COLLINGWOOD skipper Scott Pendlebury and his wife Alex are celebrating the birth of a baby boy, Jax.
Jax was welcomed into the world on Monday night with the news spreading on social media on Tuesday morning.
It is the first child for the couple, who married in October 2015.
Pendlebury said last week there was no question he would miss a game to be at the birth of his first child.
He put plans in place to leave the game against Greater Western Sydney on Saturday if Alex went into labour, and when Pendlebury jogged down the tunnel after half time at Spotless Stadium, it looked like that eventuality might come to pass.
However Pendlebury returned a few minutes later as the Magpies lost a close contest to the Giants.
The 29-year-old star has won five club best and fairests, a Norm Smith medal and played in Collingwood's 2010 premiership during his 244-game career for the Magpies.