Sacked Podcast: Tony Shaw’s high praise for Collingwood star Scott Pendlebury

Could Scott Pendlebury finish his career as the greatest Magpie ever? Collingwood great Tony Shaw has Peter Daicos at No.1 but says one thing could elevate the Pies skipper into rarefied air. SACKED PODCAST

Glenn McFarlane and Jon Ralph

2 min read

September 4, 2019 - 7:00AM

Scott Pendlebury has elevated himself among the greatest Magpies. Picture: AAP

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Scott Pendlebury could finish his career as Collingwood’s second best player of the modern era, according to the Magpies’ games record-holder Tony Shaw.
Pendlebury, 31, will join Shaw and legendary forward Gordon Coventry as the only Collingwood 300-gamers in Friday night's qualifying final against Geelong.

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The Magpie skipper also seems certain of passing Shaw’s club-record of 313 games in mid-2020, with the 1990 premiership captain joking he won't allow it to happen.
“I am going to run the bastard over if he goes close,” Shaw joked on the Herald Sun's Sacked podcast.

Scott Pendlebury has elevated himself among the greatest Magpies. Picture: AAP

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Shaw said Pendlebury’s ability to maintain his outstanding form into his 30s — he won All-Australian selection for a sixth time last week — had been extraordinary.
“(He’s) a good bloke, I think he’s become a better captain, too,” Shaw said.

“He does it his way. Captains have different strengths and he has improved immensely.

“Captaincy is something you grow with all the time.

“He is a pretty quiet, unassuming bloke but he just does the job.”

“Now he’s a legend of the Collingwood footy club.
“(When) we are talking about pure ability, (Peter) Daicos would be there, (Nathan) Buckley would be there and you would put Pendlebury there.
“He might knock Bucks off at the end.”

Could Scott Pendlebury surpass Nathan Buckley? Picture: Michael Klein

Asked what would take Pendlebury past Buckley, Shaw said holding aloft the premiership cup.

“Being the captain of a premiership. That is the big one. Bucks has won a Norm Smith and he played in an era early where he didn’t have a lot of success,” Shaw said.

“They have both won a stack of Copeland Trophies so it has to be being the captain of a premiership team.”
Incredibly, given Collingwood was one of the original VFL clubs in 1897, it seems incredible the Magpies have only had two 300-gamers.

The Western Bulldogs, who joined the VFL in 1925, have had seven 300-game players.
Shaw played 313 games in black and white between 1978 and 1994, while Coventry represented the club 306 times from 1920 to 1937.

Scott Pendlebury between portraits of Collingwood 300 gamers Gordon Coventry and Tony Shaw. Picture: AAP

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Pendlebury will become the third 300-gamer against the Cats, which the Magpies will use as added incentive heading into the 2019 finals series.

“He is just a star,” Shaw said.

“The thing about Scotty is he has never been super quick, but there is a bit of basketball background in him.

“He was an under 19s All Australian (and) could have played basketball at the Olympics.
“So you see it in a contest, he feigns one way but he doesn’t move and everyone else does.

“He is just magnificent.”

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