Statistically at least, the Collingwood superstars have easily been the most dominant duo in the AFL over the past 15 seasons.
According to Champion Data statistics going back to 1999, they hold the record for the number of games in which two teammates have each amassed 30-plus possessions.
In fact, the Magpie champions are probably the most prominent duo in history, given that during the sample period (1999-2013) disposal numbers have spiked to unprecedented levels.
THE MOST TIMES TWO TEAMMATES HAVE HAD 30+ DISPOSALS IN A GAME SINCE 1999
| 30+ DISPOSAL GAMES | PLAYER 1 | PLAYER 2 | GAMES TOGETHER | % OF 30+ DISPOSAL GAMES |
| 34 | Scott Pendlebury | Dane Swan | 153 | 22.2 |
| 19 | Jimmy Bartel | Joel Corey | 207 | 9.2 |
| 17 | Sam Mitchell | Luke Hodge | 189 | 9 |
| 16 | Gary Ablett | Joel Corey | 174 | 9.2 |
| 15 | Joel Selwood | Gary Ablett | 86 | 7.4 |
| 15 | Dayne Beams | Dayne Swan | 79 | 19 |
| 14 | Leigh Montagna | Nick Dal Santo | 195 | 7.2 |
| 14 | Jimmy Bartel | Gary Ablett | 167 | 8.4 |
| 14 | Marc Murphy | Chris Judd | 109 | 12.8 |
| 13 | Lenny Hayes | Nick Dal Santo | 198 | 6.6 |
| 13 | Lenny Hayes | Leigh Montagna | 156 | 8.3 |
| 13 | Dayne Beams | Scott Pendlebury | 76 | 17.1 |
If recent history is anything to go on, Port Adelaide should beware the Pie pair at AAM Stadium on Saturday.
Collingwood has won its past six games against Port, with Swan and Pendlebury unstoppable.
The marauding Magpie midfielders have gathered at least 30 possessions apiece in three of their past four games against the Power, including their past two encounters at AAMI Stadium.
Their only miss in this period was by the barest of margins in their most recent clash – round four last year at Etihad Stadium – when Swan racked up 36 touches and Pendlebury had 29.
Their penchant for posting dual 30s has been astonishing in recent times. It wasn't until their 57th game together that they first achieved the mark, but have done it 34 times in their past 96 games (at a phenomenal rate of 34.4 per cent).
Their best season ratio was last year when they achieved this distinction in eight of their 17 games together (47.1 per cent).
Not surprisingly, when this double act has prospered so has Collingwood. The Pies have won 30 of these 34 games (a strike rate of 88.2 per cent) by an average margin of 52 points.
Swan has led the possession tally on 24 of these occasions to Pendlebury's eight, and they have 'tied' twice.
Their performances have earned them a combined 74 votes in the Brownlow Medal: Swan 41 (7x3, 9x2, 2x1), Pendlebury 33 (7x3, 5x2, 2x1).
They have broken the 30-disposal barrier together against all but two clubs (Adelaide and Sydney), and have been busiest against Essendon (five times), followed by Hawthorn (four), Brisbane Lions, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide and Western Bulldogs (three apiece).
If they manage to do another job on Port Adelaide, it will be their third such effort in succession, having added to their record tally in their past two starts in wins over Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs.
It would also bring them within striking distance of their longest 30-plus streak of four, which they achieved from round 16-19 last year.
Their highest combined tally in a match is 83 (see table below), amazingly in a 47-point loss to Hawthorn in round 17 last year when Swan accumulated a career-best 49 touches while Pendlebury and teammate Dayne Beams had 34 apiece.
Swan, aged 29, and Pendlebury, 25, could play together for several more seasons and boost their dual-30s tally to more than 50. The next bolter might be the Pendlebury/Beams partnership (13).
MOST DISPOSALS BY TWO TEAMMATES IN A GAME SINCE 1999
| DISPOSALS | PLAYERS | TEAM | OPPOSITION | WHEN | RESULT |
| 86 | Scott Camporeale (45) & Craig Bradley (41) | Carlton | Port Adelaide | R6, 2000 | Won by 91 points |
| 85 | Matt Priddis (45) & Daniel Kerr (40) | West Coast | Hawthorn | R14, 2008 | Lost by 57 |
| 83 | Scott Thompson (51) & Nathan van Berlo (32) | Adelaide | Gold Coast | R22, 2011 | Won by 61 |
| 83 | Dane Swan (49) & Scott Pendlebury / Dayne Beams (34 each) | Collingwood | Hawthorn | R17, 2012 | Lost by 47 |
| 83 | Matthew Boyd (46) & Ryan Griffen (37) | Western Bulldogs | Geelong | R22, 2012 | Lost by 34 |
| 82 | Jimmy Bartel (41) & Paul Chapman (41) | Geelong | Melbourne | R6, 2009 | Won by 43 |
| 82 | Brett Kirk (41) & Ryan O'Keefe (41) | Sydney Swans | Collingwood | R12, 2009 | Lost by 23 |
| 82 | Gary Ablett (44) & Joel Corey (38) | Geelong | Sydney Swans | R20, 2009 | Won by 5 |
| 82 | Ryan Bastinac (44) & Liam Anthony (38) | North Melbourne | Greater Western Sydney | R2, 2012 | Won by 129 |
| 82 | Ryan Griffen (47) & Matthew Boyd (35) | Western Bulldogs | Sydney Swans | R21, 2012 | Lost by 82 |
| 81 | Bryce Gibbs (45) & Marc Murphy (36) | Carlton | West Coast | R10, 2010 | Won by 29 |
| 81 | Dane Swan (43) & Scott Pendlebury (38) | Collingwood | West Coast | 1QF, 2011 | Won by 20 |
| 81 | Gary Ablett (53) & Harley Bennell (28) | Gold Coast | Collingwood | R10, 2012 | Lost by 97 |
| 81 | Daniel Hannebery (42) & Ryan O'Keefe (39) | Sydney Swans | West Coast | R16, 2012 | Won by 52 |
