# Pendlebury Diaries: The Record Breaker - Episode 3: Block Out The Noise

An episode of [The Howie Games](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1146329262), 21 May 2026, 44 min.

Audio: https://enrichment.soundstack.com/4vjqq8/episode.flightcast.com/d13hg1grarf1se60f8y536lx.mp3

As the countdown to history reaches its final stages, it's time for a history lesson! Pendlebury Diaries takes you deeper inside the world of football's greatest milestone. With the all-time games record now within touching distance, the media attention grows and every moment matters. From the inner sanctum at Collingwood to the mindset of a champion still performing at the elite level, this is unprecedented access to Scott Pendlebury’s pursuit of immortality, on the field, behind closed doors, and inside the moments the public never sees. Pendlebury Diaries is built from personal, real time voice notes exchanged between Scott Pendlebury and Mark Howard, tracking the weeks and months leading into his record-breaking AFL game. To mark the historic milestone in history, Elite Estate Wine proudly presents the SP433 Record Breaker Pinot Noir – a limited-edition celebrating Scott Pendlebury as he surpasses the all-time games record. Get in and get a bottle today! It's all building toward one moment: Game 433. • Episode 4 - May 25 - The Record Subscribe to The Howie Games, so you don't miss a moment. 🎧 LiSTNR, Spotify, Apple Podcasts | 💻 Youtube See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

## Transcript

[0:02] A listener production.
[0:04] First kick, first goal.
[0:05] Overtree in slow motion.
[0:07] Scott Pendleton.
[0:08] Stand still for the great one.
[0:11] Welcome to the Record Breaker.
[0:18] Rightio, it is time for a history lesson, but don't worry, don't skip forward, don't move over this part.
[0:23] This will not be your rather dry, old school, boring textbook type of history.
[0:27] No, this is the history of the game's record that our man Pendles is chasing and how the significance of the record and how it's been celebrated and reported on has changed enormously.
[0:39] So officially, from what we can gather, that's a disclaimer in case we've got anything wrong, from what we can gather, 14 chaps have held the VFL AFL record.
[0:48] With Charlie Panham, who played for Collingwood and Richmond, the first player listed to play 100 games of VFL footy, Charlie finished up on 193 games.
[0:58] So he's our first record holder.
[1:00] From here, we're going to skip forward to the last five record holders.
[1:05] So I must say at this point, there is some confusion about some of these numbers and they have been retrospectively adjusted.
[1:12] This is due to state of origin football as origin footy could actually be played in the day on the same day a VFL game was on.
[1:20] So you might play for your state rather than your club that day.
[1:23] So players were given credit for the games they missed for playing for their state.
[1:27] So officially...
[1:29] In today's records, in round 18, 1974, the great Brownlow medallist Kevin Bulldog Murray from Fitzroy played his 329th game in a loss to Footscray passing contemporary John Nicholls.
[1:42] There is no vision of this game.
[1:43] This is how much things have changed.
[1:45] There is no vision of this game.
[1:46] But thanks to the Herald Sun, who kindly went deep into their archives, I'm picturing dust and spider webs, they went deep into their archive building to help out.
[1:56] This is what unfolded.
[1:57] It's actually very cool to see some of the old articles, by the way.
[2:01] But back in the day, the record was actually reported to be Game 3-3-2, not Game 3-2-9.
[2:07] Since adjusted back to 3-2-9 with the State of Origin stuff I talked about, stick with me here.
[2:12] So on August 23, 1974, Peter Simonovic wrote in the Sun, You couldn't blame scaffolder Kevin Murray for being up in the air yesterday, for tomorrow the Fitzroy defender will achieve something he has been thinking about for a long time, the VFL Games record.
[2:27] Now, the up in the airline is accompanied by Kev in a flanny on scaffolding at work the week of the game.
[2:36] Now, I'm not sure Scotty Pendlebury is going to be on the tools this week.
[2:40] Then we get to the match report.
[2:41] There's a magnificent two-page spread with lots of pictures.
[2:44] Stephen Perkin reported...
[2:46] I quote, they saluted the old bloke today in old-fashioned style.
[2:50] In the traditional celebration of football milestones, Kevin Murray ran onto the ground through a paper banner.
[2:56] It read, Fitzroy is my life.
[3:00] Now, I've seen a lot of banners at the footy.
[3:02] I think that might be the coolest one I've heard of.
[3:04] Fitzroy is my life.
[3:06] pre-game.
[3:07] I like this even more.
[3:09] Murray, pre-game, was presented with a medal and spoke to the ground over a PA before he played.
[3:15] I quote, I wouldn't have traded my football career for anything.
[3:18] It has been a hard battle to get here, but it has been well worth it.
[3:22] He then, check this out, he then did a pre-game lap around the boundary line in a fantastic old-looking vintage car.
[3:31] Vintage car, not from that day, vintage car from the 1930s set up.
[3:35] Outstanding.
[3:37] Now, Kevin Murray went on to officially set the record at 333 games, which was passed in round seven, 1980, by John Rantel.
[3:45] Longevity, gee whiz, it's never guaranteed, but...
[3:51] When I look back at my own career, yeah, I sort of shudder sometimes to think that I have achieved that.
[3:59] John played for South Melbourne and North Melbourne, then back to South Melbourne.
[4:03] And actually, it gets interesting here, actually retired, reported in the day, four short of the record after South Melbourne coach, legendary three-time Brownlow medallist Ian Stewart told him he would not be playing in round one 1980.
[4:19] So the record was done.
[4:21] However, by April 16th, 1980, Brian Burke reported Rantel had, I quote now, signed with the Lions after training at the club last night.
[4:30] So he's come out of retirement.
[4:32] He's joined Fitzroy.
[4:33] On April 18th, two days later, it was reported again under the headline, Some Lions Don't Roar for Rantel, that, I quote, not all Fitzroy supporters are jumping with joy at the signing of 36-year-old recruit John Rantel.
[4:46] Several supporters wrote to the club.
[4:49] decrying the fact that Fitzroy had given Rantel the opportunity of breaking the record set by one of the great lines, Kevin Murray.
[4:57] So, today, it's social media where you send your hate.
[4:59] Back in the day, it was writing letters.
[5:01] Some things never change.
[5:02] However...
[5:04] Fitzroy Secretary Kevin Dixon, I quote now, remains unconcerned by the supporters' criticism, saying, that's why we are running the club and those letters are why they are supporters.
[5:18] Whack!
[5:20] Now, Murray was more than happy Rantel would break his record, with John actually given the number one at Fitzroy, the same number that Kevin Murray broke the record in for Fitzroy.
[5:29] Rantel, chased up by the press, was also similarly direct as his club's secretary, in the face of criticism, was quoted, I will be disappointed if people think I only want to break the record.
[5:39] I didn't train for six months to play four games.
[5:42] My ambition is to complete the season.
[5:44] End of quote.
[5:44] So...
[5:46] There's letters, there's controversy, there's negativity.
[5:50] The more things change, the more they stay the same.
[5:54] Now, along those lines, stick with me.
[5:56] I'm getting right into this.
[5:57] I've been in the history books for you.
[5:59] In the week of the record, John was quoted as saying, "'The fact is that players are so much fitter nowadays "'and therefore able to compete so much harder and longer than when I started.'"
[6:10] Rantel is the good bit.
[6:12] Recalled the attitude of several players, including Max Papley.
[6:16] Remember the name.
[6:17] Max Papley at South Melbourne in his early days.
[6:20] He was quoted by saying, We all had to run one warm-up lap before a game.
[6:24] Max used to run his lap chewing an apple.
[6:29] Now, Max Papley, as it turns out, the apple chewer, is Tom Papley, the Swan Stars' grandfather.
[6:38] Now we get to Toby Green in modern day at halftime last year after Paplia just kicked a goal against Toby's Giants.
[6:45] Toby intimated that like Grandpa Max, grandson Tom, he doesn't mind eating an apple or two either.
[6:54] Tom Paddley's got a little bit to say in the first half just there.
[6:57] A little bit of feeling in this one.
[6:58] Yeah, he's looking overweight.
[6:59] Let's see how he goes second half.
[7:01] Now, I'm not going to go with the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
[7:05] But again, as much as things change, they stay the same.
[7:09] So back to the record.
[7:10] The star that was John Rantel broke the record with Fitzroy in round seven in a win versus the Saints.
[7:17] The match report was pretty low-key.
[7:18] There was no big two-page spread, maybe because the record had been broken not that long prior.
[7:24] Rantel, I quote, burst through a banner reading Magical Mopsy, which was his nickname, to the applause of a small crowd at Moorabbin.
[7:32] Brian Burke reported, as he warmed up, his keenness was evident.
[7:36] He could be heard urging his teammates along.
[7:39] That was about it.
[7:40] But there's that Brantel again.
[7:42] What a game he played.
[7:43] Up the flank it goes, looking for Moxie Brantel.
[7:45] Brantel in front.
[7:46] He kicks south out of Benjamin.
[7:47] Brantel on that half-back line.
[7:48] A wild hand pass from Brantel.
[7:50] Goes to Jackson pretty strongly.
[7:51] Has his customary pass.
[7:52] They drive it forward, Horton, only to see Brantel in the way.
[7:56] John finished with 336 games.
[7:59] Now, now, surely you reckon the record is getting a bit more sizzle next time around with Tigers champion Kevin Bartlett.
[8:07] Well, now straight to the game at VFL Park where 59,000 people turned up to see the qualifying final between Richmond and Carlton.
[8:14] The match was highlighted by a sensation.
[8:17] Hold it.
[8:17] Just hold it for a sec there, Tommy.
[8:19] Rightio.
[8:20] Here we go.
[8:21] The first moment we can find the TV mentioned the record being broken.
[8:27] Drew Morfart opening up the winners.
[8:29] What a show.
[8:31] Setting up the 1980 qualifying final between Richmond and Carlton and KB's 337th game, the record breaker.
[8:40] The match was highlighted by a sensation at quarter time when the opposing coaches, Peter Jones and Tony Jewell, came to grips, and we'll see that later in the program.
[8:50] Oh, no.
[8:51] That is not the record being mentioned.
[8:54] It did not lead the broadcast.
[8:56] But, again, it was eventually mentioned.
[8:59] So this is the first time we can hear the record mentioned on the telly.
[9:03] And it was highlighted as well by Kevin Bartlett, who played his 337th game to beat the record held by John Rantel and set earlier this year.
[9:13] And it was a great day for Kevin Bartlett.
[9:18] Bartlett breaking the record here today of 337 games.
[9:22] Ward from half-forward flank, Bartlett!
[9:25] Bartlett, 33 years of age, breaking the record, is giving him a football lesson.
[9:29] At about 35 metres from goal, this should be his third goal, and is.
[9:34] Taps down, Bartlett, it'll be reliable at the foot of the peg, and quietly this guy.
[9:38] And the man who's breaking the league record for number of games today, 337, has already kicked four goals.
[9:45] 25 metres out, Byrnes, goal number five to Kevin Clayton.
[9:47] And Stewart, still a chance for Barker, he straightens, oh, straightens it!
[10:07] KB pushed on and on and on, becoming remarkably the first player to 400 games.
[10:13] In July, there would be a week of celebrations.
[10:16] Bartlett, the star.
[10:17] When I started my football career, naturally enough, I was hoping to play a league game.
[10:21] And I suppose if I had, if I would have thought that I'd certainly done it all.
[10:25] But no, once I started to become a regular player, I was hoping to play maybe 100 games.
[10:30] And then maybe I looked at 200 games.
[10:32] But certainly I never looked to 400 games.
[10:35] Bartlett.
[10:36] eventually set the mark at 403.
[10:38] And three weeks later, they would say farewell as he bowed out after a record 403 games that included five premierships.
[10:47] He would be the first member of the VFL 400 Club.
[10:50] Now, Michael Tuck was next.
[10:53] And pass to Michael Tuck.
[10:55] He'd just about golfed him here too, I reckon.
[10:57] Look at that one, goal!
[10:58] And this, for me, really illustrated how much the media and focus has exploded around the game in much more recent times because Tucky broke the record in round 22, 1990.
[11:10] The VFL is now the AFL.
[11:12] It's a national competition.
[11:13] Seven, the broadcaster, has its iconic theme music.
[11:17] Music.
[11:25] Bruce is in charge, which is great news.
[11:28] Melbourne versus Hawthorne.
[11:30] Is this a dress rehearsal for next Saturday's elimination final or a battle for the all-important double chance?
[11:36] But no mention, no mention at all of Tucky and the record in the opener.
[11:41] It's all game-focused.
[11:43] The Demons are back to their best in top four in time for the finals, following six consecutive victories, but so are the Hawks.
[11:50] Samaka comes on.
[11:52] He talks about other games being played that day.
[11:54] It's North Melbourne against Collingwood at Waverley and West Coast against Geelong at Kodinia Park.
[12:00] He talks about the latter.
[12:01] We see that Essendon is top.
[12:03] That won't change.
[12:04] But will it be Collingwood, West Coast, Melbourne or Hawthorne?
[12:07] And then Michael Tuck gets mentioned when there is a replay.
[12:11] I stressed a replay of him running through the banner.
[12:14] But it's also a very, very special day because Michael Tuck just a few moments ago ran through a banner that said Michael Tuck 404 games running into history.
[12:25] The Melbourne players and the Hawthorne players had a guard of honour for Tucky.
[12:29] It's one of the great performances in football.
[12:31] It was pretty tough to get through, as you can see.
[12:33] It really was a wonderful banner.
[12:35] We are the mighty fighting horse.
[12:39] So...
[12:40] recognition of the record is on the up.
[12:42] There was a guard of honour, as you heard, but Tucky's thoughts on the record, no post-game interview, none.
[12:50] So this isn't about broadcast standards.
[12:53] This is about the significance of how the record is valued, I guess, and how much media and the way we report on the game has changed.
[13:03] stopped at 426.
[13:03] And in round 19, 2016, the great North Melbourne champion, Brent Boomer Harvey, played game 427 in front of 44,287 people at Docklands against the Saints.
[13:16] And now it's showtime.
[13:18] It is the works.
[13:21] I love Boomer.
[13:22] I love Boomer.
[13:23] I love Boomer.
[13:24] I love Boomer.
[13:25] I love Boomer because he's my dwarfy little mate.
[13:27] Well, I never thought I'd see it happen.
[13:29] It's remarkable, isn't it, that he's still playing and he's still playing terrific football and incredible.
[13:34] There is a pregame chat.
[13:36] I think he's down there with the boss of the AFL.
[13:38] I certainly am, BT.
[13:39] A very proud Gil McLaughlin, the AFL.
[13:42] Tonight, history is made.
[13:43] The record that we all thought was never going to be broken in the modern game, Brent Harvey, 427 games.
[13:47] It's a huge night, isn't it?
[13:49] Yeah, it is.
[13:50] It's actually one of the records and an extraordinary achievement.
[13:54] I know records get broken, but it's hard to see this one getting broken.
[13:57] And it's a testament to talent and resilience.
[14:00] And it's great to be here.
[14:02] It's a big night.
[14:02] There is a banner which Boomer runs through with his kids.
[14:05] Now he's through the banner.
[14:08] The game's record now officially in his hands.
[14:12] The number 427 is emblazoned across the front of the North Jumper.
[14:17] There's a goal.
[14:17] Oh, he's given it to Boomer.
[14:21] There it is.
[14:21] Handed it off to his mate.
[14:23] A win.
[14:23] 427 games.
[14:24] Family can't wait.
[14:31] friends.
[14:33] And unlike Tucky, there is a post-game chat.
[14:37] The whole week's been pretty big, Lingy, but the one thing I said to Brad at the start of the week, nothing matters if we don't win, so we got the Mickeys, mate.
[14:44] So times have changed.
[14:45] Celebrations have changed.
[14:46] Media focus has changed.
[14:48] Commercial opportunities have changed.
[14:50] And the focus of the game, which I think is really, really cool, celebrating our champions has changed.
[14:56] It was a great moment.
[14:57] Boomer thanking the crowd there.
[15:00] pointing to them and saying, thank you.
[15:01] Got the game ball in hand.
[15:09] Like we did in episode two, time now to once again catch up with Collingwood CEO Craig Kelly to find out just how much goes into a moment like this from the club's perspective.
[15:21] What does an occasion of this significance mean to the Collingwood Football Club?
[15:25] It represents everything we're trying to do at the club with this generation of people running the club.
[15:31] And from the players and the coach and the high performance, the board and everyone, complete alignment about this one club approach and all of us in it together.
[15:39] It's a great way to just sort of put an exclamation mark and go, bang, this is what we're about.
[15:44] Put your duffel coat on.
[15:45] As a bloke that came to this club as a young man, as a guy that won a premiership here, as a bloke that's had a sun play at this football club, what will it mean to you as a Collingwood man to see a Collingwood superstar have the record for the most games in the history of the Collingwood?
[16:02] CEO hat off, duffel coat on.
[16:05] And I've almost got to put my Eddie Maguire hat on, don't I?
[16:07] Because I've almost got to say something like that.
[16:10] Well, that's why he did so wonderfully.
[16:11] He has corporate hat on, but he's so passionate about the club.
[16:14] So passionate.
[16:15] And our current president, Bericardt, basically talks about the shoulders of giants, standing on the shoulders of giants.
[16:25] And here's a giant who's driven this club through some really interesting times.
[16:31] And I'd argue the last three to five years, he's gone up to a whole new level and brought along with him a group of players that have learned to know what elite standards are and demanded that they hit those standards.
[16:47] So what he's done for the club, not just off the field, but on the field.
[16:52] Mate, I don't think we can – all we can do to repay him is recognise him.
[16:56] And this club – the great thing is this club deserves to have Scott Penelbury and deserves Scott Penelbury break the game's record because then I think this club is standing in the place it should.
[17:07] It's at the top of the tree, and we want to do the best we possibly can.
[17:11] I think we will.
[17:12] I'm not sure the football world has a full understanding of the significance of the occasion, but when you walk through your reception and you've got membership tickets from the 60s and jumpers from 1900, the club's obviously done an amazing job of keeping the history of what's involved in this particular football club, the most famous football club in the land.
[17:29] But the significance of the achievement is quite extraordinary.
[17:35] Well, and the names of people that have gone before him from this club, it's unbelievable.
[17:40] Like, Bucks is a fair player.
[17:42] Lee Richards.
[17:43] Then you've got coaches like Jock McCarley.
[17:44] You just go, it's reached deep in history.
[17:48] How much planning has gone into the record-breaking day from the football club perspective?
[17:53] Yeah, absolutely.
[17:55] And it's an industry perspective, Howie, because, I mean, I was fortunate as part of the management company, looked after halves.
[18:04] And I think the industry's got better at looking and recognising key moments in time to celebrate so well.
[18:11] So with Chris Larkins, who's obviously in the room here with us, and his team.
[18:15] But really importantly, how we've managed it with Scott.
[18:19] Scott wants to focus on preparing and being right.
[18:22] As you know, and all the podcasts and what you guys have done,
[18:27] the pre-season a couple of years ago.
[18:28] It just, you know how he goes about it.
[18:30] So, and I suppose this is a little bit about my background, understanding, hey, let's make sure we've got someone protecting Scott and the family to not have to deal with all the staff and have one voice.
[18:42] So Manning John sits in, he's the runner.
[18:46] but he also is doing a lot of costs to the other side of the business for development himself.
[18:51] So it's a great opportunity for us to say to Manon, Manon, you lean in and be the lead with Scott to be the buffer.
[18:59] So we haven't got every lunatic coming at Scott and his family, and let's get a plan in place with the rest of the business with Larko and his team.
[19:07] We have to go to the AFL.
[19:08] We have to make sure it's above board in regard to TPP and it's not getting mixed up with his wage, his contract.
[19:17] All the licensing partners of the AFL, our licensing partners and working with our brands and our commercial partners to make sure that's all aligned and making sure there's a commercial outcome that...
[19:30] looks after the club, and more importantly, looks after Scott and his family.
[19:33] So we want to make sure we do that.
[19:34] Board completely aligned.
[19:36] So all of those things have to line up.
[19:37] We started doing that well before Christmas.
[19:39] Before Christmas.
[19:40] Well before Christmas.
[19:41] Then the conversation is when, and then how do you manage that?
[19:45] That's a really interesting conversation because you've got the football side of the business.
[19:51] You've got...
[19:53] the commercial side of the business, you've got the fact that you want to get all these loved ones there together.
[19:58] How are you managing that?
[20:00] Well, and it's also bringing our 19th Army, the people who own this club, who have put their hard-earned cash into this club.
[20:08] Many of them would have done that first day when Scott first started playing here and have continued to do that for years.
[20:15] Members have been members for 80 years.
[20:17] It's unbelievable.
[20:18] So you want them to
[20:20] enjoy it.
[20:21] They've got to stand up there and want to come to the game and just celebrate it.
[20:25] They've got to see this guy and say thank you.
[20:27] And he wants to say thank you to them.
[20:29] Then you've got all these family.
[20:31] Plus then you've got like years of coaches and past lives.
[20:35] So who are you trying to invite?
[20:37] Like we'd be up to 600.
[20:40] 600.
[20:40] 600, yep.
[20:41] So who are these people?
[20:43] Are these past... Oh, so that's Greg Swan, Gary Pert.
[20:48] It's all the physios, all the doctors.
[20:50] It's trying to make sure...
[20:52] Clubs aren't very good at keeping records of everyone that's walked through their building.
[20:56] We're trying to get better at that.
[20:57] So anyone who's involved in any premiership or coaching with or helping Scott get on the ground, we're trying to make sure they get into that room.
[21:07] And that's not a room where it'll be a great room, amazing room with great food and wine and good seats and let's celebrate it.
[21:14] You know, how we do stuff before the game, I'm not going to give too much away.
[21:18] Rowena, who works in Chris's team, is –
[21:21] ex-RFL event legend and her team are pulling together a pretty unique experience, both pre and post.
[21:29] The good thing is the other thing, both Dill Swanee, Tom Harley, Beck and the commercial team in the AFL have been really supportive.
[21:38] All right, it's 6.42, 28th of April, Tuesday morning, two days before we play the Hawks.
[21:46] I'm unlikely to play on Thursday night, just with a five day break and a quick turnaround.
[21:55] I've sort of been dealing with the Achilles tendinopathy in there,
[22:00] They take a little bit to recover after the game, so five days is probably pushing it.
[22:05] And also the week before Anzac Day against Carlton, I hurt my left hand, middle finger.
[22:11] A ligament in there and my finger's pretty bloody sore.
[22:16] You would have noticed on Anzac Day, I had my hand,
[22:19] finger tape so every time I sort of lift my left hand and finger I can feel like ligaments clicking in there so it'd be nice to give that a week off and hopefully that settles right down so I could make if I can sort of half make a fist at the moment but
[22:34] Definitely feel the ligaments pulling.
[22:36] So it'd be nice to rest that.
[22:37] Collingwood coach Craig McRae has backed the call to rest Scott Pendlebury.
[22:42] No, Scott won't play next week.
[22:44] Yeah, we're unashamed.
[22:46] Plan to play him the week after.
[22:48] We're going to play him with his body and things.
[22:50] This is round eight.
[22:51] We begin at the MCG with Hawthorne and Collingwood to do battle on Thursday night footy.
[22:56] Dude, the Pies would love to have Scott Pendlebury out there right now.
[22:59] Nervous watcher Pendlebury.
[23:01] Typically cleans the house when it gets tight.
[23:04] Moore's gone high and it could be close if not on if not after the siren.
[23:10] Dillamore 35 out directly in front.
[23:16] It's a draw.
[23:17] Hey mate 10.29pm just leaving the MCG nearly lost my voice.
[23:23] How clean's your house?
[23:27] It was close all night.
[23:29] How much cleaning of the house did you do?
[23:31] And honestly, how were you feeling when Dylan Moore lined up?
[23:36] Good on you, mate.
[23:37] Yes, Howie, I watched from start to finish.
[23:40] I had my own training during the day.
[23:43] As you would know, I've been dealing with the Achilles issue for the last month, so it was great to get some training in.
[23:51] I did about half a game load, so about 7Ks.
[23:55] 6K is around that mark today, which was about half of what the boys did in the game.
[24:00] So it was good to get some load.
[24:02] Really confident in the plan that we get and hopefully sort of by Geelong next week I'm fresh and, you know, sort of not playing, having to manage that whilst playing.
[24:11] And it's also given my hand and finger a bit of a break because that's still pretty sore, that ligament in the middle finger.
[24:16] So that's good.
[24:17] The game itself was amazing.
[24:19] I found myself, like, jumping up out of the seat.
[24:21] I was trying to rest and put my legs up and ice and stuff like that, but I was yahooing and Alex told me off a few times for yelling too loud because I'd wake the kids.
[24:30] And I was text messaging the...
[24:33] One of the jams of footy, because I know they've got a phone.
[24:35] They're like the only one allowed with a phone.
[24:37] I reckon I sent him about 15 messages.
[24:39] I didn't get a reply, but just with what I was saying and what we need to do.
[24:42] So, yeah, and then, you know, today it's just messaging a lot of the boys and seeing how they pulled up and telling them how well they played and how exciting that brand of footy was.
[24:51] And it was a cracking contest to finishing a draw.
[24:53] You know, I think I heard Sam Mitchell say after the game, he looked at all the numbers and sort of thinks, how do we get more than two points?
[24:59] But he watches the last sort of two minutes and thinks,
[25:02] how did we actually get two points?
[25:03] So I sort of agree with that.
[25:05] It felt like we were really strong bang for buck when we went in and we defended really well.
[25:10] So confident we're on the right track, heading the right way and excited for the next one against the Cats.
[25:15] It'll be huge like it always is.
[25:16] Scott Pendlebury's road to the record.
[25:18] What can you tell us?
[25:19] So round 11, MCG 4.35.
[25:22] This is the clash against West Coast.
[25:24] So as Craig McRae told us pre-match, he was pretty sore training this morning, would never have gone up for a five-day break.
[25:29] We'll play Geelong with a nine-day break and then we'll have the SCG clash off against Sydney.
[25:34] He's very keen to play this game out in front of family and friends and about 172 players who have been invited who have played with him across that remarkable 18th game journey.
[25:45] All right, it's Tuesday, 2.30, 5th of May.
[25:50] Just finished our first main training for the week, pre the lead into the Cats game.
[25:56] Felt awesome.
[25:57] It's the best my Achilles have felt probably since round zero, which was, yeah, sort of the plan.
[26:05] With missing the Hawks game, you know, I was probably in a bit of a cycle there where it's get up two days before the game, try and get moving, and then by game day, you know, feeling really, really good, but then fatiguing a lot in the second halves, you know, with my Achilles.
[26:20] But then there's more probably the recovery, like pulling up sore and having to get back up again.
[26:24] Yeah, so to just have that week off and, you know, last Thursday, just try and get a good strength dose in and then not have to recover from a game.
[26:35] Big decline where you need to build again.
[26:37] I felt like I've been able to build now for a good block.
[26:40] And yeah, it was amazing just to run freely at training and change directions and push off and not think all the time and run flat footed.
[26:48] So train again Thursday, a lot of recovery stuff that I want to get done tonight.
[26:52] And then tomorrow...
[26:54] To make sure I just keep looking after my body and, you know, stay right on top of these Achilles now that I've got them to a point where I'm really confident.
[27:02] You know, still something that I need to manage, but I'm really confident now that I've got on top of that real niggly pain, which is really good.
[27:09] Live from Melbourne, this is 7 News with Peter Mitchell.
[27:15] Collingwood champion Scott Pendlebury has been given special permission from the AFL to wear a one-off jumper when he breaks the game's record.
[27:25] Today at lunchtime, the guy showed me the jumper I'll be wearing in the game with the logo on the front.
[27:33] the gold number 10.
[27:34] I know I've seen it around Band Reporter that's like a sparkly gold number 10 or whatever, but I think that might be a knockoff.
[27:41] So, but no, the jumper looks really cool.
[27:43] You know, I sort of ummed and ah'd about it a little bit and then spoke with sort of the club who had some plans around it and then ultimately
[27:51] like I tend to do, I sort of take these decisions when I'm not really sure to my kids and see what they think.
[27:57] And both Jacks and Das loved it and they don't know it yet, but I've organised the club to get them both a jumper for game day, but they're also going to run out with me with a gold number 10 on their backs that they don't know about.
[28:09] So they'll be really excited for that.
[28:11] And, you know, I'm excited for that because it'll be a nice touch to share that with my kids, which will be really cool.
[28:17] You look great.
[28:20] Do you like my one?
[28:22] Yeah?
[28:23] Your one's the original.
[28:25] My one's the original.
[28:26] It's the OG.
[28:28] All right, it's one o'clock, Friday, 8th of May.
[28:32] Just went into Leaf in Elwood, got my pre-game stuff for dinner like I always do every week.
[28:38] And I was just thinking it's funny after playing this long.
[28:40] I always get that sense of feeling today though, after we had the team meeting.
[28:45] that edginess, it just feels awesome every week when you walk in for like captain's run and the team goes up on the board and you find your name and you still hope you're not starting on the bench after 21 years.
[28:57] But yeah, it's just really cool.
[29:00] Like the day always today sets up tomorrow and it's funny how much of a routine it's like, you know, you do your training today, you're
[29:09] You know, you see the team go up, you do that, then I always go past Leaf, grab my stuff to cook up dinner.
[29:16] Just feels like that pre-game routine, like you still get that awesome buzz, that feeling.
[29:20] And I know it's Geelong tomorrow night, and I've already spoken about how that always adds a bit extra because they're just such a good club and such a good side to play against, because I think they play footy, you know, a really good way.
[29:29] So it's just amazing, like, become, you know, a creature of habit that...
[29:33] So doing all these little things today still feels like the process, which I love doing, to set you up to try and play well.
[29:41] And, yeah, after, I don't know, what is it, 431 games now, it still just feels such excitement today to get ready to play tomorrow.
[29:51] Game 432, the record equalling game.
[29:57] It's a massive night at the MCG tonight.
[29:59] The great Scott Pendlebury levels up with the great Boomer Harvey.
[30:04] 432 AFL games.
[30:06] It's a phenomenal record.
[30:09] As big as the occasion is tonight, the next time he fronts up, he's in uncharted territory that no one has ever been in.
[30:16] We're about to get underway at the MCG.
[30:18] Big crowd in.
[30:19] Pendles equals the game's record.
[30:21] Here's Joey Montagna.
[30:22] And the Pies win the first centre clearance of this Pendlebury.
[30:24] Marlon a hand pass away to Smith who gives to Dempsey.
[30:27] Goes long.
[30:29] Unguarded goal.
[30:30] He was celebrating the moment that left his boots.
[30:33] The number 10, the enduring champion, puts it through.
[30:39] And they all rush to the Collingwood Greats.
[30:41] Looks it back to Manor on the boundary line.
[30:44] He's feeling good.
[30:45] He's feeling real good.
[30:48] Goal of the night from Shorty Manor.
[30:50] Five seconds left.
[30:51] There's chance for one more on the siren.
[30:54] Jack Bose.
[30:55] Got it.
[30:59] 54 points to final margin.
[31:02] The Cats finish with 18 goals, 14, 122.
[31:05] Collingwood, 9, 14, 68.
[31:06] Comprehensive.
[31:07] All right, it's 20 to 12.
[31:08] We just played the Cats, obviously.
[31:10] Just driving it home.
[31:29] Yeah, pretty flat.
[31:30] Yeah, they were just way too good, too smart, too well-drilled.
[31:40] Just, yeah, pulled us apart and made us pay.
[31:44] Yeah, they were ruthlessly efficient tonight.
[31:49] Yeah, and we were a bit off, obviously, in the second half as well.
[31:52] So tough one out there.
[31:55] I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I always still like playing against the Cats because, yeah, I love how they play.
[32:01] They really get after the game and didn't sort of see that coming, which is...
[32:06] not nice.
[32:06] So we've, yeah, I think we've known ourselves to be better than that defensively, but they obviously did a few things tonight that really challenged us in that regard.
[32:15] So I'm good.
[32:16] Body's pretty good.
[32:18] Achilles got through again, which is really good.
[32:21] Probably the best I've felt since round one in terms of being able to run and cover the ground.
[32:25] So I'll get home by about midnight and jump in the ass bath and just, yeah, just try and recover and get myself.
[32:33] nice and fresh for obviously not going to go up and play against Sydney.
[32:37] Sort of being a long-term plan that the high performance crew and the club have put in place.
[32:42] And now it's sort of all eyes forward for me to prep really well for the West Coast game.
[32:48] Sort of just live in the now and just recover well tonight.
[32:53] Tonight, the race for the Tasmanian coaching job as a new favourite emerges in the eyes of Caroline Wilson.
[32:59] Caro has that story in a moment.
[33:00] Further developments on Scott Pendlebury's record 4-3-3 game and clarification from the AFL on how the deal works.
[33:08] Plus, more dramas with the timekeepers on the weekend.
[33:11] It's all ahead.
[33:12] Get ready.
[33:12] This is The Agenda Setters.
[33:16] 100% of the profits that Collingwood would have otherwise made for Scott Pendlebury's merchandise will instead go to the player.
[33:23] Now, this speaks to how much Collingwood love and admire Scott Pendlebury, and it's been ticked off by the AFL.
[33:29] Now, this is boots.
[33:30] This is potentially as many as 12 jumpers.
[33:33] And this is also his wine as well that he has started and posted on Instagram last night.
[33:37] And I even understand there's talks of him releasing a limited edition watch, maybe 25 or 50 watches, for fans to auction off.
[33:45] So this is a huge sum of money that the AFL has ticked off as part of, I guess, their TPP process.
[33:50] How much, Tom?
[33:51] How much are we talking?
[33:52] It's a commercial windfall for Scott Pendlebury.
[33:55] And Collingwood love that because they want to support their play.
[33:57] Are the clubs furious about this because this is very much skating on thin ice?
[34:01] He's entitled to make as much money.
[34:03] It's fine, but so is other clubs.
[34:04] Yeah, that's right.
[34:04] What's the line here?
[34:05] Well, you think 100 grand's going to swing a salary cap?
[34:08] I think it's a lot more than 100 grand.
[34:09] But that's not every player.
[34:10] There's still a moment in the history of the game.
[34:12] But that's right, Hutchie.
[34:13] It's not every player.
[34:13] We're talking about special dispensation for one player.
[34:17] So no problems with players being able to cash in on their name, image, likeness, milestones, all of that.
[34:23] This is the dispensation game.
[34:24] Yeah, but so is like 300 games.
[34:26] What if someone kicks 100 goals?
[34:27] Buddy, buddy.
[34:28] It's a moment in history.
[34:29] Jeremy Cameron's going to kick 800 goals next year.
[34:31] Why can't he do something?
[34:32] But you're comparing that to Pendlebury's... No, but...
[34:34] But his 1,000th goal.
[34:36] I've never seen a scene like that in all of AFL history.
[34:38] There's no doubt this has been going on since at least late last year when the fixture came out.
[34:43] Ordinarily, 65% of the profits would go to the player and 35% of the club.
[34:48] Collingwood's waived that.
[34:49] So Scott Pendlebury is making all the money.
[34:51] It pisses me off.
[34:52] I'm just infuriated by this because everyone's out there talking about him making money rather than celebrating what is the greatest football player we've probably seen.
[35:03] He has been the absolute servant to the Collingwood Football Club on and off the field.
[35:09] If anybody intimates that it's some sort of selfish aspect, you're going to fight?
[35:14] Cards will be marked.
[35:15] Tall poppy syndrome, well and truly alive, and there's no better case of it right now.
[35:20] You're talking about
[35:22] I'll be honest with you, the most consistent player that's ever played the game.
[35:24] Do you reckon Scott Pendlebury owes anybody anything in football?
[35:28] I don't think I'd have ever heard.
[35:29] Have you ever heard of any time in Scott Pendlebury's career where he was coming out of contract?
[35:34] When he could have scum the club.
[35:39] Hey, Howie.
[35:40] A little bit different.
[35:41] It's 10 past 11.
[35:43] It's Friday.
[35:44] Boys play tonight in Sydney.
[35:46] I'm out on the bike.
[35:48] I'm going to do about...
[35:50] 50 today and then train tomorrow with the boys.
[35:54] Great chance to get some more conditioning in, keep topping up.
[35:59] Thought it'd be good to just have a chat about sort of like how I deal with the external noise.
[36:04] It's like, you know, you're not gonna sit here and say like you don't hear it or don't see the chit chat around.
[36:11] You know, you're gonna make X amount of money or
[36:14] you're selfish because you got rested and, you know, you see that stuff and, yeah, to be honest, how I deal with it is, A, it doesn't really affect me at all, to be honest, because I feel like a lot of our media, rightly or wrongly, and this isn't everyone, so I shouldn't put everyone in the same bracket, but they want to nitpick and highlight,
[36:37] negativity opposed to the positivity.
[36:40] So a good example for me in the last few weeks is, yeah, there's been people saying negative stuff and whatever it is, but it honestly doesn't get in.
[36:51] I can tell you for a fact, it's a hundred to one ratio with positives to negatives.
[36:57] Most important thing for me is the positives
[37:01] are coming from people that I hugely respect.
[37:05] Chris Scott, Alistair Clarkson, Greg Swan, Peter Murphy, guys that have just been extraordinary mentors.
[37:12] Alan Richardson, who's at the Ds.
[37:14] Tony Shaw rang me and wished me all the best.
[37:16] And Ed Maguire.
[37:19] you know, for weeks just telling me how excited he is and, you know, my friends and people that have helped me along the way.
[37:26] You know yourself Howie, you know Bucks after the Geelong game, heaps of the Geelong boys, like, so many people that I respect.
[37:35] And it is overwhelming.
[37:36] You know, Harry Wilson, Rugby Union, Wallabies captain,
[37:41] reached out, obviously got a relationship with him as well.
[37:44] You know, Will Ashcroft, Christian Petraco, got in early last week, you know, current president, Barry and Suze have been amazing, you know, Mick Malthouse, Brad Scott.
[37:56] But one thing that I am gonna do, that I want to do next week as well is take the time individually to write to every single person that
[38:09] has helped me along the journey.
[38:12] And acknowledge that I'm only in this position to do what I do because I love what I do, but because of the support, guidance, help that I got as a young kid.
[38:26] With all the positivity that gets thrown my way.
[38:28] So I'm not somebody that typically
[38:31] is a reflective person, but I think it's probably just good for people out there, especially the younger kids, and I'm really conscious of the younger kids, having two young kids and coaching at school footy and just seeing the amount of pressure that people put on themselves to perform that think their identity is wrapped up in a sport.
[38:53] You know, and probably another one as well, Trent Cotchen, who...
[38:58] and Joel Selwood probably too, that I really took a lot out of their games, you know, 15, 16, 17, 18, about how to win and what you need to do to win.
[39:07] You know, and I see it with Andy Brasher at the moment at Freego.
[39:11] The sacrifice he's prepared to make to win.
[39:13] Yeah, so, you know, I'm fully entrenched in what we're doing, the plan we've got, and the season's a long one.
[39:21] Everyone's very short-sighted in media terms.
[39:24] We've already had nine different premiership favourites after 10 rounds.
[39:28] So it would sort of be good just to talk about my mindset because, yeah, you acknowledge it's there, but it honestly doesn't filter in.
[39:38] And as I said, the amount of positive messages from people from within the industry, within the game, like another one, like Gary Lyon last week wishing me all the best
[39:48] I've told Gaz this but he was one of my favourite players growing up and I think everyone forgets we're just young kids doing our dream.
[39:57] I was a passionate Melbourne supporter.
[39:59] Yeah so just little things like that, it's just, you know, it's literally like mind-blowing.
[40:03] Because at the end of the day, everyone playing AFL, we're all little kids that idolise the generation before us that are now talking about us.
[40:12] You know, put that out there that
[40:14] You know, you can deal with things a certain way and that's just how, for me, I've always, well then it's probably been different for me because I haven't really, you know, the media haven't really scrutinized my performance and stuff like they're trying to do at the moment.
[40:29] But, you know, I remember Mike Sheehan a few years ago rang me because he said I was a B grader to apologize.
[40:37] I remember just saying to Mike, like, no offense, I don't mean to,
[40:43] disrespect you in any way, but it doesn't get in to my bubble and it really doesn't matter what he thinks because it's irrelevant in club land of what we're trying to do.
[40:56] And yeah, so for any of the younger generation out there and, you know, you see it, I said coach school footy, like there's baseline footy or whatever that one's called.
[41:05] And, you know, kids are just judging themselves so harshly on individual stuff and, you know,
[41:12] their highlights and their attention and, you know, I'm just thinking you've got to be really careful and always try to see the positives in things.
[41:23] Yeah, I thought it was just good to talk about because you guys want to see the whole build up and for me, this has been part of the build for me, is a bit of, yeah, pressure from a select few people trying to overanalyse me.
[41:38] Scotty Howie, 4.27pm on Friday the 15th of May.
[41:43] Just leaving work and just listening to your messages on the bike.
[41:49] Well done, mate.
[41:51] Well done.
[41:52] When we started the pre-season diaries with you over a year ago and we did eight episodes of that, you started to give more and more of yourself and show the type of person you are
[42:05] and listening to the things you were just talking about now, I felt it was the real first time we got a deep understanding of you, which I loved.
[42:16] So thanks for being honest and sharing.
[42:19] It's interesting, the debate around the negativity.
[42:23] I haven't asked you about it because, I don't know what the right word is, I didn't want
[42:29] this project with it because I look at the world very much like you.
[42:33] I don't understand why there could be any negativity about a celebration of an athlete and a celebration of his club and a celebration of his sport.
[42:41] So yeah, I was interested that you brought it up because I wasn't going to push on.
[42:46] Great man.
[42:47] Enjoy the weekend.
[42:48] Hope the footy goes the way of the pies tonight, but just a message to say, thanks for your honesty, mate.
[42:53] It had an impact on me.
[42:55] Hello everyone and welcome to the SCG for the Swans and the Magpies.
[43:01] We know plenty about where Sydney are at.
[43:02] We're going to find out plenty about Collingwood tonight.
[43:05] But this has been an outstanding start from Collingwood.
[43:08] Five goals, two.
[43:09] Their coaching so far has been a masterclass for Craig McRae.
[43:13] Kick on the way, he's got the length.
[43:15] And Sydney are in front by five points just like that.
[43:18] They've kicked six goals to two in the third quarter.
[43:21] Collingwood played in a draw two weeks ago against Hawthorne.
[43:25] Silent, sound, Sydney have won by a goal.
[43:29] What a comeback.
[43:31] 33 down.
[43:32] And they beat the Undermanned Pies in a great game.
[43:38] That is it for episode three of Pendlebury Diaries, the record breaker.
[43:41] Do not forget to check out the link for Pendle's magnificent wine, the SP433 record breaker Pinot Noir, which is in the show notes.
[43:49] Now, the final episode, episode number four of the series, will drop on Monday.
[43:54] Now, I can't play any of it at this point.
[43:56] There's no teaser available because the whole show will be recorded this weekend, taking you into the inner sanctum as AFL history is made.

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