Bitter rival in pair circling Pies champ; Tassie captain target to reject interest — Trade Whispers

Scott Pendlebury is keen to extend his decorated career into 2027, with two rival clubs circling the games record holder.

Plus a club captain linked to Tasmania as the 19th team’s potential inaugural skipper is set to reject the Devils’ interest. More in Trade Whispers.

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PENDLES KEEN TO PLAY ON AS RIVALS CIRCLE

Collingwood champion Scott Pendlebury is keen to play on next year, but the club is yet to table him a new deal as rival clubs circle.

The Herald Sun’s Lauren Wood reports the AFL’s games record holder, who turns 39 in January, is prepared to extend his decorated career into 2027.

But with the Pies yet to offer Pendlebury a new deal as one of several Collingwood veterans facing uncertain futures, Gold Coast and Essendon are closely monitoring the situation.

“Our understanding is that he is wishing to play on next year. Collingwood yet to put a deal to him, but we know a lot of other clubs have been sniffing around this,” Wood said on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle.

“I can tell you that Gold Coast is still pretty keen to sustain their interest in him and have a bit of a talk about what the next couple of years potentially could look like up there.

“It was put to me by an industry source tonight that Essendon could potentially go very, very hard at Scott Pendlebury, as well.

“There’s a lot to weigh up there.”

Fellow Herald Sun reporter Glenn McFarlane expects Collingwood to eventually table Pendlebury, widely considered a future senior coach in waiting, a new playing deal for what would be a 22nd AFL season.

“Surely he stays. Collingwood will come up with a deal, he’ll play for one more year. I’m not sure he wants to step straight into coaching anyway,” he added.

“He wants to finish at Collingwood, I’m sure.”

Pendlebury has been heavily managed by Collingwood this year with 15 senior appearances.

Veteran teammates Steele Sidebottom, Jeremy Howe and Tim Membrey are also out of contract.

FREO SKIPPER TO REJECT TASSIE INTEREST

Fremantle captain Alex Pearce has reportedly told the club he’s not interested in joining the Tasmania Devils.

Pearce, who’s originally from Tasmania, has been linked to the Devils as a potential inaugural captain of the club ahead of the 19th club’s AFL entry in 2028.

But Pearce, due to become a free agent next year when he turns 32, is believed to be keen to extend his contract with the Dockers and reject the lure of Tassie.

“It’s not going to happen. He had been linked to the (Devils), people had suggested maybe he would take a meeting. But he ain’t leaving this footy club at Fremantle,” Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph said on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle.

“He shut it down really hard. He’s made clear to the Dockers: ‘I want to be a one-club player’.

“I think their view is, probably Nat Fyfe and Matthew Pavlich are the guys who are unrequited. If anyone deserved a premiership, it’s them. Then you look at him as probably the third person out there who is desperately chasing a flag and in fact might get it.

“They’ll sit down at the start of next pre-season, they’ll get that done. He might be the bloke who lifts the first premiership cup for the Fremantle Dockers and I think he’d be absolutely worthy.

“He won’t be at the Tasmania Football Club.”

Ralph added that managers say it will be challenging for Tassie so secure A-grade talent, with the likes of North Melbourne’s Finn O’Sullivan and Essendon’s Nate Caddy having recently signed contract extensions without even meeting with the Devils.

“Fifty-eight millionaires last year in the AFL. What it shows is so much money in the game.

“If you want to get paid, you will get paid at your existing club … it’s going to be a significant challenge for them.

“They will get players, of course. They’ve got $5 million in their sign-on bonus and got that many (draft) selections.

“But Cal Ward was offered $400,000 by the Dogs and he left for $800,000 at GWS. If you’re on $1.2 million and being offered $1.6 million, that $400,000 gap isn’t life changing anymore.

“If you’re Beau McCreery and you get offered $1 million and you’re on $500,000, you think about it. But it’s still not a cut and dry decision.”

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