Another accolade for Pendles

Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury was named best captain in the 2022 AFL player awards held on Wednesday.

The former Sale footballer and Collingwood veteran was honoured as the competition’s best captain for the second time since 2020, adding yet another accolade to his decorated 17-season career.

After debuting for Collingwood in 2006, Pendlebury has captained the Magpies since 2014 and has gone on to be the club’s games record holder.

According to Collingwood, Pendlebury has aged like a fine wine.

Not only is he the games record holder, he has also captained the most games by a Collingwood player.

He played his 350th match earlier this season, and is set to lead the Magpies into the finals tomorrow afternoon.

Collingwood plays Geelong in the Qualifying Final at the MCG.

Since his debut 16 years ago, Pendlebury has kicked 185 goals and has a career average of 26 disposals, 4.4 clearances, four marks, 4.8 tackles, 13 handballs and 12.9 kicks.

The 34-year-old has one of the best CVs of the modern era and is clearly in the conversation for best Collingwood player of all time.

In 2006, after overcoming glandular fever that derailed his first pre-season at the club, Pendlebury made his debut against Brisbane at the MCG in Round 10.

He kicked his first goal after Nathan Buckley rocketed a ball to him inside 50 and finished his debut match with 11 touches.

Pendlebury made eight more appearances in his first season.

In 2007 Pendlebury was named the AFL Coaches’ Association’s best first-year player, and in Round 6 of 2008 marked his first 30 disposal game, amassing 33 touches in front of 88,999 people at the MCG.

Pendlebury is one of four players in AFL/VFL history to record more than 9000 disposals, and holds the record for most handballs at 4562.

In 2010 Pendlebury won the Anzac Day Medal and the Norm Smith Medal after collecting 29 disposals and 11 tackles in the Grand Final against St Kilda, marking the Magpies’ first flag since 1990.

Pendlebury has won best-and-fairest five times at Collingwood’s Copeland Trophy night and six blazers at the All-Australian awards.

In Round 18, 2020, Pendlebury played his 314th game, overtaking Collingwood icon Tony Shaw and breaking the Magpies games record.

He is contracted for 2023, and in the eyes of most, 400 games is certainly not out of the question.