A shocking incident occurred at the home base of the Collingwood Magpies as a fan was tackled to the ground after allegedly trying to steal a special football produced to mark Scott Pendlebury's upcoming record.
The drama unfolded while Collingwood players were using 30 limited-edition Sherrins to train in front of a legion of fans on Tuesday. Some of the club's biggest stars were going through their normal routine with the balls, which were created to commemorate Pendlebury ahead of his record-breaking AFL game.
Only 30 of the footies have been produced, with each bearing the number '433' to match the number of matches the veteran will have played when he breaks the record on Saturday. Pendlebury was meeting with fans who were congratulating him on the upcoming milestone when he noticed something odd. The 38-year-old realised a man had given him one of the limited-edition footballs to autograph.
The supporter didn't get far, with one fan tackling him to the ground before another man ran in to assist. A security guard then returned the ball, according to Channel Seven. The Daily Mail contacted Victoria Police for comment, but they were unable to confirm whether the matter had been referred to them.
With his long-awaited record 433rd AFL game finally within touching distance, Pendlebury won't be drawn on whether he sees himself extending his decorated career beyond this season. Pendlebury will surpass North Melbourne champion Brent Harvey as the outright VFL/AFL games record holder in Saturday's clash with West Coast at the MCG. The 38-year-old is off contract at season's end and yet to decide whether he will attempt to play on.
'I'm not sure. I think if my form's good enough and my body holds up, that's a discussion that I'll have later on in the season,' Pendlebury said. 'But yeah, I feel good, and I'm almost over some niggles that I need to get over. But yeah, feeling good.'
Significant attention has been paid to Collingwood's management of Pendlebury, which has included resting the veteran in games against Hawthorn and Sydney – both of which the Magpies lost – to ensure he would break the record at home.
