One of them is the bluest of blue collar footballers: a tough, uncompromising in-and-under accumulator who lifted his teammates and changed the destiny of this football club through sheer force of will. The other is a Rolls Royce of a player – all class and grace and poise and balance, with a game defined by a sublimely deft touch and a rare ability to create space where none exists.
For a few days, these vastly different footballers will jointly hold a record that is amongst the most highly valued at every football club across the country – that for the most games played.
But next Monday, when he runs out in his 314th game against Port Adelaide, Scott Pendlebury will take sole ownership of Collingwood’s games record from Tony Shaw, who has held the record since 1994. At the same time, and in a neat coincidence, Pendles will also captain his 162nd game for the club, taking him to the top of that particular list too. The man he will push into second place on that list is his coach, Nathan Buckley.
To underscore just what a momentous occasion this is, consider that it will be only the second time the games record has changed hands at our club since 1935.
For all their obvious differences as players, Pendles and Shawry actually have much in common.
At the most basic level, both are left-footed midfielders. Both are Premiership players. Both are Norm Smith Medal winners. Both have been ridiculously consistent, and durable. And both have been remarkably good at the game’s most basic skill – getting the ball. Over his career, Pendles has averaged 26.5 possessions per game. Shawry averaged 24.38, but that figure includes his last couple of seasons where his output diminished a little. And their best-ever seasons are almost identical: Shawry gathered 736 in 1990, while Pendles grabbed 742 in 2011.
Both players have shown elite-level courage on the field, week-in, week-out. Neither has ever flinched from a contest, their tackling is brutal, and they always – always – put their head over the ball and go for it, no matter how fierce the heat. To get to 300 games you also need to be able to play through pain, and there are none better at that. Pendles has missed very few games over the journey, and has played with injuries that would have stopped many of his contemporaries. The same can be said for Shawry.
There are other, less obvious, similarities too. Both are renowned for their sledging (though Pendles is way more subtle about it). And both were outstanding basketballers in their teens. Pendles’ aptitude and love for the game is well known but Tony could play a bit too: he was a Victorian rep at under-14, under-16 and under-18 levels and even played a senior game with the Coburg Giants.
Importantly, both have also been magnificent leaders. Tony is still regarded as one of the greatest leaders in the club’s history. Leigh Matthews once said of him: “He is one of football’s all-time great captains … I don’t think there’s been a better example of real leadership than Shawry, and I don’t think there’s a captain who’s had a greater influence on his team.” And you only have to listen to his coaches and teammates to get an idea of how highly Pendles is rated as a leader.
They’ve done it differently, for sure. Shawry was much more vocal and demonstrative, whereas Pendles’ approach is more understated. But however they’ve gone about it, they’ve set the highest standards for their teammates in training, preparation and on match days.
Pendles has Shawry covered on most career accolades and achievements – his record in things like the Copeland (five wins to two), Brownlow Medal (194 career votes to 59) and All-Australian (six to two) is simply staggering, and better than just about anyone not only in Magpie history but also that of the entire competition.
But Pendles hasn’t so far managed 50 possessions in a game – Shawry did that against Brisbane at Victoria Park in 1991 (Pendles’ best is 42). And incredibly, Shawry is the only one of the pair to have kicked five goals in a game, against Melbourne in 1981 (Pendles’ best is four). Maybe that’s something more for Pendles to aim for in the rest of his career.
Perhaps one of the best things about this moment is that, while it gives us a prompt to remember how great a champion Tony Shaw was, it also gives us the chance to celebrate Scott Pendlebury’s career while it’s still going. Sure, it hurts that in this crazy COVID season it’s not taking place in front of a packed house at the MCG, which is the very least he deserves. But we’ll make sure there’s a proper celebration for him somewhere down the track.
And there’s still seemingly plenty of track to run. Shawry was 34 when he played game 313. Pendles is 32 now and has enjoyed a really good season. All the evidence suggests he still has more to give. The 350-mark seems very much within reach.
In recent years, debate around the greatest Collingwood player of all time has mostly revolved around a choice between Bob Rose and Nathan Buckley. Scott Pendlebury has already legitimately entered those discussions. But no matter where he ends up sitting in the pantheon of Magpie greats, as of next Monday he will stand statistically unchallenged as the man who has played more games for our club, and captained the side more often, than anyone else in history. Alone among the 1242 players who have pulled on a Collingwood guernsey since 1892. That is rare air indeed.
Of course, longevity alone doesn’t always equal greatness. But in this case we get both. And as Tony Shaw prepares to hand over the games record baton to Scott Pendlebury, what a perfect time to celebrate two extraordinary careers, two true footballing champions and two great Collingwood people.
