FOOTBALL

AFL EXPORTS

BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

THE Latrobe Valley made an impact on the AFL’s first-ever Wildcard Round Finals, for better or for worse.

Meanwhile, the football world exploded with news that Sale’s Scott Pendlebury will be moving on from Collingwood to join the Gold Coast Suns next year.

On Friday night (August 28), Western Bulldogs survived a scare from the Magpies by three points at the MCG, 14.12 (96) to 14.9 (93).

Leading by 10 points at halftime, the Bulldogs seemingly had the game in their control, again outscoring the Magpies for the term and seeing former local footballer Sam Davidson score just his eighth goal of the season during the period.

Davidson, who played seasons for Maffra and Sale City while completing his medical degree during rural placement before being drafted to the Bulldogs in 2024, lived out a dream as he’ll feature in the AFL finals series for the club he grew up supporting.

After a pretty standard contest of a defensive mindset from both teams, the final quarter arrived with an all-out attack.

Collingwood connected on consecutive goals to open the final term, cutting the margin to a few points, before Ed Richards responded.

The Magpies answered back, through Angus Anderson once more as it felt like it could be anyone’s game.

After Cody Weightman converted on a goal a few minutes later, six goals were scored in the next 10 minutes of play.

Four of which came from Collingwood, with their last goal seeing Traralgon’s Tim Membrey found inside, going back and converting from 35 metres out to put the Magpies in front.

However, Arthur Jones added his fourth for Bulldogs almost instantly to flip the lead again.

The Magpies had one final chance, as following a kickout, Dan McStay was found for a nice mark on the wing.

Banging the ball forward, Membrey again bobbed up to take a clean mark directly in front from about 40 metres out with 30 seconds left.

Going back for his routine, the siren sounded just as he began his runup.

His shot sailed right, with Membrey seen attempting to rear it back left with his body but it kept that same way for a behind.

Collingwood players immediately rushed him to show support, with the Glengarry boy noticeably in shock and crushed by the miss that would have sent the Magpies into the finals series.

Despite the result, Membrey performed admirably as the Magpies second key forward, with a goal and 12 disposals on the night.

Membrey is out of contract now with Collingwood and it unclear if he will return to the club or be afforded another chance at another AFL club.

The Bulldogs take on Adelaide this Saturday night at Adelaide Oval.

 

SATURDAY night (August 29), saw Carlton extend its season to continue a miraculous run under once interim, now senior coach Josh Fraser.

The Blues defeated Melbourne at the MCG, 10.14 (74) to 7.13 (55) in a scrappy affair.

The Demons, who became the first club in V/AFL history to miss the finals after a 15 win home-and-away season, started the game in red-hot form with the first four goals.

Carlton managed to sneak in one major before quarter time through Warragul’s Harry McKay.

Melbourne, with over 50 inside 50s, where kept to just three goals after the first quarter, while Carlton put forth worlds of effort and added nine goals through to the finish.

Morwell’s Ben Ainsworth, into his first season with the Blues after being recruited from Gold Coast, scored three goals on the game, including two in the third quarter.

Ainsworth put forth one of the standout performances of his career on the biggest stage, finishing with 21 disposals, six marks and three goals.

Fellow Morwell export Changkuoth Jiath finished with 16 touches and four marks for Melbourne in defence.

After starting the season winning just one of its first nine games before sacking Traralgon-born Michael Voss, the Blues have now won 11 of its next 13 matches to miraculously reach finals.

Carlton play Geelong this Friday night at the MCG.

 

LESS than 24 hours after Collingwood bowed out of the finals, Sale’s Scott Pendlebury, the AFL games record holder at 442 games for the Magpies, has revealed he’ll wear new colours next season.

AFL.com.au‘s Callum Twomey reported in the month leading into Pendlebury’s contract expiring that he’d be playing for Gold Coast next year, and that came true.

The Norm Smith Medallist and two-time premiership player will sign a four-year deal to land at the Suns, two as a player and two as an assistant coach under Damien Hardwick.

Pendlebury, who did not play in the Magpies final game of the season in which they lost to the Western Bulldogs in the first-ever Wildcard Round final, gave space for the club to send of retiring champion Steele Sidebottom in his last career game.

The pair hold the all-time record for the most games played as teammates with 332, featuring in both of Collingwood’s recent flags in 2010 and 2023.

Pendlebury injured his hamstring in the Magpies last home-and-away match of the year, in which Collingwood lost by 63 points to the Brisbane Lions at the MCG.

In a stand-up media event done by Collingwood the following day, after it was made official that Pendlebury would be moving on, the Sale champion stated it was an opportunity he couldn’t turn down.

Standing alongside Collingwood President Barry Carp, when asked about why he landed on Gold Coast, Pendlebury bluntly said because it was the only club that showed interest.

Carp said that the Magpies were willing to keep a list spot open for the former Magpies captain next season, but a two-year playing deal at the Suns was ultimately better for him.

Despite certain media personalities close to Pendlebury questioning if he’d actually want to go down the coaching path, the man came out definitively saying he has ambitions of being a senior coach.

Whether that is succeeding Hardwick at the Suns or seeing him return to Victoria and potentially coaching Collingwood will remain to be seen.

The guaranteed two more years of playing also means Pendlebury can pass the unprecedented number of 450 games played at AFL level as early as next season.

Pendlebury will play with fellow Gippsland export, Moe’s Bailey Humphrey next season, after the much sought after forward recently re-signed with the Suns until the end of 2030.

Gold Coast underwent a disappointing season this year, finishing 13th on the ladder, including losing an equal-record 10 games in a row after winning its first final in club history in 2025.