Can Pendlebury Improve?

[Number 10]

As you can see by my user name I am a massive fan of the great Number 10 at Collingwood.

I rate Pendlebury as an extraordinary player with the composure and skill of any of the games greats. Yet the only problem for me is, I don't and may never rate him in the Top 5 in the competition.

Yes he is elite, but do you think he has the capacity to improve enough to be the best player in the league?

For some reason I feel he has peaked and plateuad (sp) at this peak.
I guess a bit like Joel Selwood has, you just can't see him getting better with age as they are already such super players.

This year he has improved on the years gone by, but as a player, I personally don't think he can get any better...ability-wise.

I'm sure with consistency over the next 2-3 years he can get into the Top 5 players, but will he improve in his football ability from a grade A to a grade A+. Sort of how Thomas has gone from a B to an A-.

I don't know, I hope he does, but I just can't see what more he can add to his game to make him this A+.

Please don't be offended or anything about this post, I hope I haven't taken away from his achievements to date. Have your say...

 

[shawthing09]

I think you under rate how good he has been this year. I'd go as far to say that in the second half of this year he'd be close to the best player in the comp.

The only thing he can really improve on is his consitancy and he has done so in the second half of the year and his ability to link and get ball on the outside and again he has improved in that area in the second half of the year.

I'd say he has been in the top 5 mids of the comp this year so it's pretty hard to improve on that. He is A+ in my book.

 

[Nardz]

he's 22.

midfielders usually experience their best years between the ages of 26-28.

so of course there is room for improvement.

 

[The Get Up Kid]

He's 22, Vice-captain, All-Australian certainty and 4th favourite for the Brownlow?

That is elite, that is A+

He isn't going to kick Alan Didak goals if that's what you want but he gets it between 20 and 30 times and his efficiency is as good as anyone's in the league. He rarely gets tackled, he tackles hard himself, he rarely misses a target and is our best pass to someone on a lead. He is a massive difference to our finals side this year, he was a big loss last year.

I think Swan, Didak and Pendelbury are all elite players.

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

He'll get better as he gets older.

Only thing I could pick on right now is his goal kicking. Has gone way off this year compared to last.

 

[shawthing09]

he's 22.

midfielders usually experience their best years between the ages of 26-28.

so of course there is room for improvement.

I have no stats to back this up but I reckon that age is getting younger. Luke Ball, Judd and Selwood are the three that come straight to mind. I think a lot of the A grade talent is AFL ready a lot younger and tend to plateau in development a bit younger. Also being ready early means they tend to struggle with injuries earlier in their career.

Even if they improve the improvements will only be extremely marginal.

 

[Nardz]

I have no stats to back this up but I reckon that age is getting younger. Luke Ball, Judd and Selwood are the three that come straight to mind. I think a lot of the A grade talent is AFL ready a lot younger and tend to plateau in development a bit younger. Also being ready early means they tend to struggle with injuries earlier in their career.

Even if they improve the improvements will only be extremely marginal.

ball and judd were cut down by injuries.

selwood remains to be seen.

look at swan, ablett, hodge

 

[Zahki]

Geez, what more do you want from him? He's already one of the best players in the comp, bit tough to improve from there.

 

[Invigoration]

Plateaued? What the? His improvement from last year to now has been enormous, I don't see how anyone could think he has stagnated. Everyone can't increase by the levels Dale Thomas has this year, every year.

 

[Thommo 42]

Given he didn't pick up footy on a consistent basis until he was 17, and after one season in the TAC Cup went at #5 in the draft, 4 years later is a guaranteed AA player, 4th favourite for the Brownlow and Vice Captain of the Premiership Favourites - I think the sky is the limit in terms of his development.

Guys like him don't plateau early because he's really only been playing the game for 5/6 years.

 

[Dogs_Playing_Poker]

Needs to kick more goals to be top 5 in the comp Id reckon!

 

[joxstrap]

Clear improvement this year from last as Invig has said, I don't see any reason why he can't continue to improve. He is already so good at tackling and disposing of the ball that his improvement will come from hurting the opposition more by kicking more goals and improving his set shot - part of that he has limited control over given where he is played.

It's absolutely awesome how good he has been at only 22. Maybe coming to Footy later than most may mean his scope for improvement is better than the average 22 year old, who knows - then again given how good he is it's hard to see where it will come from.

I think because he's never going to be a really attacking midfielder who can break from packs using his pace he might not get the kudos for the things he does really brilliantly, the contested work, his evasiveness and ability to release a player in a better position almost every time.

I'd love to see Champion Data release a stat for how many times a player is tackled, not just holding the ball, but tackled in general - it shouldn't be too hard to do either if they can keep track of tackles themselves. I reckon Pendlebury would be right up there in term of the least tackled players in the comp, he's never rushed either so it's not like he fires off a handball to the first option to avoid being tackled, he always makes the right decision and executes almost every time, so he really walks a fine line between taking on tacklers to give himself time to make the right decision.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that he's an ok player who is in our 22.

 

[Frankie23]

His improvement this year has been unreal, he is 22 and the only way is up. It is rare to see a player 'plateau' at such a young age, so naturally he will improve.

He is already a gun, but can still work on his kicking penetration and set-shots. That will see him become an elite/superstar player

 

[Bay Pie]

Simon Black was never really cnosidered in the 5 best players in the game even in his brownlow year, especially with Bucks, Hird and Voss around.

I see Pendles having the same type of impact. Exceptional at what he does but not as flashy or have the wow factor of others.

His contested marking has been very good this also. He'll win a brownlow the boy.

Absolute elite talent.

 

[Optimax]

Of course he can still improve.

Shit when he starts using his height to greater effect up forward and gets 2 or 3 goals to go with 25+ touches then we can talk about reching his potential.

But yes definetly he still has improvment left in him

 

[mattys123]

Yes, he can improve.

As stated, he is 22, and is probably coming off his best 8-10 weeks of football ever.

I have no doubt if he had started the season better, he would have been in contention for all the awards Swanny is getting now.

As some have said, he will become more versatile as his career progresses too, as to lengthen his career, it will become imperative that we move him up forward, where his height then "kicks in".

I honestly think he will be the next Collingwood Captain also, with Maxwell 5 years older then him, it would give Pendles a good 4-5 year run as captain when Maxwell retires in 4-5 years himself.

 

[Dundalis]

He needs to kick more goals. That's the one area he can improve on. He isn't suddenly going to develop more pace, so in terms of his midfield work, he isn't going to get much better if at all. But even if he maintains his current form, that's about where he should be. He was never going to be the best player in the comp and never will be. Top 15-20 players in the comp is a great achievement and is good enough for me. But kicking more goals is one thing that could improve his standing and the only real thing I can see where he could significantly improve.

 

[Frankie23]

He needs to kick more goals. That's the one area he can improve on. He isn't suddenly going to develop more pace, so in terms of his midfield work, he isn't going to get much better if at all. But even if he maintains his current form, that's about where he should be. He was never going to be the best player in the comp and never will be. Top 15-20 players in the comp is a great achievement and is good enough for me. But kicking more goals is one thing that could improve his standing and the only real thing I can see where he could significantly improve.

Beside Joel Selwood, name another midfielder who has achieved more than Pendles. Finished 2nd in the B&F in 2007, top 3 last year. WIll get an AA gig this year and imo will poll finish top 3 in the Brownlow, if not win it!

If anything, he is more likely to be one of the best players, if not the best, in the comp than not, wait till he his 25-26, fully developed and tearing opposition midfields to shreads!

he is an elite player already, and is already underrated by many!

 

[sr36]

He'll become stronger, with the obvious advantages of that. He'll become better overhead. He'll become more damaging with his disposal. In the past he has been overly conservative with his decision making. HIn the last couple of months, he's improved in this regard, but he'll improve further. He may not be explosive enough to become the best in the business, but he'll get pretty close.

 

[mattys123]

OMG, while we are at it, asking whether Pendles will improve, I though someone should point out that the prelim will be Scott Pendlebury's 100th AFL game.

Congratulations to Scott Pendlebury, 100 games at 22 years old, hmm, could 300 be on the cards.

 

[joxstrap]

OMG, while we are at it, asking whether Pendles will improve, I though someone should point out that the prelim will be Scott Pendlebury's 100th AFL game.

Congratulations to Scott Pendlebury, 100 games at 22 years old, hmm, could 300 be on the cards.

Awesome. Not that we'll need a gee up, but it can't hurt!

9 years without missing a game, and he's got it in the bag.

 

[Professor Knowall]

He'll become stronger, with the obvious advantages of that. ...

Beat me to it. At age 22, he's still several years away from peaking in regards to strength (barring serious injuries). Therefore, with this fact and with more experience, he should improve.

 

[Number 10]

Sorry for leaving the topic all day, just got back from uni.
Taking in all of your comments, I'm glad to see everyone thinks he has more improvement.
And after it had been mentioned, it clicked - he definately needs to kick more goals (especially from set shots). When he starts using his marking abilities in the forward line better and converting, he will tick all the boxes imo.
He put more muscle on this year and I think he could do with another 2 or 3 kg's next year to become more confident with his body.

 

[OniAu]

lots of improvement to come , last 2 months of footy ive noticed even a lot more his willingness to back his kicking and pinpoint some longer passes, i think its just confidence more than anything. Once that grows its only going to get better.

such a smooth mover , love him too bits.

 

[danielnajdek]

Allready 100 games?? Daisy is up to over 100 as well. Might have a couple of players get near 300 of course barring injuries.