North Melbourne AFLW assistant Ryan Pendlebury on flag-winning first season and advice from brothers

The Pendlebury brothers have now all won premierships in the past 14 months. And two of them helped the youngest Pendlebury take a leap of faith which led to an AFLW flag.

Scott Pendlebury and Ryan Pendlebury back in 2021. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images for Kayo Sports

Three premierships in 14 months.

It has been a pretty special period for the Pendlebury brothers who have the midas touch.

First it was Collingwood champion Scott Pendlebury who won his second AFL premiership in the 2023 grand final.

And while his Magpies struggled in 2024, his two brothers – one older and one younger – tasted immediate success.

In late September this year, Kris Pendlebury led his side Edithvale-Aspendale to a division two Mornington Peninsula league premiership in his first season at the helm as playing coach. Scott even addressed the playing group in the lead-up.

Then it was youngest brother Ryan’s turn.

In the 32-year-old’s first season as AFLW midfield coach at North Melbourne, the Roos went undefeated and won their grand final rematch against Brisbane.

Ryan Pendlebury with North Melbourne AFLW players and the premiership cup. Picture: Supplied

Kris Pendlebury addresses his players in the grand final. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Pendlebury, who played 83 VFL games for Casey, Bendigo, Collingwood and Werribee, was among six new inclusions to the North Melbourne coaching panel ahead of the season.

Were they the difference?

“We were having a bit of a joke about that on Sunday when we were having a few drinks,” Ryan Pendlebury said.

“We walked into such a good club and you don’t lose a game, it is pretty easy to do that.

“I’m pretty aware that is not the case and not how the industry works, so a bit of luck for sure.

“It is obviously a bit different being on the side coaching but not playing, but I’d say it is more of a proud feeling than when you play.”

BROTHERLY ADVICE

North Melbourne senior coach Darren Crocker was best on ground after the final siren at Ikon Park, winding back the clock to his playing days.

Pendlebury, who signed with St Mary’s in the Geelong league in November, may not have been a part of the raucous celebrations if it wasn’t for his brothers.

Midway through his first year as a playing coach at Goulburn Valley League club Euroa – 162 kilometres and about two hours away from Arden St – the former VFL player was unsure about taking the leap of faith.

He was no stranger to the competition, though, as the partner of Collingwood star Brit Bonnici.

Brit Bonnici and Ryan Pendlebury at the 2024 W Awards. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images

“I sort of floated it by both of (my brothers) about the girls stuff, and then they were like it is such a big opportunity to pass up,” Pendlebury explained.

“They were saying it is pretty stupid (to say no) because I was a bit worried about the travel with Euroa as well. They said after a couple of months you’ll be fine, turned out to be pretty good advice in the end.

“I’d never done women’s so I wasn’t sure what to expect, and the travel. I wasn’t 100 per cent certain of it, but it turned out pretty well.”

The Pendlebury siblings’ group chat had been used more for general life in the past, but this year it was wall-to-wall footy.

Ryan regularly bounced off ideas and soaked up knowledge from Scott and Kris, a successful local footballer and ex-VFL player in his own right.

But as with most sibling dynamics, the feedback wasn’t always positive.

“Both of them have been such a big help and you could always send stuff through and get them to look at it, see what they think of it. There is a lot of, ‘nah that’s s---, don’t do that’," Ryan said with a laugh.

“From doing it you learn a lot of stuff along the way – what works, what doesn’t work. Honestly a massive help.

“They are a little bit older than me, so I have been asking them questions since I was 10.”

BREAKOUT RUBY ROO

Ryan had plenty of weapons at his disposal in charge of the best midfield in the competition.

He allowed Garner and her partner in crime Ash Riddell to go about their work, but it was a different story for breakout Roo Ruby Tripodi.

“I worked very close with her, she played every game,” Ryan said.

“She is the main one that I saw how much she improved from my first day. To see her lift the cup was pretty special.”

Ruby Tripodi holds the premiership cup aloft. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Ryan has been developing his coaching craft over the past five years and he hopes to one day be a senior coach – whether that be in the men’s or women’s game.

“I probably wouldn’t care either way whether it is starting out on the development side of stuff with the boys or working my own way up with the women’s, I’m not too picky after my experience with it this year,” Ryan said.

“Getting into a club somewhere was a short term goal but eventually to be a head coach would be awesome.”

SAINTS MOVE

The long drives up the Hume Highway got to Pendlebury more and more as the year went on.

It forced Pendlebury to reconsider his options.

“I was driving up and back to Euroa twice a week sometimes so it took a bit of a toll at the back-end of the year. Thought I’d just play closer to home and I can focus on that stuff a little bit more,” Pendlebury said.

Pendlebury reached out to his former Collingwood VFL teammate Ben Moloney – who took on a coaching role himself at Geelong & District league club Winchelsea in August.

It didn’t take long for Pendlebury to land at Moloney’s former club St Mary’s, where he won two premierships.

“He led me and I went caught up with a bunch of people at the club,” Pendlebury said.

“It seems like a great club so it didn’t take too long, maybe three day and it was sorted.”

Originally published as North Melbourne AFLW assistant Ryan Pendlebury on flag-winning first season and advice from brothers