Scott Pendlebury signs four-year contract extension with Collingwood until end of 2020

COLLINGWOOD captain Scott Pendlebury will be a Magpie for life after signing a four-year contract extension.

AFL Round 22. Geelong vs Collingwood at the MCG. Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury runs aeay from his Geelong opponents . Pic: Michael Klein. Friday August 28, 2015.

COLLINGWOOD captain Scott Pendlebury will be a Magpie for life after signing a four-year contract extension.

The Herald Sun can reveal the superstar on-baller is locked in at the Holden Centre until the end of 2020, in a massive coup for the club.

Pendlebury’s agent, Jason Sourasis, from Strategic Management, this week finalised the bumper deal which was announced at tonight’s club best and fairest count.

The brilliant midfielder was already contracted until the end of next season but inked the extension a full year early, reaffirming his faith in the Pies’ direction under coach Nathan Buckley.

Pendlebury, 27, is the club’s most important on-field figure and will continue to lead the Magpies’ bid to return to the top eight next season after missing out on finals over the past two years.

He was again one of the AFL’s elite ball-winners this season, averaging 28.9 possessions a game, up from 28.4 last year.

The 191cm clearance king also increased his marks and inside 50, playing more forward at times throughout the year to help expose Collingwood’s young developing midfield.

Importantly, the new deal means Pendlebury will not enter next season under a free agency cloud.

The gun left-footer was due to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of next season — his 11th in the AFL — and would have been targeted by cashed-up rivals.

But the new long-term commitment means Pendlebury will instead play out the rest of his sparkling 214-game career at Collingwood.

Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury has signed a long-term contract to remain at the Pies. Picture: Michael Klein

The 2010 premiership midfielder will be 32 years old when his next contract expires.

The Pies have been working on securing Pendlebury’s signature for months.

The Herald Sun revealed list chief Derek Hine made a presentation to Pendlebury about the club’s list build in July.

Pendlebury, a five-time All-Australian and Norm Smith Medalist, is critical to the club’s push towards a premiership from 2017, after taking over as captain from Nick Maxwell in 2013.

The club remains confident Pendlebury will be flanked by midfield trade targets Adam Treloar (GWS) and James Aish (Brisbane) in the engine room next season.

Buckley’s contract expires at the end of next season but the club has already indicated to the Herald Sun it will extend his tenure beyond 2016, securing the coach and captain to long-term agreements.

Pendlebury has been supremely consistent since he was taken pick No. 5 in 2005, winning three Copeland Trophies before last night’s count. He has finished top-two in the best and fairest in six of the previous nine seasons.

Originally published as Scott Pendlebury signs four-year contract extension with Collingwood until end of 2020