Pendlebury Hamstring Strain Rules Him Out of Finals — and May End a 21-Season Career
Scott Pendlebury's 21-season career could be over after scans revealed a hamstring strain that will sideline him for two to three weeks, ruling him out of Collingwood's AFL wildcard match next week. ABC News
Pendlebury, 38, was substituted in the second quarter of Collingwood's 63-point loss to Brisbane at the MCG. The injury was initially described as a knee bursa — a fluid-filled sac inflammation — before scans on Saturday confirmed the hamstring strain. ABC News
The loss to Brisbane was heavy. Conor McKenna and Logan Morris were influential for the Lions, who tightened their grip on third spot on the ladder. Collingwood, meanwhile, managed the game time of Nick Daicos and Darcy Cameron in anticipation of the wildcard game — a knockout final played between lower-ranked sides fighting to stay alive in September. ABC News
For Pendlebury, the timing is brutal. He is waiting until the end of the year to decide whether he plays on in 2027. If he does continue, he has an offer from Gold Coast to join the Suns as an on-field playing coach — a dual role combining his football knowledge with leadership both on the field and in the coaches' box. ABC News
Collingwood coach Craig McRae said the club would err on the side of caution with Pendlebury. Football boss Charlie Gardiner called the setbacks "disappointing and unfortunate at this time of year." ABC News
It is not just Pendlebury. Defender Brayden Maynard suffered a grade-one MCL strain — a minor ligament injury in the knee — at training. Scans confirmed the injury, which is in the same knee but unrelated to his earlier issue. Maynard is in doubt to return this season. McRae said the club would weigh up the risk of playing him. ABC News
Pendlebury's body has been tested before. Last year he was substituted four-and-a-half minutes into a preliminary-final loss to Brisbane with calf tightness. The AFL/VFL games record holder has battled rib fractures, Achilles tightness, and a hairline leg fracture across his career. Collingwood FC
For fans, the possibility is sobering. A hamstring strain at 38, with a two-to-three-week recovery, could mean Pendlebury has played his last game if Collingwood's finals campaign ends early. The Gold Coast offer gives him a path forward — but only if his body agrees.
