Opinion Is it time to change Pendles’ role?

[Chrispiesssss]

Before I start, I want to state he’s my favourite player. In the 12 years, I’ve watched football, he’s been absolutely superb.I love him. Champion footballer. Champion off the field. Decent leader.
Deserves a Brownlow or too.

This is probably a very unpopular opinion. He’s all class and still an A-Grader on most days.

Although, I think we need to find him a new role. I don’t think he’s as effective in the midfield anymore. We need to invest time in Sier, De Goey, Adams and Treloar. We might even be able to squeeze more time into Josh Thomas or Rupert Wills.

He attended the most Center bounces for either team this week, and managed only 1 clearance. It also happened the last time we played Sydney. He seems to get caught holding the ball a little bit more often. His numbers have dropped off. His disposal isn’t pinpoint anymore.

This isn’t a knee-jerk reaction, but more of an understanding where Pendles is right now and where the team needs to be. Posters will say he was recovering from his sickness etc, but it’s an easy reason. I think we need to make tough decisions.

Pendles has never been a great overhead mark (especially for someone who’s played basketball). So unfortunately playing him in the forward line is a no. I think he could be a great lead-up forward. I do think he would be useful as the spare defender or running off from the back of the square.

I’m sure he will come out this week and dominate, and I’ll look stupid. But I’m talking about the future. Maybe, I’m marking him very hard, but I don’t want his legacy lost playing in the midfield as he’s no longer the player he once was.

 

[Moeydw]

I think he'll eventually need to move into the backline but I still reckon that's 2-3 years away. I still think he's our most consistent 2-way mid, a lot of our mids are good offensively but aren't always consistent defensively.

 

[sideswipe]

Before I start, I want to state he’s my favourite player. In the 12 years, I’ve watched football, he’s been absolutely superb.I love him. Champion footballer. Champion off the field. Decent leader.
Deserves a Brownlow or too.

This is probably a very unpopular opinion. He’s all class and still an A-Grader on most days.

Although, I think we need to find him a new role. I don’t think he’s as effective in the midfield anymore. We need to invest time in Sier, De Goey, Adams and Treloar. We might even be able to squeeze more time into Josh Thomas or Rupert Wills.

He attended the most Center bounces for either team this week, and managed only 1 clearance. It also happened the last time we played Sydney. He seems to get caught holding the ball a little bit more often. His numbers have dropped off. His disposal isn’t pinpoint anymore.

This isn’t a knee-jerk reaction, but more of an understanding where Pendles is right now and where the team needs to be. Posters will say he was recovering from his sickness etc, but it’s an easy reason. I think we need to make tough decisions.

Pendles has never been a great overhead mark (especially for someone who’s played basketball). So unfortunately playing him in the forward line is a no. I think he could be a great lead-up forward. I do think he would be useful as the spare defender or running off from the back of the square.

I’m sure he will come out this week and dominate, and I’ll look stupid. But I’m talking about the future. Maybe, I’m marking him very hard, but I don’t want his legacy lost playing in the midfield as he’s no longer the player he once was.

I can't think of anything that is more a knee-jerk reaction. He is still our no. 1/2 midfielder. His season has been superb and he is penalised by his own levels of extraordinary consistency whenever he plays a lesser game.

Can you provide some of his numbers that have dropped off?

 

[jackcass]

Pendle's is a midfielder, pure and simple. Not sure why people are so keen for him to play elsewhere.

 

[Soups]

Was always going to be hard for him being crook and then flying to Perth. He’ll bounce back this week.

 

[Kirby]

I’m sure he will come out this week and dominate, and I’ll look stupid. But I’m talking about the future. Maybe, I’m marking him very hard, but I don’t want his legacy lost playing in the midfield as he’s no longer the player he once was.

I agree with this bit.

 

[JB1975]

He's a midfielder, and he remains a brilliant midfielder.

For what it's worth, his role has seemingly changed somewhat, albeit within the midfield. He has turned in some handy performances as a more inside and negating mid, as someone who puts his body between damaging opposition midfielders and the ball around stoppages. He's done it well.

 

[Chrispiesssss]

I can't think of anything that is more a knee-jerk reaction. He is still our no. 1/2 midfielder. His season has been superb and he is penalised by his own levels of extraordinary consistency whenever he plays a lesser game.

Can you provide some of his numbers that have dropped off?

He’s had 6 games this year with less than 3 clearances. For someone playing majority in the midfield, it’s poor. He’s had 8 games with 4 or more clangers. That’s concerning when he averages 25 possessions a game.

 

[BringouttheGimp]

Makes the All Australian squad as a midfielder and unlucky to miss out on the team.. and you're asking this question?

 

[Chrispiesssss]

Makes the All Australian squad as a midfielder and unlucky to miss out on the team.. and you're asking this question?

I know Pendles has high standards. But you would have to say that this is probably one of his more poor years. I just think we have better players who can run through the midfield atm.

 

[BringouttheGimp]

He’s had 6 games this year with less than 3 clearances. For someone playing majority in the midfield, it’s poor. He’s had 8 games with 4 or more clangers. That’s concerning when he averages 25 possessions a game.

JB1975 hit the nail on the head re.

Ronaldo is no longer playing that marauding out wide forward type of role.. he's aged so his efforts are concentrated in the box.

Still a forward though..

 

[BringouttheGimp]

I know Pendles has high standards. But you would have to say that this is probably one of his more poor years. I just think we have better players who can run through the midfield atm.

Nah.. take something away from Pendlebury.. he grows in other ways. He's evolving re. And besides he's been maulled and targeted in a few games when we've had injuries to some of our key players.

If I was going to do anything with him.. a decent trade I'd consider. But we're not a 13th placed side rebuilding. If we were.. I'd give it some serious thought.

 

[CFC2010]

Nah.. take something away from Pendlebury.. he grows in other ways. He's evolving re. And besides he's been maulled and targeted in a few games when we've had injuries to some of our key players.

If I was going to do anything with him.. a decent trade I'd consider. But we're not a 13th placed side rebuilding. If we were.. I'd give it some serious thought.

Gimpy get the Gorillas ready because Pendles will bounce back this week. "Reach for excellence"

 

[Schraderbrau]

arguable he's not best 22 if he's not playing midfield

 

[HFF]

No.
He's an midfielder.

Plain and simple.

 

[smasher]

He isn't the player he was.Disposals are often very poor and he doesn't seem to have great peripheral vision anymore.
Someone just needs to have a long talk to Pendles,imo.

 

[sideswipe]

He’s had 6 games this year with less than 3 clearances. For someone playing majority in the midfield, it’s poor. He’s had 8 games with 4 or more clangers. That’s concerning when he averages 25 possessions a game.

Stats certainly don't tell the whole story, but you wrote that they have dropped off - a quick look tells me he has averaged over 6 clearances a game in 2018 . Well above his career avg of 4.5. How is that "poor"?

Playing 22 out of 23 games this year, All-Australian squad, I wouldn't be parking him in the forward line anytime soon.

Your post appears to be a massive over-reaction to his quiet final. Pendlebury is a once in a generation player for the club who still has a prodigious mid-field presence and role to play. You are Oscar Wilding him with a premature call of his demise.

 

[JackoSpades]

i must admit watching the game i felt similar things to the OP. he also didnt dig in and tackle when he could have, numerous times he stood off the ball and let west coast player break free.

 

[Saintly Viewed]

He isn't the player he was.Disposals are often very poor and he doesn't seem to have great peripheral vision anymore.
Someone just needs to have a long talk to Pendles,imo.

Should have gone to specsavers

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Stats certainly don't tell the whole story, but you wrote that they have dropped off - a quick look tells me he has averaged over 6 clearances a game in 2018 . Well above his career avg of 4.5. How is that "poor"?

Playing 22 out of 23 games this year, All-Australian squad, I wouldn't be parking him in the forward line anytime soon.

Your post appears to be a massive over-reaction to his quiet final. Pendlebury is a once in a generation player for the club who still has a prodigious mid-field presence and role to play. You are Oscar Wilding him with a premature call of his demise.

Wasn’t it Mark Twain?

Though the now know quote:

The news of my death is greatly exaggerated.

I believe the quote he said had been altered where he said the news is exaggerated.

But anyway.

 

[TheGreatSwan]

mate I suggest going into the "COLLINGWOOD MATCH REPLAY ARCHIVE" and watching that round 16 game against Essendon.

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Pendlebury is uber elite.
Super star of the highest order.

And in some ways our least appreciated superstar.

Cuts up opposition 1,000 ways but does it so simply that it’s just not appreciated enough in my view.

One of our best - ever!

 

[BringouttheGimp]

I don't think I know of any 30 yr olds who have been converted from playing midfield all their careers to suddenly playing as a perm forward.

Who has in the last 10 yrs?

You're basically robbing a specialist spot better reserved for the likes of livewire xfactor types like Elliot rather than ageing types like Pendlebury.

When his time is up. It's up. And that will be as a midfielder.

 

[Scritchyscroony]

It's amazing the criticism he cops as soon as he has one of his rare off-games. For such a highly rated player he somehow manages to be at the same time chronically underrated and underappreciated. I don't know how that makes any sense but it appears to be the case. He will continue to be a mid for the rest of his career I think. Can't see him as a forward but he could play a distributor/quarterback role off a HBF to good effect if he starts to struggle with the midfield workload.

 

[jackcass]

He’s had 6 games this year with less than 3 clearances. For someone playing majority in the midfield, it’s poor. He’s had 8 games with 4 or more clangers. That’s concerning when he averages 25 possessions a game.

Gee, I wonder what Richmond are planning to do with Cotchin then...

https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy...2=15&type=A&pid1=1611&pid2=2302&fid1=S&fid2=S

Essendon with Devon Smith...

https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy...d2=6&type=A&pid1=1611&pid2=3652&fid1=S&fid2=S

Pendle's remains one of our best mids and IMHO offers limited benefit outside the midfield. Doubt there are many teams who wouldn't love to add him to their midfield group.

People see a couple of games where he played loose in defence due to injury and think he'll be a great defender. People see a guy who's 191 cm and think he'd be a great forward. Reality is that he's just too slow, and not a great mark so you're essentially wasting 1 of your best mids for a guy who obviously isn't rated as high otherwise he'd already be getting more minutes.

Can you list these "better players who can run through the midfield"?

For the record, mids generally feature pretty high on the clanger counts.

https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_rankings?year=2018&rt=LA&st=CG