Scott Pendlebury has been acknowledged for his outstanding 2007 season with second-place in the annual AFL Rising Star award.
19-year-old Pendlebury, who is in his second season after being drafted with the fifth overall selection in the 2005 AFL Draft, was narrowly beaten by Geelong’s Joel Selwood.
A nine-member voting panel each voted for their top five players, with Pendlebury the second choice of eight members, while one voter declaring the young midfield gun from Gippsland the finest young talent in the game.
Pendlebury has played 20 matches this season after nine in his debut year, and has averaged 10 kicks, nine handballs and five marks per game. Importantly he has proven a handy scoring option, having booted 18 goals, including two goals in a game on five occasions.
He missed two matches after fracturing his foot early in the round 17 clash with the Lions, but the feature of his play has no doubt been his outstanding consistency, never accumulating fewer than 15 touches while reaching a season-high of 24 in the memorable round seven victory over Carlton.
While his natural ability, composure and excellent skill level are obvious features of his play, he has also been one of Collingwood’s most important contested ball-winners during the season, and he will doubt be one of the leaders of the Collingwood midfield for many years to come.
Pendlebury was nominated for the award back in round four, with players under the age of 20, and who has played fewer than 10 games prior to that season, eligible.
Two other Magpies – Martin Clarke (round 13) and Tyson Goldsack (round 21) were also nominated for the award, meaning Collingwood had the equal most of any club, and strong indication of how deep Collingwood’s group of impressive youngsters is.
2007 Voting
1. Joel Selwood - Geelong - 44
2. Scott Pendlebury - Collingwood - 37
3. Nathan Jones - Melbourne - 17
4. Justin Westhoff - Port Adelaide - 10
5. Shannon Hurn - West Coast - 9
6. Jess Smith - Kangaroos - 7
7. Bryce Gibbs - Carlton - 6
8. Tom Williams - Western Bulldogs - 2
8. Patrick Ryder - Essendon - 2
10. Martin Clarke - Collingwood - 1
The selectors’ votes were as follows:
Andrew Demetriou
5 – Joel Selwood – Geelong
4 – Scott Pendlebury – Collingwood
3 – Shannon Hurn – West Coast Eagles
2 – Tom Williams – Western Bulldogs
1 – Bryce Gibbs – Carlton
Adrian Anderson
5 – Joel Selwood – Geelong
4 – Scott Pendlebury – Collingwood
3 – Nathan Jones – Melbourne
2 – Justin Westhoff – Port Adelaide
1 – Martin Clarke – Collingwood
Rod Austin
5 – Joel Selwood – Geelong
4 – Scott Pendlebury – Collingwood
3 – Nathan Jones – Melbourne
2 – Jesse Smith – Kangaroos
1 – Justin Westhoff – Port Adelaide
Gerard Healy
5 – Joel Selwood – Geelong
4 – Scott Pendlebury – Collingwood
3 – Nathan Jones – Melbourne
2 – Shannon Hurn – West Coast Eagles
1 – Bryce Gibbs – Carlton
Mark Bickley
5 – Joel Selwood – Geelong
4 – Scott Pendlebury – Collingwood
3 – Justin Westhoff – Port Adelaide
2 – Nathan Jones – Melbourne
1 – Shannon Hurn – West Coast Eagles
Kevin Sheehan
5 – Joel Selwood – Geelong
4 – Scott Pendlebury – Collingwood
3 – Nathan Jones – Melbourne
2 – Justin Westhoff – Port Adelaide
1 – Bryce Gibbs – Carlton
Kevin Bartlett
5 – Joel Selwood – Geelong
4 – Scott Pendlebury – Collingwood
3 – Nathan Jones – Melbourne
2 – Jesse Smith – Kangaroos
1 – Justin Westhoff – Port Adelaide
Robert Walls
5 – Joel Selwood – Geelong
4 – Scott Pendlebury – Collingwood
3 – Jesse Smith – Kangaroos
2 – Patrick Ryder - Essendon
1 – Bryce Gibbs – Carlton
Chris Mainwaring
5 – Scott Pendlebury – Collingwood
4 – Joel Selwood – Geelong
3 – Shannon Hurn – West Coast Eagles
2 – Bryce Gibbs – Carlton
1 – Justin Westhoff – Port Adelaide
