Pies contract news: Darcy Cameron and Scott Pendlebury re-sign with Collingwood

A key piece of Collingwood’s puzzle has been locked away on a three-year deal, while Scott Pendlebury has also inked an extension which will let him chase the all-time games record.

Collingwood star ruckman Darcy Cameron and champion midfielder Scott Pendlebury have signed contract extensions in a major boost to the out-of-form Magpies on the eve of finals.

Cameron, 30, still has a season to run on his current deal but has recommitted for another three years which will keep him in black and white until the end of 2029.

It is a huge coup for the club as rivals had been hunting Cameron’s signature this season in the firm belief the “heart and soul” ruckman deserved a considerable pay rise.

But one of the best ruckmen in the game has made the early commitment in a show of faith Collingwood can remain in premiership contention for years to come.

Darcy Cameron has recommitted to the Pies. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Scott Pendlebury will be chasing Brent Harvey’s AFL games record. Picture: Mark Stewart

Pendlebury said Cameron was crucial in “the way we play and integral for the culture of the club and the locker room because he is such a fantastic person”.

“Everyone has been aware of his situation in the locker room,” Pendlebury said.

“He has been such a heart and soul guy for our footy club so it is great the club has rewarded him for the work he has been able to do for us.”

Pendlebury’s one-year extension is one of the most significant in the game as it puts the brilliant midfielder in striking distance of Brent Harvey’s all-time games record of 432 matches.

The six-time All-Australian and five-time best-and-fairest winner is only 12 matches away from breaking the magical milestone in his 21st AFL season next year.

It would be an extraordinary achievement for one of the most decorated and respected players in the game who was adamant the Magpies can snap out of their form slump before finals.

Pendlebury, 37, told the Herald Sun he was feeling physically sharp after some recent rests and was as hungry as ever to win a third premiership.

“Physically I feel really good and my GPS numbers are still really high. This is probably the best I have felt physically since ‘Fly’ (coach Craig McRae) landed at the club,” Pendlebury said.

“But mentally as well I still feel so fresh and still love the game and just love trying to compete every week.

“So, it’s great to go on again because I think the side has been playing really good footy for most of the year.

“I feel like I have contributed strongly and as well as any other year under ‘Fly’ and my body and my mind is still able. As far as I am concerned it is still the best job in the world.

“The club still wants me, I feel I can still contribute and help make others better, so I want to keep going.”

Pendlebury said he was unsure if next year would be his last season as he chased down Harvey’s games record.

The two-time premiership Magpie said it was easy to stay highly motivated while the club remained in the hunt for more flags.

Scott Pendlebury is still in phenomenal nick. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images.

But he said the Magpies had been “out of synch” in recent weeks losing four of their past five games, and planned to “realign with the system” ahead of Saturday night’s crucial clash against top-placed Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.

“I know that we are not too far away from getting our best footy and our game going,” he said.

But he said Harvey’s record was not front of mind.

“Obviously, I am aware of it,” he said.

“If I get there next year I get there, but to me it will always just be a process of trying to get ready to prepare and play well each week and before you know it the numbers start to stack up.

“But the main thing is we have given ourselves a chance again this year to have some more success.”

Pendlebury said he was thrilled for Cameron who was desperate to stay with the Magpies in the face of more lucrative offers elsewhere.

“I’m glad that has all been sorted because you can’t have enough good people at your footy club and he is right up there as one of the best ruckmen in the game,” he said.

“I think he is the best contested mark in the competition. He gets forward, he gets back and he is really important to how we play”.

PENDLES: PIES CAN BOUNCE BACK IN SEPTEMBER

Collingwood champion Scott Pendlebury says the Magpies will attempt to restore their damaging turnover game in a bid to snap back to form and revive the club’s premiership credentials this week.

The Magpies were the premiership favourite six weeks ago but will drop out of the top four if they can’t cause a boilover against top-placed Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

Coach Craig McRae publicly questioned the Magpies’ effort levels in the loss to Hawthorn on Thursday night in one of his strongest criticisms of the team since taking over three years ago.

The loss sunk the Magpies to their fourth defeat in five weeks and Jeremy Howe will be absent for Saturday night’s clash against the Crows due to concussion.

While red lights are flashing right across McRae’s coaching dash board amid major concerns in defence and scoring, Pendlebury said the Magpies had not lost any faith in their capabilities, motivation or gamestyle.

“The last few weeks I think we have been a little bit out-of-synch with what we want to do and how we want to do it, so I don’t think it is a major overhaul or panic stations or anything like that,” Pendlebury said.

“It is similar to round zero. We just need to realign with our system and get our bodies in the right spot.

“It is an incredibly long year now and you are going to have phases where things just don’t go your way and you have just got to ride those ebbs and flows.

“I know we are not too far away from getting our best footy and our game going.

“We have just got to come back to our system and we have shown this year for the majority of the year it works and when we do it we are a bloody hard side to play against.

Scott Pendlebury says Collingwood can bounce back. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

“This week we will just get back to drilling down on what we want to do, how we do it and why we do it and then we get to work on Saturday night in Adelaide.”

Howe’s heavy concussion against the Hawks rattled the Magpies and McRae’s men will attempt to dial up the pressure and resistance all over the ground to help regain their defensive edge and tenacity for the run home.

But time is running out with only two home and away games remaining against Adelaide and Melbourne at the MCG amid claims the Magpies are suffering physically from having one of the oldest lists in the competition and are too reliant on superstar Nick Daicos.

Collingwood has previously been one of the better pressure sides in the league until the recent drop off, but the absences of Beau McCreery and Bobby Hill have been costly.

Jordan De Goey is also only two games into his comeback from serious achilles, groin and concussion issues.

Pendlebury said the Magpies would attempt to focus on the fundamentals of their game style, including the club’s turnover game which helped ignite offence.

“I wouldn’t say we are a massive clearance side, but for the majority of the year we have been a really good turnover side,” he said.

“We have been able to manage clearances really well and hurt sides the other way.

“To hurt sides really well I think we have to get back to our style of footy.

“We have been a little bit off and we need to realign. I don’t think it is a big shift.

“It is a little shift and you watch our game come back to life pretty quickly.”

Originally published as Pies contract news: Darcy Cameron and Scott Pendlebury re-sign with Collingwood