Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley happy to have Dayne Beams back in the mix Magpie Dayne Beams is almost certain to make his long-awaited return to football this week. LAST year's Copeland Trophy winner Dayne Beams is almost certain to play his first match of the season against Adelaide at the MCG on Friday night, and Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley is drooling at the prospect. Buckley said the star midfielder, whose season has been derailed by a frustrating quad injury, was a certain starter if he came through the rest of the week. Beams dominated in his return through the VFL with a strong, 28-touch performance last Saturday. "He was very good ... and is a player who comes to hand quite quickly," Buckley said yesterday. He got through training and if he pulls up well from that, he will get strong consideration. Buckley said it would be the first time Beams, Scott Pendlebury, Luke Ball and Dane Swan will have played together since Round 2 last year. "As a coach, I am pretty happy to have access to that," he said. Collingwood forward Quinten Lynch will have a fitness test on his troublesome back and defender Lachlan Keeffe is edging towards a senior recall, but Alan Didak remains a week away from returning from a calf injury. Ruckman Darren Jolly (knee) is listed as being 3-4 weeks away, and Ben Johnson (calf) and Jack Frost (knee) are 1-2 weeks from resuming. Buckley heaped praised on Ball, who will play his 200th game, saying he had made a significant impact during his four seasons as a Magpie. "He is a beauty," Buckley said. He hits the ball a million miles an hour and is as hard as a cat's head. He plays the game the way you love to see it played. He has been relevant in the game because he has improved his fitness over the last two or three seasons. Contested ball is king in footy and when you have got a bloke who can win clearances and halve (opposition) clearances, it is invaluable. Buckley said Steele Sidebottom, who will play his 100th game, had copped external criticism at times this season, but was highly valued inside the club. He is a smart player. He is a hard working player and I think that, as this side becomes more settled, he will be the type of player who will benefit from there on," Buckley said.