The CoodabeenChampions Quality Street
18 May 2002
Hey, coincidence is an amazing thing in football. You have an array of apt names. At Carlton Ken Hands was a brilliant contested mark Also at Royal Park Murray Kick. There are Derek and Dale Kickett. What about determined Melbourne defender Gary Hardeman? A red and blue great was Percy Beames. 213 games in the thirties and forties before a career in footy journalism with 'The Age'.
Appropriate that in 1999 the Demons elevated from their rookie list a Tasmanian named Ben Beams whose surname had a slightly different spelling from the original. The young Glenorchian dominated with the Tassie Mariners. Melbourne gave him an opportunity to display his wares at the highest level. Perfect if the kid had been given Percy's number 24 jumper. Instead he wore the Fuchsia 47.
Beams was 183 centimetres and 76 kilograms. Pace made him difficult to match up. Like Perce Benny boy was a lively customer with a healthy appetite for a goal.
The round 6 night game at the Gabba. Early in the second Beams swooped on a loose ball in the forward pocket. Controlled the Sherrin millimetres from the ground and got enough elevation to snap a miracle goal. Even more astounding he never got in Jeff Farmer's way. BB must have been instructed to play up the ground with Wiz in the square. Beams continued to kick the ball high to Schwarz. At his feet majors were meat and potatoes for the freaky number 33. Unfortunately the Dees fell short. 10.10 to 14.9.
Round 17. A night game at the MCG. The guy with the stratospheric number could park in front of a pack and kick around the corner as he did halfway through the first stanza. Ox easy mark and goal. Early in the third Benny composed as Beethoven marked steeply falling leather. Goal from 40. During the last Beams gathered the spillage behind a pack. Kick to Schwarz. Mark. Goal. Melbourne lost by 19 points. 11.13 to 14.14.
And during that season Beams starred with Sandringham in the VFL. On to 2000. Following the departure of Scott Chisholm Melbourne gave Ben the 19 guernsey distinguished by such greats as Ray Biffin and Darren Bennett and Paul Prymke. The round 14 game v. Collingwood at the MCG has legend status. A Beams injury broke the game open. Who can ever forget Wiz not getting a touch in the first term? Dragged. Beams came on and made things happen until late in the second he busted his wrist. Farmer returned for the second half. He shellshocked the Magpies single handed. Pulled down screamers and goaled. Ran around defenders and goaled. Snapped sensational six pointers. In an hour of mastery Jeff kicked eight. His game strangled the life out of Collingwood. Dees home 22.11 to 12.6.
Beams took a while to get over the wrist problem. He was unable to force his way back into the seniors for Melbourne's ride through the finals series but Benno was instrumental in helping Sandy win the VFL flag. Number 19 was close to best on ground.
At the end of 2001 he was delisted after 23 games. No coincidence Ben Beams is now burning with Tasmania in the VFL.