'Blows my mind': Mason Cox's passionate rant in defence of Scott Pendlebury's six-figure pay-day for record breaking game

Collingwood legend Scott Pendlebury could reportedly take home as much as $500,000 outside of the salary cap when he breaks the V/AFL games record against West Coast next week, and the situation has sparked significant debate around the league.

When the midfielder plays his 433rd game, breaking North Melbourne champion Brent Harvey's record, he will receive 100 per cent of the profits from merchandise sales in and around the game, up from the 65 per cent all other players in similar scenarios would receive.

With over 80,000 Collingwood fans expected to attend the game at the MCG, and Pendlebury set to wear and auction off a handful of bespoke guernseys with a golden No.10 on the back, the profit estimates are well over six figures, and fully outside the salary cap.

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Rival clubs are reportedly unhappy about the bespoke arrangement, while even Collingwood legend Tony Shaw has been among those in the media to speak to his uncomfortableness with the situation.

However, a former teammate of Pendlebury's, Mason Coxhas stepped in aggressively to defend the midfielder.

The now-Fremantle ruckman has fired off a passionate rant in the direction of anybody questioning whether the 38-year-old deserves the money, going as far as saying all players are heavily underpaid by the league and daring critics to play 433 games themselves.

"Pendles has not laid a foot wrong. He's never really gotten in any trouble. A lot of you talking about him in the media have. And you're telling me you can't celebrate this guy?" Cox told ESPN Australia.

"We've been sitting here for probably the last two weeks and we've mentioned this whole golden jumper thing which like who really cares? If you want to do it, do it. It's his game where he's breaking a record that may never be done again.

"Like, give him some kind of independence to make a decision to do that.

"And all we're talking about is 'oh man he might make a dollar. Oh heaven forbid'. Are you kidding me? As he should. He should make as much money as he wants.

"And if you're not happy with that, then hey, how about you go and do what he's done. Nah, you can't do it. You know why? Because you're not good enough. You just have to swallow that pill, OK?

"You're not good enough, so stop trying to throw all these things at Pendles saying 'heaven forbid you make money' in a sport that's heavily underpaying their players.

"It's the most absurd, ridiculous ... it pisses me off. I'm infuriated by this because everyone's out there talking about him making money rather than celebrating what is the greatest football player we've probably seen? And we're all sitting here talking about him making cash.

"Like yes, I would hope the guy that (has) literally represented the league in the best way possible over the longest time gets a bit of cash along the way.

"Like, he's still going to have to work a job once he's done and he's the best thing you guys have ever produced and you're still pissed off he's making money off it?

"It blows my mind and pisses me off that I'm seeing this in the media. Let the man live. If he wants to rock out there in gold plated boots, I don't care."

Geelong would be among the clubs questioning the situation, after they were fined $77,000 in 2025 for questionable third-party sponsorships paid to players.

Port Adelaide champion Kane Cornes has also been vocal, saying the AFL "cannot allow" Pendlebury to make money over and above the allowances of other players in the same scenarios, outside of the salary cap.

"The AFL can't accept this," he said during the week.

Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell added his two cents on Friday morning, saying if Pendlebury has opened the door for every player to now reap similar rewards, then he has no issue with it.

The problem comes if this is a one-off arrangement, given it is outside the salary cap.

"Jack Gunston will have his 300th game later in the season, so we'll ask the question (of the AFL). I'd love for Jack to get a bit more of the pay out from that," Mitchell told SEN.

"And if it sets a precedent for other players to do the same thing, then I don't see the issue there.

"If it's just a one-off, it seems a bit odd in a game where we're trying to create equality. We'll see what happens, but I assume we'll be asking if Jack can get his way to 300 later in the year that he can get a bit more of a bite of that cherry."

Days after the revelation of the potential profits coming his way, it was reported that Pendlebury will donate a portion of the money made to the My Room Children's Cancer Charity.

Among the lucrative merchandise available will be a "433 Record Breaker" Pinot Noir wine from the Yarra Valley, and custom made watches.

The Collingwood website is selling a special edition Scott Pendlebury branded Sherrin with his signature for $270.

Pendlebury is sitting out Friday's game against Sydney at the SCG in order to break the record at the MCG against West Coast.