Round 11 – Collingwood v Waalitj Marawar: The silence between

 

 

Round 11
Collingwood v Waalitj Marawar
Saturday 23 May 2026
MCG

 

“The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between”
— a line credited to French artist Claude Debussy.

 

Well, the hype machine spent a solid week in overdrive leading up to this afternoon’s game of footy at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Yarra Park, just across the flat from the turbid brown Birrarung.

 

It’s May 2026 and the hype machine seems forever on, across any number of topics, across any number of jurisdictions. Its 24/7 news meets capitalism meets dwindling attention spans meets primate order emotions. At any given moment, diverse topics seem hyped to within cooee of the stratosphere, day after week after month after year. The trick for maintaining sanity seems to be to opt out as much as possible. Ignore, ignore, ignore.

 

Imagine just watching the footy to watch S Pendlebury play.

 

That’s me. That’s me since around 2008 or so. Every now and then.

 

So today, I don’t need gold numbers, week-long hoopla, nor fireworks. I’m very happy to find a pub that has pay TV and watch him go about it. The wrong-footing an opponent while running fast near and around many other fit adult males in full body contact sport. The subtle shift of weight. The movement of head. The orchestrating space space space, time time time.

 

To watch Scott Pendlebury go about it is to sit before French artist Claude Monet’s “Impression, soleil levant” (Impression, sunrise) from 1872, first shown at what would become known as the “Exhibition of the Impressionists” in Paris in April, 1874.

 

To watch Scott Pendlebury go about it is to listen to French composer Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” (1905).

 

Sometimes, it is both.

 

Yes, today, is about Scott Pendlebury because today he breaks the games record for AFL/VFL footy. And he hasn’t limped to the record. On ANZAC Day last month he was best on ground. And today he plays his role to perfection.

 

And so do others.

 

Sarah, who finds a quiet spot in the lounge of this pub in Bentleigh with a clear view of the footy, does very well.

 

The ruck duel between Darcy Cameron and Bailey Williams is a ding-dong beauty.

 

Jamie Elliott is lively.

 

And Josh Daicos. I love the way he turns like a panther. The way he collects the ball and gives to someone in a better place. Often, he rises from the grass as a teammate settles for a shot at goal.

 

 

QT 1
COL 2.6.18
WAA 3.2.20

 

I’m back into the front bar for a look in the second quarter – but not for long.

 

The very walls seem alive with colour and movement. Monitors, monitors, wall-mounted monitors flash, blink, pan, zoom across all manner of footy, rugby league, horseracing, trots, greyhounds, KENO.

 

Dubbo Race 3 for the dogs is on soon, over 518 metres.
Wyong Jameson is paying $4.20

 

Jamie Elliott kicks a goal on the run.
Edward Allan snaps from 50.

 

Belmont Race 7 over 1400 metres.
Featuring Gi Gi Pops.

 

Josh Daicos gathers and turns on one motion. He might be part wild cat.

 

Selagor Malaysia Harness Racing 2138 metres
Race 4 the Vale San Difrancesco Race
Sakura is paying $8.50

 

At Geelong, the Cats are in front of the Swans.

 

And at Lakeside, Race 4 over 487 metres
Shorona Baz is paying $3.60

 

I like the way this Collingwood side is coming together; out there is a mixture of old and young. Today I enjoy their tackles and pressure but also their expansive, creative runs forward.

 

S Pendlebury made his debut in 2006. It’s quite something. Among the flotsam and jetsam of stories this week, I enjoyed learning that in that time he has played against 6 combinations of father-and-son.

 

HT
COL 6.9.45
WAA 5.5.35

 

Some impressions of the third quarter:
Malakai Champion is a beauty.
Ned Long the a human blanket is a peculiar choice as second ruckman.
Darcy Cameron dominates when Bailey Williams takes a rest.
Boundary umpire Ian “Fireworks” Burrows is officiating in his 450^th AFL game tonight!

 

3QT
COL 10.12.72
WAA 9.7.61

 

It’s there to be won.
For after all the hoop-la, this is just a Round 11 game of footy.
Josh Daicos pathers on.
Dan McStay hulks.
Jobe Shanahan looks to spoil the party.
But then – with just 4 minutes left, Jamie Elliott lands awkwardly on his straightened knee and need to be taken off the field on a stretcher. A pall falls like fog.

 

Those last four minutes are tight. Tight enough for chip kicks to be panicked. Tight enough for the Impressionist Scott Pendlebury to step forward to lead the final moments once again. To lead his team once again through the kicks, through the marks and through the silence between.

 

It’s a Collingwood win. Significant injuries, yes. With skipper D Moore and a young fella with a shoulder. But tonight, we celebrate the evasive skills, ball-winning skills and match awareness tactical skills of Scott Pendlebury, across these now 433 games.

 

Claude Debussy wrote his “Clair de Lune” as an impression to Verlaine’s poem of the same name. He may well have written the same music after watching Scott Pendlebury play 433 games of top level footy.

 

Votre âme est un paysage choisi
Que vont charmant masques et bergamasques
Jouant du luth et dansant et quasi
Tristes sous leurs déguisements fantasques.

 

==

 

Your soul is like a landscape fantasy,
Where masks and bergamasks, in charming wise,
Strum lutes and dance, just a bit sad to be
Hidden beneath their fanciful disguise.

 

 

COLLINGWOOD                  2.6     6.9     10.12     13.14 (92)
WAALITJ MARAWAR          3.2     5.5       9.7       12.10 (82)

 

GOALS
Collingwood: Elliott 3, N.Daicos 3, Steele 2, McStay 2, Schultz, Lipinski, Allan
Waalitj Marawar: Yeo 3, Shanahan 2, Champion 2, B.Williams, Waterman, Murdock, Johnston, Hough

 

BEST
Collingwood: N.Daicos, De Goey, Crisp, Elliott, Schultz
Waalitj Marawar: B.Williams, Reid, Yeo, McCarthy, Murdock

 

INJURIES
Collingwood: Moore (hamstring), Elliott (knee), Pendlebury (wrist/hand)
Waalitj Marawar: Nil

 

Crowd: 90,028 at the MCG

 

 

More Round 11 Reports can be read Here.

 

To read more by E.regnans click HERE.

 

 

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