COLLINGWOOD gun Dayne Beams' hopes of another premiership hang by a thread as he heads for arthroscopic hip surgery.
Beams will go under the knife on Wednesday for an injury that is expected to sideline him for up to three months.
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After missing the round eight win over Carlton with the same injury and playing through pain in the past fortnight, scans on Tuesday revealed more damage than first feared.
With 12 weeks left in the season, Beams' best chance for a return will come in the lead-up to finals.
"Dayne has been battling with the injury for a number of weeks and it has reached the stage where it is affecting his ability to train, to run out games and his form generally," Collingwood head of football Geoff Walsh said.
"Dayne saw a surgeon a couple of weeks ago. It was agreed then to push on but it has since become clear that the situation isn't helping Dayne perform as he and we would like.
"The hope is that with a general clean-up and a smooth rehabilitation he will have the time to return late in the season."
Beams returned to Collingwood this year after four seasons at Brisbane, having departed originally in 2014 as a premiership player.
His injury setback is set to open the door for forgotten midfielder Brayden Sier to play his first AFL game of the season against Melbourne on Queen's Birthday.
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Sier, who played the final 12 matches of 2018, collected 36 disposals in an ominous display in the VFL against Port Melbourne on Sunday.
With Daniel Wells (knee) out for the long-term, and Taylor Adams (adductor) to miss the clash with the Demons, inexperienced trio Rupert Wills, Josh Daicos and Ben Crocker will also come into consideration.