Collingwood have unveiled the much-discussed guernsey which will be sported by Scott Pendlebury when the AFL legend breaks the competition’s all-time games played record against West Coast next week.
On Sunday, the Magpies officially confirmed widely-publicised reports the 38-year-old, who is set to surpass North Melbourne champion Brent Harvey by making his 433rd appearance at the top level, will take to the field with his No.10 emblazoned in gold.
Their guernsey is also set to feature an ‘SP433’ symbol, which incorporates some gold and a silhouette of Pendlebury into the club’s colours of black and white.
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Pendlebury is still performing at a high level in his 21st AFL season, having claimed the Anzac Medal in last month’s clash with Essendon on the back of a masterful 43-disposal, two-goal performance.
But the reaction he will take to the field against the Eagles at what is set to be a sold-out MCG next Sunday appearing different than the rest of his teammates has been mixed.
While voices including Collingwood coach Craig McRae and Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd have thrown their support behind the move, former Collingwood captain Tony Shaw said he was not a fan.
Scott Pendlebury will break the AFL’s all-time games played record against West Coast. Credit: Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/Getty Images
“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 told 3AW.
“As a leader and someone who bases everything on the team, which Pendlebury does, I’m not saying he’s making it about himself, this is being forced on him.”
Collingwood’s decision to rest Pendlebury in recent games against Hawthorn and Sydney — which will ensure he breaks the record in front of a home crowd — has also come in for criticism, including from Channel Seven expert Kane Cornes.
“I’m not sure when at Collingwood it became about the individual and not about the team,” Cornes said on The Agenda Setters last month.
