extra responsibility. He's taken it up another gear.

But to my eye, Blair's improvement has been even more noticeable in that area.

As for Beams pushing Ball, I think there's always a place for Ball's leadership on the ground. I think Ball will be one of those players ho stops playing footy because of retirement or injury rather than being dropped for bad form.

Defs agree on Ball, unless injury intervenes his prescence on the field is a priority, just glad to see young Beamsy step up.

In regard to Blair, his attack on both ball and player has become almost as manic as Daisy but sometimes he seems to spend all his pennies too quickly and runs out of gas in the last. Even so his contribution is full of merit and value.

 

[thecig]

Beams and Blair aka "The dynamic inside duo" = Ball.

Seems the case. So is it Bleams or Bair?
I reckon Bleams cos it reminds me of that Playstation emulator "Bleem!"

 

[Temploar]

Seems the case. So is it Bleams or Bair?
I reckon Bleams cos it reminds me of that Playstation emulator "Bleem!"

Bleams.

 

[jonbe54]

Bleams.

Lolled

We seem to be setting up quite a succession plan now.

Swan, Pendlebury, Thomas, Beams, Sidebottom, Blair all relatively young with only Bally likely to retire anytime soon.

Add to that my possibly controversial pick for inclusion down the track in young sinkers - yes he's light and not the greatest kick in the world but he is 100% heart and gets in the right possies and FIGHTS for the ball, I don't think he is out of the question once he gets a few more preseasons under the belt to see some midfield time.

 

[Temploar]

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

Beams has been sensationally amazing.

But don't underestimate Blair. He's not racking up touches, but all his touches are basically at the bottom of a pack getting out to space. His work against Adelaide in the contested clinches was staggering.

 

[jonbe54]

Beams has been sensationally amazing.

But don't underestimate Blair. He's not racking up touches, but all his touches are basically at the bottom of a pack getting out to space. His work against Adelaide in the contested clinches was staggering.

Agree Ed he does a lot of diving at the ball and flipping/tapping on to advantage-clever really as it gives him first go at the ball on the ground without the risk of it being held into him and giving up the free.

Great work little big man

 

[daics_35]

And people wanted him traded at the end of the season last year.

 

[Sh0rty13]

If Josh Thomas can't get his body right, we should chase Claye as well, has shown glimpses when not playing a tagging role.

 

[morgues]

Beams has been sensational this year, taking a major step towards being impossible to replace. Didn't we miss him against the cats last year...

The off field has died down and he seems hell bent on becoming one of many critically important cogs in the Collingwood midfield machine.

Coming out and declaring his desire to be a Pie for life just enhances his reputation I reckon.

Keep it up Beamsy!

 

[forwardflanker]

the home and away season is not where Beams has to prove himself. Having said that his form has been excellent in the big h&a games we have played to date.

 

[Frankie23]

To be honest the fact that he has been able to step up shouldn't really have surprised anyone.

He came 6th in the B&F in 2010 (a huge accomplishment), I'd say nearly equivalent to winning a B&F at a poor club.

As well as this, his form during the back end of last year was nothing short of sensational; from round 19 to the QF he gathered 25, 32, 25, 31, 30, 29 and 21 possessions before getting injured.

Yes Bally would be great right now, but at the moment Beamsy is proving just as good, if not better. However we know Ball raised his output in the big games and finals, and thats what Beamsy needs to show.

 

[look at him goooo!]

It irritates the shit out of me when collingwood supporters, non-collingwood supporters and the media say he hasnt stood up in big games/finals. He played well in the qualifying final last year, obviously got injured in the prelim and i still hear idiots saying he was dropped for the grand final. As for the 2010 finals series, he was a second year player, playing in the forward line. He had just turned 20! He's shown over the past 18 months his ability to dominate games and hes still only 21! I cant wait for the finals to see him stick it to all the knockers

 

[FAIRANDBALANCED]

It irritates the shit out of me when collingwood supporters, non-collingwood supporters and the media say he hasnt stood up in big games/finals. He played well in the qualifying final last year, obviously got injured in the prelim and i still hear idiots saying he was dropped for the grand final. As for the 2010 finals series, he was a second year player, playing in the forward line. He had just turned 20! He's shown over the past 18 months his ability to dominate games and hes still only 21! I cant wait for the finals to see him stick it to all the knockers

Couldn't agree more. If he plays as a starting mid then we can judge how he goes in the big games. He has stepped up in massive games before, Anzac day, Vs Geelong, its just by the time finals come around he gets less time in the middle and more time as a forward. He is a goalkicking midfielder, not a natural small forward. Sidebottom is a more natural forward than Beams. As evidenced by this season both are better as midfielders.
Other than blistering pace, there isn't really any part of Beamsy's game that is not very good. Great hands, good long kick on both sides of the body, very good decision maker, tough tackler, tough to tackle. Can't wait to see how good these two can become. Kind of unfair on them, but I almost have Daisy/Pendles like hope!
Forgetting about Ball, Swan, Wellingham and Blair, if we keep Beams, Sidebottom, Pendlebury and Thomashealthy and together for the next 6-7 years, we will be in contention for a long time.

 

[forwardflanker]

It irritates the shit out of me when collingwood supporters, non-collingwood supporters and the media say he hasnt stood up in big games/finals. He played well in the qualifying final last year, obviously got injured in the prelim and i still hear idiots saying he was dropped for the grand final. As for the 2010 finals series, he was a second year player, playing in the forward line. He had just turned 20! He's shown over the past 18 months his ability to dominate games and hes still only 21! I cant wait for the finals to see him stick it to all the knockers

I know he was injured last year but that aside he hasnt been great in finals. The fact that Sidebottom has played so well when it matters probably puts the heat more on Beams since they were drafted the same year. This is especially so because over their careers Beams form in the H&A season has been much better than Sidebottoms. TBH I think its probably more likely that you've been blind to Beams modest finals performaces than the other way round. I've also heard Malthouse mention several times this year that Beams hasnt had the greatest history in finals for the CFC

 

[Dundalis]

I know he was injured last year but that aside he hasnt been great in finals. The fact that Sidebottom has played so well when it matters probably puts the heat more on Beams since they were drafted the same year. This is especially so because over their careers Beams form in the H&A season has been much better than Sidebottoms. TBH I think its probably more likely that you've been blind to Beams modest finals performaces than the other way round. I've also heard Malthouse mention several times this year that Beams hasnt had the greatest history in finals for the CFC

Beams may not have done it in finals yet, but he's done it, sometimes in spectacular fashion in big H&A games. That tells me there's no real issue with big games for him. He also isn't the style of player to have issues in big games, as they usually tend to be the outside shirker types. It's only a small sample size in terms of Finals games played for Beams, so I don't read too much into it yet.

 

[forwardflanker]

Beams may not have done it in finals yet, but he's done it, sometimes in spectacular fashion in big H&A games. That tells me there's no real issue with big games for him. He also isn't the style of player to have issues in big games, as they usually tend to be the outside shirker types. It's only a small sample size in terms of Finals games played for Beams, so I don't read too much into it yet.

yeah that's kind of my point though. Beams has already proven he is a very good H&A players, now he has to prove he is a very good finals player.

 

[jonbe54]

Young Beamsy is the type of in and under player that thrives with finals play, IMHO having seen this season he is much more suited to the Ball role than half forward. Give him time as rover in the finals and he WILL produce.