Pendlebury,who made the all-Australian team for the fifth time in his 14th season and has rivalled Brodie Grundy as his team's best performer this year,also said that he would step away from football if he felt he had slipped to the point that he was"dropping away",holding others back or was only playing because of his name.
"It sounds funny but I haven't thought about the end or how far away that is or how close,''Pendlebury toldThe Age when asked about how long he could continue to play on.
"Yeah I've got a contract next year but even if I didn't,I think the footy that I've played this year,like then I would just play again next year. And if I play similar to this year,then I'll play again the next year. But if I feel like I'm dropping away or I'm holding someone out of the team and I'm only still playing because of my name or something like that,then I'll step away."
Having addressed his own playing future,Pendlebury said he had not dwelled on his captaincy future too much,before adding that he wished to be around as a senior player when the next skipper took over.
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"I haven't had chats with the club about it,"Pendlebury said."I definitely want to be here though while someone else is captain. I know I had a year with Maxy when he was here and I just think it's important,say it was Steele[Sidebottom] or it was Taylor[Adams],just to have me around and they can ask me some questions."
Adams and Sidebottom are leading contenders to take over from Pendlebury,31,when he gives up the captaincy."There's new things that happen that you aren't really sure and I found it invaluable to have Maxy around and just ask a couple of things.