Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020
The upcoming Scott Pendlebury record milestone has unfortunately become overshadowed by a commercial circus surrounding his 433rd game. While he prepares to surpass Brent Harvey on Saturday, the lead up to the achievement has drawn criticism regarding league management.
Collingwood managed his workload to ensure he breaks the record in front of a home crowd. This strategy has sparked debate, particularly as the team struggled during the weeks he was rested.
While the Collingwood champion prepares for the MCG, other clubs deal with different issues, such as Jack Higgins ruled out as St Kilda face Fremantle challenge in AFL Round 11.
Commercial Controversy
The AFL granted special dispensation for Pendlebury to retain 100 per cent of revenue from memorabilia sales, rather than the standard 65 per cent. Items available include match-worn jumpers, commemorative coins, and boots designed by his children.
Tom Morris described the situation as a circus during a recent broadcast. Nick Riewoldt expressed frustration that the narrative has moved away from celebrating a great of the game.
"I’m sick of talking about it, to be honest," Riewoldt said. "The boots design by his kids, that’s what we should be talking about - the heartwarming aspect to this story, because it is an unbelievable achievement and we all recognise Pendles as one of the greats of the game."
Questions Over Fairness
League insiders have questioned the fairness of the arrangement regarding the salary cap and soft cap. Geelong coach Chris Scott admitted to frustration regarding the case-by-case nature of such AFL decisions.
Riewoldt suggested the commercial handling invites ridicule from rival fans and creates potential issues for future auditing. He wondered how the league would respond if a supporter paid an exorbitant sum for a jumper as a golden handshake.
"How are the AFL going to handle this? Because at the moment, it’s completely unclear," Riewoldt asked. "If a donor says, ‘You know what, one of those match-worn jumpers, I’m going to pay $1 million for it’, as like a golden handshake - what do the AFL do in that situation?"
