Collingwood midfielder Dayne Beams believes he's finally in a position where he can make an impact on a finals series after three years of quiet performances.

The 22-year-old has played in eight finals since his 2009 AFL debut and has failed to make a mark in any of them, kicking just one goal and averaging just over 11 disposals a game.

His September disappointment culminated last year when he withdrew himself from the Grand Final the Wednesday before the game because of the groin soreness that restricted him to just two possessions in the preliminary final.

But after a breakout season following his full time shift into the midfield - a year that has seen him average over 31 disposals across 21 games - Beams considers himself to be a good place ahead of the Pies' qualifying final against Hawthorn on Friday night. 

"I couldn't be better placed, I feel, to be able to perform," Beams said on Monday.

"For me, I haven't had the greatest finals series in recent years so that's my own individual challenge and it's one I'm definitely looking forward to.

"I don't think there's one thing that motivates me. If you're not motivated to play in a finals series, then not much is going to motivate you."

Beams famously approached then-Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse three days before the Pies' losing Grand Final last year and was emotional when he told him he didn't think he'd be able to get through the game.

It evoked memories of veteran defender Simon Prestigiacomo's decision 12 months earlier that saw the defender rule himself out of the drawn Grand Final against St Kilda only 24 hours before.

Prestigiacomo had hurt his groin on the Wednesday at training, and despite being picked in the team, told the coaches after the Grand Final parade he was not right to play.

He then didn't play in the replay a week later and retired having not won a premiership.

Beams said the hurt of not playing last year had stayed with him, and he would be there for whoever missed out this time around given the Pies' expanded training squad and currently small injury list.

"I do have that feeling of knowing what it's like to miss out, and there's going to be guys who miss out this year," he said.

"All I can do is share some of my experience with those guys and for me, it's just about trying to continue on with the form I've had this year and that's my challenge."

Jennifer Witham is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenWitham.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs.