Brisbane Lions General Manager of Football David Noble is confident Dayne Beams is staying put amid ongoing reports that he may seek a trade back to Victoria.
The Lions midfielder and ex-skipper continues to be linked to Melbourne as his manager Paul Connor left the door slightly ajar on SEN Breakfast yesterday.
"I try not to have conversations too much with the players about this. In time I will but I hope he (stays) and I'm sure he will, at this stage,” Connors said.
Fox Sports journalist Tom Morris added speculation to the ongoing Beams saga, stating that a particular Victorian club would have eyes on the star midfielder.
“If Dayne Beams elects to leave Brisbane and gets a trade as the Brisbane Lions will have to give him, if he does request it, I think he’s going to Essendon,” Morris told Sportsday.
“I believe Essendon are the frontrunners to get him if indeed a trade is granted.
“All I know is Essendon’s into him and he’s receptive to that.
“If he does come back to Victoria, I believe Essendon will be the club where he goes.”
Brownlow Medallist Gerard Healy has no doubt the Bombers would be interested.
“Speaking to those in and around Essendon, there’s no doubt they are desperate for another midfielder with pace and skill,” he said.
But Noble isn't seeing any indication that the Queensland native wants out.
“I’m happy to go on the record, the way Dayne’s invested in our group at the moment, his feedback in meetings, the way that he’s playing, the connection in his team, there’s nothing that I get the sense that there’s any thought process of him not being with us either short or long term, so I’m not sure where it’s come from,” Noble told SEN’s Time On.
“Even further, his wife’s well invested, they just had their second child and Claye’s up here his brother, it’s a strange one and I’m not sure where it’s come from.
“We’re really happy with the way he’s going and certainly haven’t sensed anything to say that he’s going to leave.”
The Lions will likely be active players again in the upcoming trade period after bringing in Charlie Cameron and Luke Hodge last year and Noble outlined what the club is after.
“We probably still feel midfield for us. Whether it’s some mature agers, we’ve been on record of sort of saying we’ve got a gap in that 22 to 26-year-old bracket,” Noble said.
“Charlie (Cameron) fit that bracket really well for us last year so we’re still keen to populate that age group, and if we can preface that with it being midfielders, we think that’s the opportunity for us.
“The other one would be a running half back and maybe a running wingman are the two spots we’re keen to explore, but the bottom line is you can’t have too many good players on your list.”
The Lions will clash with Beams' former team in Collingwood on Saturday night at Etihad Stadium.
