PENDLEBURY PLAYS ON AFTER TWO-YEAR MAGPIES EXTENSION
SCOTT Pendlebury is on track to play the 350th game of his brilliant career next season after re-signing at Collingwood for another two years.
The 33-year-old is already the Magpies’ club recordholder for games played (334) and matches as captain (183) and will continue into a 17th season in black and white.
Pendlebury’s third-placed finish last week in Collingwood’s best and fairest count was the 13th time he’s been on the Copeland Trophy podium, including winning it five times.
“I’m glad to have come to an arrangement with the club to share in what feels like a new era,” he said.
“Being a one-club player was one thing, something I am proud of, but my main motivation is to do all that I can to assist ‘Fly’ (new coach Craig McRae) and the new coaching group develop the squad.
“If you are not in contention, you have to be working towards it. That’s exciting.”
The Pies originally offered Pendlebury only a one-year contract and the eventual deal followed some speculation about the potential of him going elsewhere after comments he made on radio.
Asked in August if he would consider a move to an opposition club that included a
guarantee of transitioning into a coaching role – like what Sam Mitchell did – Pendlebury said he would consider it.
“If a club wants to offer me future coaching gigs for a couple of years’ time, I’ll have a look at it,” he told Triple M at the time.
“But playing wise, I’m pretty confident (I’ll stay at Collingwood).”
Pendlebury and his management team, Hemisphere Management Group convinced the Magpies to double their offer.
He also quickly clarified on Twitter that he wanted to be a one-club player and was open to coaching at another club after retiring as a footballer.
Magpies football boss Graham Wright said Pendlebury remained a standard-bearer at the club for his younger teammates.
“One day, Fin Macrae or Tyler Brown or Reef McInnes will be able to look back and appreciate that in their earliest years they learnt from one of the best of all time in Scott,” Wright said.