In his long-delayed start to the AFL season, Collingwood star Dayne Beams hit the ground running, and running, and running.
Playing his first seniors game for the season after a long-term quadriceps problem, it was like Beams had never been away.
His 25 touches, three centre clearances, and a strong-running performance in a dominant Collingwood midfield helped the Magpies beat Adelaide by 27 points at the MCG on Friday night.
It showed last season’s club best and fairest is on track to play a key role in Collingwood’s inevitable finals campaign as they maintained their top eight place.
“He was good for us. He’s the type of player that just grinds the games out and he covers the ground pretty well,” Magpies coach Nathan Buckley said of Beams.
“He looked stronger and got better as the game wore on. His touch was excellent.”
Most thought Beams would be substituted in just his second match for the year, following on from a reserves hitout the previous week.
Instead he played the entire match.
But Beams’ pleasing return to the AFL has been tempered with the prospect of Collingwood losing wingman Clinton Young to yet another hamstring injury.
Young suffered hamstring problems at previous club Hawthorn, and after having broken into the Magpies side, was excellent in his second game of the year.
But Young was left icing his hamstring after the match, feeling a twinge in virtually the last chase of the game.
Buckley admitted the prognosis did not look good.
“He’s an experienced player, he knows his body pretty well, and he doesn’t like what it feels like,” Buckley said.
“We haven’t got any confirmation, but clearly he was quite disappointed at the end of the match.”