Collingwood's Scott Pendlebury has been told not to pay the $3,000 fine that was handed to him following Tuesday's Tribunal hearing by former Adelaide captain Rory Sloane.
Pendlebury successfully downgraded a one-match suspension for a collision with Adelaide's Josh Worrell, maintaining his unblemished record across his 427 games, due to "exceptional and compelling circumstances".
Sloane, speaking on Footy Classified, said the Pies star should ignore the financial penalty, calling it an "absolute joke". and added that there is a growing lack of understanding about how demanding the game is becoming for players.
"When you play that in real time, I don't think (the Tribunal) understand how hard it is, and quick that incident happened," Sloane said on Footy Classified.
"We've paused this and slowed it down. It happens like that (Sloane clicks his fingers). I'm sick of it becoming so hard for players to play the game.
"Don't pay it. Walk out onto the ground and refuse to pay it because it's an absolute joke."
Rory and Eddie are fired up over the tribunal opting to fine Scott Pendlebury, instead of clearing him entirely. #9FootyClassified | Watch on 9 & 9Now 🖥️ pic.twitter.com/VbJdeHWB8Y
— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) March 17, 2026
"Players are just sick of the game being made hard for them. They're trying their best to adapt to the changes around head knocks and everything, and players want to look after other players, but they're absolutely sick of the game being made harder for them.
"And a $3,000 fine, Pendles, don't pay. Literally walk out onto the ground and refuse to pay it, because it's an absolute joke."
The Tribunal hearing still found Pendlebury guilty of bumping Worrell, and that he was careless as the Pies fought the charge on three fronts.
But due to his exemplary record throughout his professional career, which was compared to other 400-game players such as Brent Harvey (12 matches suspended in 432 games), Shaun Burgoyne (six in 407) and Dustin Fletcher (20 in 400) and their respective suspensions, was used to aid his defence.
Pendlebury is on track to match Harvey's games record on Anzac Day against Essendon in Round 7, with the following week against Hawthorn at the MCG set to be the record breaker.
Clashes against Geelong (away), Sydney (away) and West Coast (home) to follow.
Yeah – don’t pay it … just because every other player (who doesn’t play for the ‘wobbles) would get games for it, why should he play under the same rules as anyone else.