Pendlebury breaks AFL games record despite Eagles scare for Collingwood
Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury broke the AFL all-time games record at 415 matches. The Magpies defeated West Coast Eagles 92-86 at Perth's Optus Stadium. Former record-holder Brent Harvey said the milestone was 'clean, honest and earned'.
Pendlebury delivered 16 disposals and two goals after three quarters to lead Collingwood to a 92-86 win over the Eagles. AFL Commission chairman Andrew Pridham presented a special medal after the match, calling it 'one of the defining moments in the game's history'. Pendlebury would need approximately two more active seasons to surpass former record-holder Brent Harvey's 432-match mark set in 2017.
At the post-game press conference Pendlebury said 'there's still in the tank, I keep going'. Coach Craig McRae confirmed the player would 'compete through to the end of the season'. ABC News sports presenter Gerard Whateley noted the record is 'the hardest-earned benchmark in modern AFL'.
The Magpies' Perth victory takes their season ledger to 6-4-1 while the Eagles fell at home for a third consecutive time by under 10 points. The AFL season total attendance reached 7.2 million for 2026. Pendlebury's target to surpass the 432 record falls in round seven of the 2027 season; his contract runs through the end of 2027.
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