‘We deserve answers’: Ex-Pie’s contract mystery

Details surrounding retired Magpie Dayne Beams’ contract settlement remains a mystery, with AFL boss Gillon McLachlan unable to clarify whether it was paid outside the salary cap.

Traded to Collingwood from Brisbane for two first-round draft picks at the end of 2018, Beams’ contract is believed to have caused salary cap problems at the Magpies. It culminated in last year’s trade period when they offloaded several stars while getting little in return.

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But speaking on SEN earlier this week, Beams turned heads when he suggested his deal with Collingwood came outside of the club’s salary cap.

“Anything that was negotiated with me and my contract was outside the cap, so I actually had nothing to do with anything that went on there,” the 31-year old told SEN.

“The only thing they probably lost with my scenario was a couple of early draft picks, which was unfortunate … the club got itself in the position they were in and a few people had to fall out.”

Dayne Beams retired at the end of 2020 (AAP Image/Daniel Pockett)Source:AAP

McLachlan didn’t “have any detail” on Beams’ contract settlement in his response on 3AW, but did reveal that “generally all payments go in the (salary) cap.”

“I don’t have any detail around that,” the AFL boss told 3AW.

“There may be exemptions or specific reasons or things that sit outside the cap. There are some exemptions. Like, injury allowances are part of … there is a cap, then there’s an overflow for injury allowances and injury payments, so maybe something happened there.

“I don’t know, but generally all payments go in the cap.”

Beams hasn’t played AFL since midway through the 2019 season due to a hip injury, before taking a mental health leave of absence.

The premiership midfielder last November officially called time on his AFL career despite having two years to run on his deal with Collingwood, having reached a contract settlement with the club.

Dayne Beams finished up in AFL footy in 2019.Source:AAP

Herald Sun journalist Mick Warner was critical of the AFL’s lack of clarity on the topic, saying “we deserve some answers here.”

“They’re (the AFL) just saying they don’t want to talk about it. But I would’ve thought if a player has made the claim that he got paid outside the cap, then I think all of the other clubs and the rest of the football community should be cleared up,” he said on 3AW.

“I don’t think ‘no comment’ is satisfactory in this one.

“All the people at rival clubs whose ears pricked just want to know what actually happened to the last three years of his salary.”

Veteran commentator Tim Lane agreed, adding: “Surely this has to be explained, the player himself has contributed to the discussion.”

Premiership Bulldog Tom Boyd retired early in 2019 with two years left on his deal after battling his own injury and mental health issues.

Boyd was paid less in his last season and sacrificed payment from the final two years of his contract.

Originally published as‘We deserve answers’: Ex-Pie’s contract mystery

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