Tony Shaw Criticizes Collingwood’s Celebration for Scott Pendlebury’s Record-Breaking Game
Former Collingwood captain Tony Shaw has expressed his disappointment with the club’s approach to celebrating Scott Pendlebury’s upcoming milestone. Shaw believes the Magpies have gone too far in their plans to honor Pendlebury, who is set to break the V/AFL games record.
Pendlebury, 38, is on track to surpass North Melbourne champion Brent Harvey’s record of 427 games, becoming the player with the most V/AFL games in history. The Magpies have received approval from the AFL for Pendlebury to wear a special Collingwood jumper featuring a gold number instead of the traditional black or white one. This will make him the only player on the field with that unique design.
When Harvey broke the record at North Melbourne, every player wore a jumper with “427” on it. However, Pendlebury’s celebration will be more individualized, which has sparked debate among fans and former players.
Shaw, who once held the Collingwood V/AFL games record of 313, feels that the gold number shifts the focus away from the team and places too much emphasis on the individual. He shared his thoughts with 3AW, stating:
“I don’t like it. I know heaps of Collingwood people from my era who agree. To me, he deserves every accolade he can get, but I’d rather see something like a jumper designed for the occasion more than a gold number on the night.”
Shaw emphasized that while he respects Pendlebury’s achievements, he believes the team should remain the central focus. He also noted that Pendlebury, as a leader, would likely not be comfortable with the attention being drawn to him in this way.
Other former players have echoed similar sentiments. Many believe that the gold number creates an awkwardness on the field, as it visually separates Pendlebury from his teammates.
However, not everyone shares this view. Richmond champion Matthew Richardson criticized Shaw’s stance, calling him “an old timer.” Richardson argued that while it is a team game, this achievement is an individual milestone that may never be repeated.
Pendlebury’s recent performance has been impressive. He won the Anzac Day medal and broke his own disposal record, finishing with 43 touches in the match. After missing the game against Hawthorn due to a five-day break, he will now aim to break the record in a future match against West Coast at the MCG.
Pendlebury was originally selected by Collingwood with the fifth pick in the 2005 AFL draft. His career has been remarkable, especially when compared to other players from the same draft class.
For example, the No.1 pick in that draft, Marc Murphy of Carlton, retired five years ago. Meanwhile, West Coast star Shannon Hurn played until the end of 2023, making him one of the longest-serving players from that draft outside of Pendlebury.
Interestingly, no players from the 2006 draft are still active in the competition. Only Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield and Adelaide key forward Taylor Walker remain from the 2007 draft, highlighting how long Pendlebury has remained at the top of his game.
This longevity underscores the significance of Pendlebury’s achievement and the ongoing conversation about how it should be celebrated. While some fans and former players support the idea of recognizing individual milestones, others feel it detracts from the spirit of teamwork that defines the sport.
