Collingwood champion speaks on future, post-career plans

The 36-year-old has a big call to make this year.

Collingwood veteran Scott Pendlebury is yet to come to a decision on his future beyond this season, with the former Magpies captain set to assess his role and position at the club later in the year.

Pendlebury remains unsigned for the 2025 season, which would be the 36-year-old’s 20th campaign in the black and white, and would close in on the all-time games record should he continue his illustrious career.

The Norm Smith Medal winner currently has 392 games to his name – 40 fewer than record holder and North Melbourne champion Brent Harvey.

Still a key piece in Craig McRae’s plans this season, Pendlebury is averaging 20 disposals, four clearances and eight contested possessions per game in 2024, showing no signs of a drop-off in form despite his age and experience.

The veteran ball-winner doesn’t want to be holding up the Magpies’ next generation of players should he play on in 2025 however, with Pendlebury telling SEN on Monday that he’ll open discussions around what his role might look like next year.

Pendlebury revealed he’s yet to make a call on his future, with “the right call” to be made later this year.

“I haven’t made my mind up,” Pendlebury said.

“I’ve always said I think if we’re around the mark and chasing and I’ve still got a role that the coaches see that I can fulfil and I’m not holding any youngsters back, then I’ll go on. But if I am and they feel like I’m slowing down or am holding people back, then it’s a pretty easy discussion.

“I think I’ve got a pretty good self-awareness of where I’m at and how my body’s feeling. It’ll be ongoing discussions with the club and we’ll be really honest and we’ll make the right call for the footy club.”

The two-time premiership player has previously spoken on his desire to step into AFL coaching following retirement, but an immediate move into the coach’s box is unlikely for the Magpies great.

Currently assisting Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd at Victorian school Haileybury, Pendlebury has already begun building his coaching CV despite still playing at the elite level.

The Sale-born star is keen to step away from football for at least a year following his eventual decision to hang up the boots, with a return to the game to come soon after.

“Whenever my playing days are over… I think I’d probably like to step away from the game for a period of time,” Pendlebury added.

“Whether that’s a year or 18 months, a bit of a gap year, go exploring and do some different things. All I’ve known was school first for 17 years, and I’ve been at Collingwood for 19 years since then.

“So step away, get a bit of a broader view of the game from the outer circle and even travel, go look at soccer, NFL, basketball, other sports around the world and then come back in really fresh.

“I feel like I’m the sort of guy that once I come back in, I’ll be pretty driven and on a mission to get to where I want to get to.”

Should he not miss a match, Pendlebury’s 400th game for Collingwood is set to occur in Round 18 when the Magpies host Geelong at the MCG.

He would become the sixth player to reach the feat, following Michael Tuck, Kevin Bartlett, Shaun Burgoyne, Dustin Fletcher and the aforementioned Harvey.