Dayne Beams has opened up on his life away from football, saying he is now on the “right path”.
Beams, 30, is yet to officially walk away from a contract with three years to run, but all parties are resigned to the fact he has played his last game for Collingwood.
Speaking at a footy function in Shepparton, Beams said he had found comfort in painting.
“I’ve had a bit of time away from footy to obviously get my mental health in a better place and that’s obviously taken some time,” Beams said.
“I feel like I’m on the right sort of path now. It’s been an ongoing thing, trying to find the right therapist and the right things that work for you.
“I never thought I’d get into art, but I have and I love it. It’s great and awesome for my mental health.
“It’s given me a purpose outside football. I feel better for it.”
The 2010 premiership player, All-Australian and two-time best and fairest winner remains on indefinite leave to overcome mental health issues and has barely stepped foot inside Collingwood for months.
Player and club will work towards reaching a settlement in relation to the estimated $1.5 million remaining on his contract.
But Beams said he had no regrets.
“As weird as it sounds, I consider the last few years of my life a blessing,” he said.
“I know that sounds really strange. I’ve had to deal with a fair bit of adversity, I’ve had a lot of life issues that have gone wrong for me.
“Grief has been a big part of the last few years. I just struggled to breathe and it was a really challenging two years.
“But I wouldn’t change my life for anyone’s, because I think the last two years have shown me is that I can get through anything, really.
“Footy is just such a small part of your life. There’s so many life lessons; it’s just what you do to get through them.
“I feel I’m better equipped and I can deal with things a lot better now because I’ve faced them.”
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