Goulburn Valley: Former Euroa coach Ryan Pendlebury penalty reduced on appeal

A former GV coach has fronted the AFL appeals board on a serious charge relating to player payment rule breaches. See the outcome.

Former Goulburn Valley league coach Ryan Pendlebury has had his penalty for bringing the game into disrepute reduced on appeal.

Pendlebury was handed an initial seven-match ban by the AFL Goulburn Murray tribunal for still undisclosed actions that directly caused breaches of player payment rules in the lead-up to his first season as coach of Euroa.

He stepped down at the end of his one season as coach in 2024 and joined Geelong league club St Mary’s.

Pendlebury appealed the seven-match suspension with the hearing held at AFL headquarters in Melbourne on Thursday night.

The appeal was unsuccessful in overturning the guilty verdict, but his ban was reduced from seven to five matches.

“Although the finding of guilt was not overturned last night, St Mary’s were successful in having Ryan’s suspension reduced to five weeks after the appeal panel found the penalty imposed by the Goulburn Murray tribunal was manifestly excessive,” a St Mary’s club statement said.

His suspension will end before the Geelong league finals with one match of the ban already served.

Pendlebury was represented by former VFL/AFL player advocate Iain Findlay, whose services have been regularly engaged by country clubs for the last two decades.

AFLGM confirmed the case wasn’t closed, but declined to comment further.

OFF TO APPEAL

Former Euroa coach Ryan Pendlebury has appealed a guilty verdict of bringing the game into disrepute for an undisclosed action dating back to January last year.

Last week, Pendlebury was handed a seven-match ban by the AFL Goulburn Murray tribunal and immediately lodged an appeal against the sentence.

Pendlebury played for the Goulburn Valley club in 2023 before taking over as coach from Scott Rowan the following season.

Scott and Ryan Pendlebury. (Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images for Kayo Sports).

Midway through 2024, Pendlebury was appointed to a coaching role with the North Melbourne AFLW team, but continued to coach Euroa until stepping down at the end of the season.

He joined Geelong league club St Mary’s as a player this season.

At an unspecified time, Pendlebury was served a “notice of breach” of the AFL National Community Football Policy Handbook, that states: “A person or, where applicable, a controlling body must not engage in conduct which brings, or is likely to bring, the interests of Australian football or the controlling body into disrepute.”

Pendlebury pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Ryan Pendlebury playing in Darwin in 2020. Picture: Celina Whan

AFLGM regional manager Shaun Connell said: “As an appeal is play AFLGM is not in a position to make any comment.”

Euroa declined to comment with the appeal to be heard as early as this week.

Grounds for appeal include the tribunal decision involved an error of law or the penalty imposed was manifestly excessive or inadequate.

Pendlebury, who is the younger brother of Collingwood champion Scott, didn’t play for St Mary’s last round.

Ryan Pendlebury played in Sale’s losing grand final team to Leongatha in 2022. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Euroa played finals in 2024 under Pendlebury and the Kangaroos also won the AFLW premiership.

Pendlebury has retained his role as an assistant coach for 2025.

He played for original club Sale in 2022 when the club lost the grand final to Leongatha.

Originally published as Goulburn Valley: Former Euroa coach Ryan Pendlebury penalty reduced on appeal