Top Collingwood players have agreed to defer some of their salaries to ensure the club could lure back former favourite Dayne Beams.
The 28-year-old midfielder, who secured a last-ditch trade to the Magpies on deadline day, has himself taken a pay cut on his previous Brisbane deal in favour of a longer four-year contract, committing him to Collingwood until the end of the 2022 season.
Between eight to 12 of his Pies teammates have given a thumbs-up to sacrificing some of next year’s wages until further down in their contracts to secure a player they feel can help them win the AFL premiership, News Corp Australia reports.
It is understood the sums range between $30,000 and $40,000.
“The players know they are in the window and they want to win a premiership,” one player’s manager told News Corp.
Beams is to take his old premiership teammate Jarryd Blair’s No.11 jumper, having worn No.17 during his first stint at the club from 2009-2014.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Sorry Bell. We have a wonderfully strong list for 2019 and we can both be optimisitic about playing deep finals IMO.
Bell31
Guest
Just when I was starting to get over the GF, you dragged me back --- need to go and have a stiff drink again now ;)
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Four more years of Beams is good news if he can stay fit. The Pies are in the window but if we make another Grand Final we need to be far enough ahead to take luck out of it as we clearly don't win close Grand Finals. Just three wins of the past seven close losses would have us at 18 flags. 1964 lost by 4 points. 1966 lost by 1 point, 1970 lost by 10 points (after being 44 points up), 1977 draw - then lost replay, 1979 lost by 5 points, 1981 lost by 20 points, 2002 lost by 9 points, 2018 lost by 5 points. The two we have won were 1990 by 48 points and 2010 (after drawing the first) by 56 points. I personally wouldn't feel safe unless we were 50 points plus by 3/4 time.