Fox Footy pundits have praised Collingwood’s evergreen veterans who are ‘drinking from a fountain of youth’ after the Magpies’ 14-point win over Richmond at the MCG.
It saw Collingwood improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2011 and continue the club’s blistering start to 2023, with Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom both central to its early-season success.
According to the AFL player ratings, Pendlebury, 35, was the No.1 ranked player in Round 1 (against Geelong,) No.6 in Round 2 (against Port Adelaide) and No.3 in Friday night’s win over the Tigers.
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Collingwood Magpies press conference | 02:37
Meanwhile, Sidebottom, 32, was ranked No.22, No.1 and No.2 in the same three games respectively.
“There’s a fountain of youth down there that Steele Sidebottom and Scott Pendlebury are drinking from,” Melbourne great Garry Lyon said on Fox Footy.
Sidebottom was particularly influential in the first half against Richmond, finishing with 24 disposals — 12 of those contested — and seven score involvements.
It was enough for three-time premiership Hawk Jordan Lewis to name him his best player on the ground.
“I just thought early on when the game was there to be set up — and it was relatively slippery — he was so clean with the ball, the way he used it and opened up the ground for his teammates,” Lewis said of Sidebottom on Fox Footy post-match.
“He had a really balanced game … I just thought it was a classy game.
“(But) This is a side that right now isn’t wholly and solely relying on one or two players, everyone contributes.”
Pendlebury also had a big game under the Friday night lights, racking up 24 touches — eight contested — six inside 50s and nine score involvements and kicking one of the highlight goals of the game.
And Geelong legend Cameron Mooney believes the ex-skipper and 361-gamer is well on track to hit to hit the quadruple century match milestone — a feat only reached by five other players in VFL/AFL history.
“Unless he gets injured, he’ll get to 400 (games),” Mooney said on Fox Footy Live. “The great thing about never being quick, is that you’re never really going to lose your pace.
“I don’t think it’s going to be his speed (he loses), it’s when he loses his brain or ability up there, that’s when he’ll go. But he’s so far from losing that.”
Three-time premiership Lion Jonathan Brown noted Craig McRae’s side has a “good mix of experience” with nine players who’ve played over 150 games.
The club’s dominant start to the season has been built on winning the ball at the coalface — sitting +85 in contested possession differential — the third-best return ever after Round 3 — albeit only three games in.
Three-time All-Australian Nick Dal Santo was full of praise for Collingwood with its current form, labelling the club “the happiest place on earth”.
Slick Scott makes light work of Tigers! | 00:42
“Their balance between attack and defence — the way they celebrate and embrace and the challenge of both getting the ball off the opposition, then try and ram it right back down their throat and score — it is a thing of beauty at the moment,” Dal Santo said on Fox Footy Live.
“Their supporters — (and) it may not last forever — but while you are enjoying your football and your team is playing like they do, embrace it and tell everybody about it, because it is blistering.
“This is fun, this is just awesome to watch and it has become infectious all over the ground. It’s great to watch.”
Mooney added: “Imagine being a young Collingwood player, and rocking up knowing, on average, you’re going to play in front of 70,000 people … you’re playing the most exciting brand of football in the AFL.
“It would be the happiest place on earth right now.”
