Scott Pendlebury challenges Collingwood teammates to play out season despite fading finals hopes

COLLINGWOOD captain Scott Pendlebury says if any Magpie throws up the white flag in the final eight weeks it would be an “indictment on their professionalism”.

Scott Pendlebury talks to Collingwood players before the game against Hawthorn.

COLLINGWOOD captain Scott Pendlebury has challenged his teammates to play out the season.

Despite the Magpies’ finals hopes now all but over, Pendlebury was adamant the players wouldn’t “throw up the white flag” with eight rounds remaining.

In fact, the 250-game star believed the club was better placed than last year.

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The Magpies face top-eight teams West Coast, Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Geelong and Melbourne in the run home.

Pendlebury said his team needed to finish the season strongly or face major upheaval come the end of the season.

“There is no chance we will (give up). We’ve proved this year that we are a competitive football side. We are tough to play against for the majority,” he said on the Jock and Journo Podcast.

Collingwood walk off the MCG after losing to Hawthorn.

“It hasn’t even entered my thinking to throw up the white flag. If I see that from players then that is an indictment on their professionalism.

“Last year we got belted probably seven or eight times and then we had a few big wins.

“This year we have always found a way to get back in games and we have built some good leads that we have let go.

“I think mentally we are getting stronger, we are learning every week about ways to hold up under pressure and get better. I don’t know what our win-loss was this time last year but we are definitely a better side than we were last year.”

Collingwood have five wins so far in 2017 after nine, 10, 11 and 14 from 2016 to 2013.

Coach Nathan Buckley’s future at the club continues to be debated.

However, the club great will continue to be involved in future list decisions.

“My major charter is to continue to look forward as much as I am looking to Saturday (against Essendon), to be able to put the club in as strong a position as we can,” Buckley said this week.