Not many people can avoid the Scott Pendlebury sidestep.

The old game slows down saying is often used alongside the name of the Collingwood skipper as he avoids tackles and would-be challengers on the field.

One man he distinctly remembers NOT being able to avoid is retiring Hawthorn star Cyril Rioli.

It’s stuck with Pendlebury, who discussed one particular bone-crunching tackle on the latest episode of Collingwood Media podcast ‘Jock and Journo’.

“I remember one game against Hawthorn I got a clearance off the stoppage in the backline,” Pendlebury told co-host Jay Clark.

“I was probably 30m out from (Hawthorn’s) goal. Crawf (Shane Crawford) went to rush me and I stepped him and thought ‘I’m out here’.

“Next minute it was like ‘BANG’. My head was on the ground, the umpire called holding the ball, and I still didn’t know what had happened.

“Crawf came up from behind and pushed me and was like ‘I bet you didn’t see Cyril coming’.”

LISTEN: Get notified of each new episode of Jock and Journo, with Scott Pendlebury and Jay Clark.

The anecdote added to a flood of tributes from fans, the media and rival players alike for a mercurial talent who has called time on his playing career after 189 games, four premierships and three All Australian honours with the Hawks.

Pendlebury listed Rioli alongside Leon Davis, Alan Didak and St Kilda’s Stephen Milne as the best small forwards he’s seen or played against.



Leon Davis in hot pursuit of Cyril Rioli during a clash between the Pies and Hawks. Image: AFL Photos.

“They could create something from nothing,” he said.

“The small forwards are so exciting because their role is so hard… they’ve got stuff you just can’t coach.”

The topic was one of many discussed at length on the eighth episode of Jock and Journo for 2018.

Other talking points included:

A haircut frenzy on the Gold Coast (4:30)
"On game day, Sidey went to get a haircut. He definitely had a brow chop. Jordy De Goey had a haircut a week ago and because other people did it, he decided to tag along and get another haircut. He had two haircuts in a week."

Lynden Dunn’s replacement (31:30)
“I think his one-on-one stuff is in the top five in the comp, in terms of winning in the air or on the ground. He’s been exceptional for us.”

An unlikely return for our ultimate clubman (33:00)
“It would mean a lot to me to line up with him in a final. I’ve played TAC Cup with him, I’ve played a premiership with him. I’ve been the whole way through with him.”

Other talking points:
- Being caught with no rotations (0:45),
- Calling out poor rotation players (2:15),
- Jay goes viral on Twitter (6:30),
- Tributes to Cyril Rioli (9:10),
- Collingwood’s best ever small forward (13:45),
- Leon Davis’ training habits (18:00),
- Sidebottom’s best attributes (21:00),
- A typical country footballer (24:05),
- Steele vs Beamsy (26:40),
- Is Lynden Dunn irreplaceable? (29:45),
- Brody Mihocek’s football IQ (31:30),
- Tyson Goldsack attempting to do the unthinkable (33:00),
- Meshing a love for the Lakers with dislike for LeBron (38:00) and more.