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Important SN update for Southland“Low hanging fruit”: Tim Watson’s issue with Pendlebury criticism
Lachlan Geleit • March 13th, 2025 2:12 pm
SEN Breakfast hosts Garry Lyon and Tim Watson aren’t jumping to any big conclusions after Collingwood’s 52-point Opening Round loss to GWS.
While the Magpies were run ragged by a Giants side at ENGIE Stadium, the duo are refusing to make any big calls about how Craig McRae’s men will go this campaign despite their age and fitness being a huge talking point for many in the wake of the first weekend of the season.
Lyon thinks that in time, fans will look back on the Opening Round clash and chalk the result up to GWS’ quality over Collingwood’s concerns, despite their age being a ‘watch’ across the season.
Watson also called out those who have targeted Scott Pendlebury for his lack of speed around the contest given that’s never been a strength of the 37-year-old’s.
Lyon: “One game is way too short a sample to be jumping to big conclusions.
“Whether it be the Collingwood team collectively or individuals like Nick (Daicos) or whoever it will be.
“In time we'll go back and look at that game, I think, and go, ‘Yep, they got beaten by a really good footy side who were up and cherry ripe, and they did run them ragged’.
“But I'm not sure it’ll be that concerning.”
Watson: “I'm a little bit bemused about that it is such low-hanging fruit to go after Pendlebury and pull out a bit of him not chasing somebody or whatever.
“He's never been quick. He's never been a speedy, bounding player on the field, and there are multiple examples of where he's found himself trailing somebody in a contest or whatever.
“It's just an easy pick-off.”
Lyon: “I don't think it's him either, it's them collectively, which is the watch for me this year.
“I'm not the first one and won't be the last to think that they are at a stage of their footy lives where they're getting much, much older.
“Sometimes what you're capable of doing in Round 1 or Round 2 isn’t what you can do by Round 17 or 18. We know that. We’ve all been through that.
“We're going to watch it this year. You don't elevate it 12 rungs to make it the most important thing of the year, but it's a watch, and you go, ‘Yep, that's relevant, let’s keep an eye on it’.”
Collingwood will hope to bounce back when they face Port Adelaide at the MCG on Saturday night.
