Pendlebury plays 13 different grounds in first Gold Coast year
Pendlebury faces 13 different grounds in his first Gold Coast year, more venues than his 20 Collingwood seasons.
Scott Pendlebury will play at 13 different grounds in his first year at Gold Coast, far more variety than he faced in his 20 years at Collingwood. The veteran will only play at the MCG, Collingwood's home, once in 2027 despite it being his favourite venue.
The new fixture reveals some teams drew much harder schedules than others. Hawthorn faces the toughest draw, playing Fremantle, Geelong, Sydney and the Western Bulldogs twice each, plus two five-day breaks.
St Kilda, who missed finals last year, must play the Lions and Geelong twice, then face Collingwood and the Dogs twice as well. The fixture is the last before Tasmania joins the competition, making scheduling increasingly complex.
- 13
- Grounds in first Gold Coast year
- 11
- Grounds in 20 Collingwood seasons
- 1
- MCG appearances at Gold Coast
- 20
- Collingwood seasons
Why it mattersHome grounds, travel schedules, and rest days between games can make or break a season.
AustraliaAustralian AFL fans' team's success may depend on luck of the draw as much as talent and coaching.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 3 h ago
Open this story in InSnip →
