DAYNE BEAMS was in danger of being dropped if he continued to play on with a hip injury, Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley says.
The gun onballer's season is likely over given he is set to undergo surgery on Wednesday and Buckley has forecast a recovery time of up to four months.
The Pies coach said Beams, who returned to the Magpies after four years with Brisbane, had battled an "irritable" hip through the pre-season and the problem had been aggravated after copping a knock during the round seven win over Port Adelaide.
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The 29-year-old was sidelined for the round eight win over Carlton but returned to play three more games, with his output diminishing each week.
In the shock loss to Fremantle at the MCG on Saturday, Beams managed just 14 possessions – his worst return in 12 months, and his equal-worst in a full game since the 2010 Grand Final Replay win over St Kilda.
He didn't have a single possession in the last quarter.
The dual best and fairest winner was becoming a liability.
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"He just hasn't been able to run through it and over it," Buckley told SEN radio on Wednesday morning.
"The way it was tracking he wasn't going to be in the side with the (physical) limitations that were on him and his inability to contribute in the way that he wished to, and that we needed."
Surgery was required to repair the problem and it was just a question of whether Beams went under the knife now or at season's end.
"In conversations with 'Beamsy' and the docs, and the damage that it could possibly cause, it was decided that we needed to get that done straight away," Buckley said.
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Largely due to his hip ailment, Beams hadn't performed at the level that had been expected of him when the Pies landed him in October's NAB AFL Trade Period in exchange for the Pies' first-round picks from last year and this year, and a swap of later picks.
"I think it takes time. We've got a great example with (former Fremantle player) Chris Mayne with his first year at the club (in 2017) – he's one of the first blokes picked (now), so we're not going to go too early on whether it's right or wrong," Buckley said.
"This is about doing the right thing for Dayne and making sure it gives him his best chance to be at the capacity to be able to contribute to the greater good for the footy club and the footy team.
"I know that he's smarting about it and that should drive him for when he gets his next opportunity."
Buckley said the Pies would draw on their "one-out, one-in" mentality, adding that a few young midfielders who have been performing well in the VFL would get senior opportunities.
"We throw our arms around Beamsy and make sure we're looking after him but we move forward with challenges in front of us. We'll have 22 pretty fit, hungry players on Monday (for the Queen's Birthday clash with Melbourne)," he said.
The chief candidates to fill the Beams vacancy are inside midfielder Brayden Sier and the classy Josh Daicos.
Sier, who played 12 of the Pies' final 13 games last year and was impressive under finals heat, has battled some minor niggles but is in the box seat to be picked for his first AFL game of the season after amassing 36 possessions in the VFL on Sunday.
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Fellow midfielder Taylor Adams, also sidelined with injury, backed Sier to be promoted.
"He's been made to earn his spot back, he's a very good player and is well respected among the playing group. It's up to him to take that (opportunity) and make sure he doesn't miss another game for the rest of the year," Adams said.
"He did exactly the same thing last year – he came in this time and had a great impact for us."
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