COLLINGWOOD'S Dayne Beams is thriving as he receives more opportunities in the Magpies' midfield this season as he looks ahead to a big couple of weeks knowing that the pressure for spots in the team is a healthy thing.

Beams had another tremendous game in Friday night's 80-point win over Fremantle at Patersons Stadium, finishing with 31 possessions, seven marks, five clearances, six entries inside-50 and two goals largely from the midfield.

While he did spent the majority of his first two seasons as a half-forward, he is now revelling in the opportunity to spend more time on the ball alongside the likes of Dane Swan, Luke Ball and Scott Pendlebury.

"I probably spent two years working with our A-grade on-ballers Swanny, Bally and Pendles and they are fantastic blokes to learn off. I'm slowly spending more time in there and hopefully further down my career, I can become a permanent guy in there," Beams said.

"It's where I played all my junior footy and it was always going to be hard to get in there at this footy club in my first two years because of some of the guys we have had in there. When I do get my chance I try to take it and make the most of it."

Beams did miss six games between Rounds 12-18 with a foot injury and thought that he might have to fight his way back into the Collingwood side through the VFL, but he was grateful that the coaching staff had faith in him and he's now rewarding them in spades.

"I missed probably eight weeks of footy and I think you grow a stronger hunger, if that's possible, while you are sitting in the stands to fight your way back into the side. I just want to stay in the side now and be part of finals," he said.

"I always thought I would have to come back through the VFL but the coaching staff had full trust in me and I'm very appreciative of the opportunity they gave me to come straight back into the side. Hopefully I haven’t let them down."

Collingwood now just has this Friday night's game with Geelong before the finals begin with a likely clash with West Coast and a preliminary final spot up for grabs.

Beams thinks the pressure for spots is a major boon for Collingwood with Ball, Sharrod Wellingham and Chris Tarrant pushing to return this week, and then Heath Shaw and Nick Maxwell during the finals.

"It's a healthy thing for the club. It's probably a good thing for the coaching staff as well and it might give them a few headaches at match committee. To have those blokes who can come in and fill those roles, with senior guys who are still to come back in, [it] makes for a really competitive team and everyone is playing well," Beams said.

"It's another home and away game where we are after four points. We will be doing everything we can to win the game of footy and it's good for us to have before going into the first final.

"You want to play the best sides and you see where you are really at when you play those best sides. We have a big couple of weeks coming up and all the boys are really looking forward to it. We can't wait for it to start."