Scott Pendlebury has a footy resume better than most.
A two-time premiership player, Norm Smith medallist, six-time All-Australian and a quintet of Copeland Trophy’s as the club’s best and fairest.
So is Scott Pendlebury the greatest Pie of all time? Collingwood legend Nathan Buckley believes the former Pies skipper is now in rare air.
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“I went to the MCG on Saturday afternoon, and I watched the best player to ever pull on a Collingwood guernsey go about his business and that’s Scott Pendlebury,” Buckley said on Fox Footy’s On the Couch.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt that he should officially be seen as Collingwood’s best player in history.”
With a league-high 16 premierships under their belt, Collingwood are one of the most decorated clubs in the competition.
Gordon Coventry was an elite goalkicker, Peter Daicos a Macedonian marvel, Len Thompson a five-time Copeland Trophy winner and Dane Swan a star of the modern era, while Buckley himself is a Brownlow Medallist and widely regarded as one of the biggest starts of the black and white.
But Buckley believes Pendlebury has surpassed all of those names.
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“No one goes close to this bloke, by the end of the year, he will be 100 games clear of all but three players to have ever played for the Pies,” Buckley said.
“It’s high praise considering you’re in that conversation,” Brisbane champion Jonathan Brown said.
“It’s an amazing statement, it’s hard to disagree with, this bloke could be the first bloke to play 450 games.”
Only five players in the game’s history have played 400 games, with Pendlebury quickly closing in on former Kangaroo champion Brent Harvey’s games record of 432.
But it’s not as though he’s crawling to the finish line, Pendlebury is still cooking with gas.
“His first quarter was ninth best of his entire career,” Buckley pointed out.
“He’s not the fastest, he’s not the strongest, he’s not the fittest, but I reckon he might be the smartest that’s ever played.”
Pendlebury had 12 disposals, two goals and two goal assists in the first term alone against the Crows, finishing with 30 touches, eight score involvements and four centre clearances.
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“He’s not always hunting the ball; the ball comes and finds him,” Buckley said.
“He’s got the ability to lower his eyes and find the best option… his ground level stuff isn’t quite as good as it used to be… but it’s not what he does with ball in hand that sets him apart.
“It’s what he does when he’s setting up his teammates. He’s always setting up, always guiding, he controls and monitors the corridor and arranges the 17 other chess pieces for the team’s benefit.
“It’s not just about what he does with ball in hand, it’s his impact on the whole game.”
Pendlebury’s leadership at the Pies has a profound impact both on and off the field, putting him in the conversation for best leaders in the modern era alongside the likes of Luke Hodge, Michael Voss and Trent Cotchin.
Pendlebury is aging like fine wine and has certainly wound back the clock in 2024, proving he is still a crucial piece to Collingwood’s premiership aspirations.
Collingwood take on Walyalup (Fremantle) at Optus Stadium on Friday night as the Pies look to keep in touch with the top four, despite a slow start to the season.
Source Agencies
