COLLINGWOOD midfielder Scott Pendlebury's blistering finals series has seen him end Brownlow medallist Dane Swan's three-year reign as the club's best and fairest winner, with the vice-captain claiming his first E.W. Copeland Trophy on Friday night.
The 23-year-old, who also won the Bob Rose award for the Pies' best player in the finals series, capped off his brilliant season to win the award with 65 votes from Swan, who polled 54 to win the R.T. Rush Trophy as runner-up.
Pendlebury broke through for his maiden Copeland triumph after finishing second in both 2007 and 2010, and third in 2008.
He was one of three Collingwood players to run out for all 25 games this year (with forward Travis Cloke and midfielder Steele Sidebottom), averaged just short of 30 touches a match at an impressive efficiency rate of 78 per cent and led the club for contested possessions.
He was also second at Collingwood for tackles (150) and clearances (130), and booted 24 goals.
Cloke, who took more marks than any other player in the competition this year (192, ahead of Carlton's Bryce Gibbs with 174) and won the Copeland in 2007, came third with 53 votes to claim the J.J. Joyce Trophy.
Cloke also won his first Gordon Coventry Trophy for his 69 goals this season, from Andrew Krakouer (35) and Swan (32).
Luke Ball (49 votes) and Leon Davis (47) rounded out the top five of the best and fairest count, which was held at Crown Palladium in front of 1800 people.
Ball also took out his second Gavin Brown Award in as many years for leading desire indicators, and recently-retired premiership player Leigh Brown won the Darren Millane Trophy for best clubman.
Millane, who tragically died exactly 20 years ago on Friday night in a drink-driving car accident as a 26-year-old, and his family were acknowledged before the award was handed to Brown at the function.
Young revelation Alex Fasolo won the Harry Collier Trophy for best first-year player and Tom Sundberg claimed the Joseph Wren Trophy for best VFL player.
Conditioning coach Mick Dugina won the Phonse Kyne Trophy for services to the club.
2011 Copeland Trophy - Top 10
1st Scott Pendlebury 65 (E.W. Copeland Trophy)
2nd Dane Swan 54 (R.T. Rush Trophy)
3rd Travis Cloke 53 (J.J. Joyce Trophy)
4th Luke Ball 49 (J.F. McHale Trophy)
5th Leon Davis 47 (Jack Regan Trophy)
6th Dale Thomas 46
7th Ben Reid 44
8th Harry O’Brien 43
9th Jarryd Blair 41
10th Chris Tarrant 40
Jennifer Witham covers Collingwood news for the AFL Website. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenWitham
