Opinion Pendlebury going forward? Whaddaya reckon? (Poll added)

[5_Flockhart]

I am incapable of objectively commenting on this guy. Everything Pendlebury does is amazing, I'm totally content as long as he is on the field

 

[Greening Magic]

but why not let the bulls feed this f*cking unicorn of the competition so he can keep shitting gold.

Deeeeeeliccciiiiouuuussss

 

[Green Eggs]

I'd personally love to see both Pendles and Sidebottom rotating through the forward line and the midfield together. They both have great spatial awareness, great leadership qualities and are quite dangerous as forwards.

I think Pendlebury in the forward line is exactly what we need at the moment because Trav would be considered the forward-line leader and his leadership is actually piss poor. Worst body language and I've seen him call out the likes of Elliott and Fasolo for taking shots before.

We need a proper forward line leader with a good ability to translate the forward coaches instructions in to "player speak", to set up the forwards and to get around the boys. If Pendles isn't it, lets groom someone who can do all that.. the question is, who?

 

[mike123]

I liked it and also the fact we had the midfield depth to be able to do that. Probably not a luxury we'll have against quality sides but Pendles will always make us cream wherever he plays.

EFA

 

[Dynamics]

Levi in there cracking skulls with Adams leaves Pendles to do as he pleases. On the club's site last week they highlighted a couple of his 100m+ runs to be involved in a goal. He reads the game a bit like Gretzky did in the NHL... He's a chess player who anticipates things quicker than those around him... It's that spatial awareness and footy brain that let's him go all matrix on the opposition. But it can also make him a f###ing nightmare for an opposition backline.

He's clearly injured but I love the move even when he's fully fit. We have a rolled gold superstar, let's use him to his fullest.

Gotta say, Varcoe looked that part last night. If he played like that against us he'd drive me mad. Goals, great running, super creative at times, excellent disposal. With Pendles it made for a great one two punch against weakened opposition.

 

[CFC2010]

Levi in there cracking skulls with Adams leaves Pendles to do as he pleases. On the club's site last week they highlighted a couple of his 100m+ runs to be involved in a goal. He reads the game a bit like Gretzky did in the NHL... He's a chess player who anticipates things quicker than those around him... It's that spatial awareness and footy brain that let's him go all matrix on the opposition. But it can also make him a f###ing nightmare for an opposition backline.

He's clearly injured but I love the move even when he's fully fit. We have a rolled gold superstar, let's use him to his fullest.

Gotta say, Varcoe looked that part last night. If he played like that against us he'd drive me mad. Goals, great running, super creative at times, excellent disposal. With Pendles it made for a great one two punch against weakened opposition.

Obviously restricted hence the move yesterday don't care what Bucks said about trying other players in the centre.

For me he plays on ball when he is 33+ then I agree playing him in the forward line would be a good move.

What will he lose as he gets older?.......his pace??????? He is a gun, play him in the guts until someone as good as him demands his spot!

 

[mike123]

What will he lose as he gets older?

His tank, his ability to keep injury free and to recover from injury.

 

[CFC2010]

His tank, his ability to keep injury free and to recover from injury.

Agree with the injury part but disagree with the tank part.

So far he has been very durable like Bucks before him. I think/hope he will play above the age of thirty, he seems like he has the genetics/mindset to do that.

 

[mike123]

Agree with the injury part but disagree with the tank part.

So far he has been very durable like Bucks before him. I think/hope he will play above the age of thirty, he seems like he has the genetics/mindset to do that.

I think he'll play above thirty as well, just not as a full time midfielder.

 

[Old Spice]

Obviously restricted hence the move yesterday don't care what Bucks said about trying other players in the centre.

For me he plays on ball when he is 33+ then I agree playing him in the forward line would be a good move.

What will he lose as he gets older?.......his pace??????? He is a gun, play him in the guts until someone as good as him demands his spot!

You could see Pendles hobbling around last week and according to David King with back issues this week. Bucks put him on a wing last week and forward this week rather than to continue flogging a dead horse. That's great coaching in my opinion, putting him where he has the best opportunity under circumstances.

The benefits here will be great for the forward line an the developing midfield - the young kids get a crack and Pendles becomes that forward threat who can also set-up the forward line.

 

[CFC2010]

You could see Pendles hobbling around last week and according to David King with back issues this week. Bucks put him on a wing last week and forward this week rather than to continue flogging a dead horse. That's great coaching in my opinion, putting him where he has the best opportunity under circumstances.

The benefits here will be great for the forward line an the developing midfield - the young kids get a crack and Pendles becomes that forward threat who can also set-up the forward line.

Agree with what you said Old Spice the reality is he would be our best player no matter what part of the field he played on (even the bench )

My point is once he gets over whatever injury he is carrying then he goes straight back into the centre where he belongs.....for now!

 

[Old Spice]

Agree with what you said Old Spice the reality is he would be our best player no matter what part of the field he played on (even the bench )

My point is once he gets over whatever injury he is carrying then he goes straight back into the centre where he belongs.....for now!

We'll see I guess. I have to admit I hadn't thought about it before but now he's injured I can see the benefit of him out in space a lot more, not just as a move to accommodate the injury.

 

[DrDavoren]

can win the ball in close but why not let the bulls feed this f*cking unicorn of the competition so he can keep shitting gold

Great comment but Old Spice unicorns s**t rainbows!!

 

[Somebody]

*ing brill idea - don't know why I didn't think of it years ago, or maybe I did.. I know I thought of Swan forward years ago when the forward line was a basket case - you need at least some of your very cleverest and most evasive players playing forward. Pendles can become the new Hird or Kouta, brilliant mids and devastating forwards. OUr forward line has been closed down a couple of times this year (ADelaide, Geelong and Dogs?) just like it was in most games previous years, but that would be v difficult to do with Pendles added to Elliot, Fas, Cloke and another agile tall (eg White or Gault or Reid). With Pendles I think that forward line is up there with Swans or Hawks forward lines esp as it gels more. When Moore is added look out!

 

[Finnishpie]

I love it. It protects him a bit more, turns our forward line into something special, and it allows the youngsters to develop in the middle too for the future. Also, just for the record, I suggested before the season that he would play more forward or on the outside this year and someone ridiculed me for it. Just sayin'.... Who was it? Own up champ...

 

[Mukesh]

He hasn't been winning clearances as per usual and I think that's partly a function of the ruck situation where we don't get the ball with clean air and also Pendlebury having injury/mobility issues.

But while that is happening, why not blood young players in the middle and utilise his smarts up forward. He creates space where there shouldn't be any but there are limits. The more space Pendlebury gets the more damaging he might be and Damon's stats seem to vindicate that view.

Right on...totally agree....wish I'd said it...

 

[Bring_Back_Brad]

love Pendles in the forward line. Good as giving him a week off. He's a beautiful
Pass, and a reliable shot on goal, and just so smart and composed he makes the most of forward entries. I'd be happy to see him there for like every 2 out of 3 games.

 

[Winston_Smith]

Clearly our coaching staff identified our one-dimensional forward line as a severe weakness, even while we were sure they hadn't. But instead of falling into the trap of gambling millions on a Boyd or a Cameron, they have instead concentrated our recruiting and developing a strong and talented midfield that can kick goals. We are starting to see the fruits of that now with our spread of goal-kickers.

Crisp, De Goey, and Broomhead will be guns and can all kick goals. Varcoe can kick 'em. Add Greenwood for grunt, and we can start allowing maturing Pendles and Swan to be resting dangerous targets forward. If it all comes together, and critically if we recruit another big key forward (we just missed out on Mitch Clark ), I have no doubt we will challenge for the flag.

Bucks, Hine, Harvey...We are in good hands. And I weep for our opposition defenders.

 

[jackcass]

With the likelihood of the interchange cap being reduced even further and ,hopefully, the removal of the sub next year, we will probably start seeing him play a lot more minutes playing/resting in the forward line.

Pendles among others.

 

[Zod_16]

Not sure if this deserves a thread or not but where do people see Pendlebury league wide and within an historical Collingwood context. I was chatting to some friends at the footy a few weeks ago that Pendles is possibly one of the most gifted players we've had in the modern era. The ability to win his own ball plus make everyone around him better by simply being the best player on the field. I alway thought Buckley and Swan were supremely talented but were more about gut running to every contest rather than playing chess so to speak. I reckon he's arguably top 3 midifelders, maybe 5 and has been for the last 4 years, and gets forgotten about in AFL circles because of our decline over the past few seasons. Possibly preaching to the converted here

 

[Winston_Smith]

and gets forgotten about in AFL circles because of our decline over the past few seasons.

I think he gets forgotten about because he does the spectacular without looking spectacular. When Ablett dodges two players and sidesteps a third to kick a goal it looks amazing because you can see the effort and peak athleticism he puts into it. When Pendles does the same, he's so silky smooth and effortless it looks like he's taking a stroll in the park.

 

[loki04]

I actually prefer Pendles fwd then Swan. Imo Swan kicks more goals when he pushes fwd as a mid rather then when he starting fwd where he usually doesn't actually do that well.
Pendles has shown good natural fwd instincs.

 

[Vicky Park]

How fortunate we are to even be having this discussion. I like the idea too, but when the midfield is more settled. Having Sidey back, JDG improving, and Greenwood in will make a huge difference. Will allow Pendles to take his smarts forward.

 

[Quicky]

I'd personally love to see both Pendles and Sidebottom rotating through the forward line and the midfield together. They both have great spatial awareness, great leadership qualities and are quite dangerous as forwards.

I think Pendlebury in the forward line is exactly what we need at the moment because Trav would be considered the forward-line leader and his leadership is actually piss poor. Worst body language and I've seen him call out the likes of Elliott and Fasolo for taking shots before.

We need a proper forward line leader with a good ability to translate the forward coaches instructions in to "player speak", to set up the forwards and to get around the boys. If Pendles isn't it, lets groom someone who can do all that.. the question is, who?

Darcy Moore perhaps in time. Shorter term, why not continue using Pendles as a circuit breaker when our forward line is looking limp. We now have some depth in contested midfielders thanks to the gold mine reaped in the Beams trade. It's a tactical luxury we now have at our disposal. I like the idea of rotating Pendles and Sidebottom through there regularly for leadership and quality.

 

[NT.Thunder]

I've not really been a fan of our dangerous mids resting forward but upon review I think I can see the benefit.

Pendles I think is labouring under injury and so was Swan last year. But as you say 76, the leadership is helpful there in terms of explaining positioning so the benefit fans out.

We also haven't been winning centre clearances so I actually like giving our inexperienced mids a go at it to build their skills and positional flexibility.

And one more thing is forward threats up forward. There is no doubt our structure has been a bit mad up forward. Pendles helps set-up the structure and himself is extremely strong overhead and as well in positioning. It has given us some variety in terms of options.

We need strong aerial targets and now we have some pretty bloody super ones, think about it. Elliot, Fasolo, Cloke, Pendlebury and with Goey's marking up forward a feature of his game before he was recruited. Now the mantra must be 'take the best option' not the 'best' forward.

Pendles obviously to work in the middle but I don't mind if we use him on the wing (outside the square in centre bounces) or with space to work in up in the forward line. Many benefits to be derived here.

Don't need to write anything, summed up here well for me.

Against struggling teams I don't have an issue but when we come up against the likes of Fremantle, Hawks and Sydney I don't think he'd have the delivery into the forward line to be an effective forward.

We need experience in the middle and he is experience.