Just when you thought the Scott Pendlebury story couldn’t get anymore remarkable …
The 38-year-old star on Saturday solidified his status as the greatest Magpie of all-time, producing record-high numbers in his 431st AFL game — and 19th Anzac Day match — to inspire Collingwood to a thumping 77-point win over Essendon in front of 92,231 fans at the MCG.
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Pendlebury, just weeks away from his record-breaking VFL/AFL games milestone, rose peerlessly to win a record fourth Anzac Medal — 16 years after his first in 2010.
The smooth-moving veteran collected a career-best 43 disposals, 19 score involvements, 10 marks and two goals. More importantly, he was at the centre of Collingwood’s second half-demolition which broke the back of the young Dons.
“It was amazing. It’s such a special day to pay on and the fans always turn out,” Pendlebury told Fox Footy after claiming the medal.
“It was just one of those days where the ball just keeps finding you, even if you don’t want it to. I went deep forward top sort of get out of the game and sit there – and next minute it finds you again.”
Magpies teammate Nick Daicos told Fox Footy post-match Pendlebury was a “freak” player.
“It’s a bit weird, I’ve been watching him play for 10 to 15 years and now I get to play with him and he’s still just absolutely dominating,” Daicos told Fox Footy.
“I think he gets disrespected a little bit by opposition, they let him run around and he’s just a freak, he’ll sieve you.
“It was funny to see him out of the cage (at full-forward) late, I think the boys loved that one.”
The Magpies kicked 15 goals to six in the second half, including nine in a rampaging final stanza.
Collingwood had not raised triple figures in 15 matches, but that streak was snapped with a Patrick Lipinski goal 16 minutes into the final term.
The Bombers showed signs but were at times too reliant on their chaotic handballs, which fed the Magpies’ desire for perpetual motion.
There were positives beyond the scoreboard for Craig McRae’s men too, as Jordan De Goey, Josh Daicos and Jack Crisp all looked near their best.Beau McCreery, Patrick Lipinski and Will Hayes are also continuing to take strides in their greater responsibility.
Scott Pendlebury leaves AFL world speechless
If there’s one bloke who knows how to handle the Anzac Day stakes, it’s Scott Pendlebury, who on Saturday afternoon marked his 19th appearance on the great day.
And not long into the second half, it was clear he had the best claim to best-on-ground honours.
The 38-year-old, through 430 AFL games, has consistently flaunted the enviable ability to be calm in chaos.
And it was on show once again, as the Bombers simply couldn’t lay a hand on the smooth left-footer, who by half-time had 22 disposals, five score involvements, three clearances, three inside-50s and 71 ranking points.
“This game is screaming out for a bit of composure, and who else but the man who’s played more games than anyone?” David King said on Fox Footy at half-time.
“He just has the ability to take that extra beat and find the target that’s most likely to do the damage from that next disposal. Everyone else is panicking, everyone looks flustered — except one man.
“I’ve loved his game. If he has another 15-20 (disposals) in the second half, they win and win well.”
At three-quarter-time, Pendlebury was the highest-rated Collingwood player before finishing with an eye-watering 43 disposals, 19 score involvements, 10 marks, two goal assists and one major.
A wonderfully-crafted right-footed kick to find Dan McStay inside 50 was the icing on a delicious cake for Pendlebury and the Pies.
“It’s almost a joke. It’s not a joke (though), it is pure football artistry,” Lyon said halfway through the final quarter.
He capped his day with a record-breaking fourth Anzac Day Medal, breaking a previous tie with James Hird.
“He’s football’s grandpa, and he’s going at a level … he could play on next year if he wanted to,” First Crack’s Jay Clark said on Fox Footy.
“You can’t tell me that he’s not playing good enough football at the moment to play on next year if he wanted to.
“It’s just the mental side of it. Does he want to keep doing this? … he’s the most in-demand figure from a coaching perspective in the game.
“Every club would be talking to him about trying to get him in their coaches’ box next year.”
Fox Footy’s Anthony Hudson added: “They (Collingwood players) are all in awe – as we all are – of Scott Pendlebury.”
And while Collingwood’s most experienced player had all the spoils on the biggest day on the home-and-away calendar, McRae would have also been pleased with what he saw from a couple of his emerging guns.
Roan Steele and Will Hayes were among Collingwood’s first-quarter goalkickers, with the former showing promising signs throughout the day.
“The question has been, at times, who’s pushing up from a Collingwood point of view? Was it Nick Daicos or bust?” Garry Lyon asked in the early stages on Saturday.
“Well, in recent times, you’ve just seen signs that they’ve got some young kids in this side who can really play. Steele hits the scoreboard, Hayes has been great in recent weeks.”
Steele, almost whenever he got possession, looked like he was going to do something good with the footy — and in the second term, he drilled a beautiful inside-50 ball onto Jamie Elliott’s chest.
Originally published as ‘Freak’: AFL world ‘in awe’ as Scott Pendlebury creates history in Anzac Day rout
