Pendlebury keen to step up

Scott Pendlebury picks up the pace at pre-season training. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Limited

COLLINGWOOD star Scott Pendlebury says he's not letting captaincy thoughts cloud his pre-season as he focuses on helping get the Magpies "back on track'' for 2014.

While he is widely regarded as the successor to premiership skipper Nick Maxwell, Pendlebury says his attention is focused on preparing for next year's campaign.

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The Magpies are expected to make a call on the captaincy in February.

"We do our leadership as a playing group, so come February when we sit down and we do that we will go from there,'' Pendlebury, 25, said.

"Maxy has been fantastic for the footy club and it's been great to learn off him and guys like Bally (Luke Ball) as well.

"I haven't been in the leadership group for a while for no reason, it's something that I want to do, but at the same time it's up to the players to decide.

"That's something that all the players respect.''

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It has already been an off-season of change for the Magpies, who said goodbye to Darren Jolly, Alan Didak, Heath Shaw, Dale Thomas and Andrew Krakouer.

Despite the loss of considerable experience, Pendlebury said the Magpies' blooding of young players in 2013 had them well placed.

"We have lost a fair bit of experience and we have replaced that with some youth,'' the midfield ace said.

"We have also got a lot of games into young guys at our footy club so it should hold us in good stead.''

After a disappointing finish to last season, which ended in an elimination final loss to Port Adelaide, Pendlebury said talk of the need for cultural change at the club had been "a bit misleading".

"Guys were frustrated we weren't winning," Pendlebury explained.

"In 2009, '10, '11 we won a lot of games and footy clubs are great places to be around when you win.

"(We were) just dealing with up and downs. It was a bit of a bumpy ride last year and we just want to get back on track next season and hopefully win lots of games of footy next season and everyone will be happy."

Pendlebury said the Pies had made a positive start to pre-season under the club's new high-performance manager Bill Davoren, who has crossed from St Kilda.

"It's been a bit different this year not going away (on an overseas camp),'' Pendlebury said.

"It's been a good change for us just to stay here and (with) new head of sport science Bill Davoren taking over, it was good to get him on top of the program.

"He has been really good and pre-season's going well.''

The Magpies resume pre-season training on January 6.