Pendlebury brothers making waves in coaching world

THE GAMES record is within touching distance for one of Collingwood’s favourite sons, but 2026 also marks the next step in football for the two other Pendlebury brothers. 

Ryan Pendlebury has joined new Geelong AFLW coach Mick Stinear at Kardinia Park, while Gippsland Power has signed Kris Pendlebury to coach the boy’s under-18 team in the Talent League.

The Cats poached Ryan from North Melbourne after two premierships across two unbeaten seasons coaching the all-conquering midfield at Arden Street.

Gippsland appointed the oldest Pendlebury brother just before Christmas after two successful seasons coaching Edithvale-Aspendale in the Mornington Peninsula Football Netball League.

The 39-year-old led the bayside club to the division two premiership in 2024 before being named MPFNL Coach of the Year last year after finishing top four in division one.

Scott Pendlebury is renowned for his football IQ. It’s something he thinks his brothers both possess.

“I’m really proud of them,” Scott Pendlebury told AFL.com.au.

“They’ve both had good playing careers outside of the AFL. Both played VFL, older was captain, they both made Team of the Year. But they both have really good footy minds.”

Scott has just completed his 21st pre-season in the AFL and enters the 2026 season with 425 games next to his name, just seven behind the VFL/AFL game -record set by North Melbourne champion Brent Harvey in 2016.

All three Pendlebury boys progressed through the Gippsland Power program in Morwell. Ryan played over 100 games in the VFL for Bendigo, Collingwood, Port Melbourne and Werribee and has been on a path to coaching for some time, but Kris only showed an aptitude for the gig in more recent years.

“‘Kritta’ was the one I was surprised with when he got into coaching because he’s more the quiet brother. But then when I went down and watched him coach at Edi, I was surprised how good he was, just talking and people management; everyone at the club was just raving about how good of an impact he was having on the whole footy club, with the culture and his values as a person,” Scott said.

“Just going in after the game felt awesome. He’s always my big brother, so I’m really proud of him to see how he goes and how he handles it and talks to the senior players and the young kids. I remember just going to watch his first game as coach ever with mum and dad and my younger brother; we were just cheering on and hoping he went well. They won a flag in his first year. They went up to div one and then they made top four first year from div two. He’s done well and now he’s at Gippy. I felt like a little kid at Christmas for him. I reckon I was more excited than he was.”

Collingwood isn’t the only side Scott is representing in 2026. The six-time All-Australian will coach the midfield for Haileybury College’s First XVIII for the fourth year in a row under Essendon great Matthew Lloyd.

Haileybury won its second premiership in that time last year and has provided the Collingwood veteran with a place to develop his coaching, while still playing in the AFL.

“I think the first time I went down there, I remember saying to ‘Lloydy’, it’s different for me because I’m not coming down here as Scott Pendlebury the player – obviously when you walk in you have a reputation as a player – but I’m not actually playing, I’m a coach, I’m not on the field, so it’s a different lens that you have to look at and how to communicate with the young kids,” he said.

“My big thing with footy is I think it’s a simple game that we overcomplicate. ‘Lloydy’ will tell you that I’m pretty clear how we see things and I think one of my strengths is being able to communicate and make the complicated probably seem simple, so that’s what I’ve tried to do at a young level.

“‘Lloydy’ gives me good freedom and backed me in to do the job that I do there. I love working with a group of guys who try and problem solve and, most importantly, make sure the kids all walk away feeling like they had a really good experience at school footy.”

Pendlebury played 22 games last year and finished eighth in the Copeland Trophy in a season where he started level with Richmond great Kevin Bartlett on 403 games and then overtook four-time premiership star Shaun Burgoyne to now sit only behind Kevin Bartlett and Harvey.

The 38-year-old hasn’t missed a beat across the pre-season and is slated to draw level with ‘Boomer’ against Essendon on Anzac Day and break the record against Hawthorn in round eight, although there is a five-day break between those two games. Collingwood will manage him carefully this year, in-game with the extra spot on the bench and throughout the season.

It is likely to be his final year, but it might not be. Pendlebury wants to be a senior coach in the future, but don’t expect the five-time Copeland Trophy winner to transition straight into the box when he eventually calls time on his career.

“It is [still the plan], but I don’t think it’s something that I want to rush into, though,” he said.

“Obviously 21 years playing this year, it’s a long time in one thing. I’d like to get a pretty well-rounded lens of how it works. I think as a coach these days is more like a manager, I feel the EPL (English Premier League) style with the media, the board, the club, the members. You don’t just get to come in and just coach a football team and then walk out.

“I’ll take my time. It’s something that I want to do down the track. I think I’d be able to handle the pressure of the role and stuff like that, but I just want to make sure that I do it when I’m ready and the fire is in the belly to stick at it for a long period of time.”

Coaching is, clearly, in the Pendlebury genes. This year is about more than just game No.433 for that family.