Collingwood coach Craig McRae has confirmed that club champion Scott Pendlebury will miss Friday night's clash with the Western Bulldogs.
Amid an injury crisis at the AIA Centre, Pendlebury is the latest casualty due to an elbow/bicep issue he sustained during the Round 11 draw to Fremantle.
"'Pendles' won't play," McRae told reporters after Wednesday's training session.
"We anticipated he'd get through training and he'd be right, but he didn't get through training.
Fly has announced at todayโs press conference that Scott Pendlebury will miss Friday nightโs clash with the Western Bulldogs ๐๏ธ
— Collingwood FC (@CollingwoodFC) May 29, 2024
"We'll explore what that looks like. At this stage we're not sure, but no, he won't play.
"It's a big (blow). His leadership is critical, and with his experience he's hard to replace."
The six-time All-Australian was sent for scans on Monday but said to Channel 7 that he was "confident" he'd be right.
"I feel much better than I did Friday night after it happened," Pendlebury said.
"It gives me confidence that it is tracking in the right direction.
"Staying away this early in the week, I don't need to push it... we still have four days before we play so I'll get some running in and hopefully it'll come back all clear, which I'm confident it will."
Only five players have played more games at the highest level than Scott Pendlebury.
Love his take on the holding the ball rule:
โI think our game is an entertainment game and I think we need to give umpires the licence to umpire a bit more on feel.โ https://t.co/vEnExcZjKT— Mitch Cleary (@cleary_mitch) May 27, 2024
Pendlebury will join Mason Cox (knee), Brody Mihocek (hamstring) and Joe Richards (foot) from the Round 11 draw as those sidelined for the upcoming game.
The quartet of injured stars makes for 13 players unavailable for selection against the Bulldogs, while the club remains hopeful Jeremy Howe (groin), Jack Bytel (concussion) and Reef McInnes (concussion) put their hand up.
In a bid to boost their forward line, swingman utility Billy Frampton was seen training with the forwards while Howe's return adds versatility to McRae's line-up.
Collingwood could also call upon Ash Johnson and Nathan Kreuger to the 23 while Finlay Macrae and Oleg Markov will certainly be in the mix.
Pendlebury's 400th AFL game is now expected to be in Round 19 against Hawthorn.
MORE TO COME.
