CTV > Rnd4 Post Match With: Pendlebury
CTV > Mick Malthouse's post-match press conference

Scott Pendlebury says the players will already be thinking about redeeming themselves against North Melbourne next Saturday night, after the disappointing 23-point loss to Carlton in round four.

Pendlebury worked hard at the MCG on Sunday, gathering 24 possessions with an impressive 83 per cent efficiency rating, however, he admitted the Magpies never recovered from an ordinary start.

“They put us on the back foot pretty quickly, out there we just seemed flat and lethargic,” Pendlebury told CTV in the rooms after the game.

“A couple of times we kicked a couple of goals and I thought we might’ve been back in it, but straight away they answered, and credit to them, they played a pretty hard brand of footy today.”

While the team was bitterly disappointed with its performance in front of more than 77,000 people, Pendlebury emphasised the focus is now well and truly on redemption.

“That’s the beauty of football, there’s always the chance to redeem yourself next week, and I think most of the boys will want to do that, with their performances today.

“I just think they were first in for most of the day and outnumbered us at the contest, and it was just a really uncharacteristic performance from us today.”

After his stunning runner-up Copeland Trophy finish in 2007 in just his second year of league football, Pendlebury, still only 20, began 2008 in relatively quiet fashion but in the past two weeks has been much more prominent and is not far off his brilliant best.

“I’m starting to feel really good in my body. The first couple of games I felt a bit lethargic, but I suppose I’ve shaken that now, I just want to try and keep building as the season goes on.”

Collingwood will now take on North Melbourne in the Magpies’ second home game of 2008 next Saturday night at the MCG.

“North are a pretty good side. They’re under-rated by a lot of the media, internally we know they’ll give us a crack, so we have to be up for it.

“We’ve just got to get back to the way we play and we should be alright.”