Security has been forced to intervene after a footy thief caused a stir at Collingwood training on Tuesday.
A fan is accused of trying to pinch a commemorative Scott Pendlebury Sherrin football … before a fellow Pies supporter sprung into action.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Fan caught after attempting to steal Pendlebury memorabilia
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Collingwood players had been training with the balls in front of hundreds of fans who had turned up to watch the champion go through his paces ahead of his record-breaking AFL game on Saturday.
But the club had no intention of giving the balls away for free.
The penny dropped for Pendlebury when he noticed a ball he had been asked to sign was one of the 30 specially branded Sherrins emblazoned with the 433 number.
The fan took off and another fan then took the man down in a citizen’s arrest while a security guard ensured the safe return of the historic memorabilia.
The fan was let go.
Pendlebury is set to cash in when he plays his 433rd game against West Coast, the most in AFL/VFL history.
He will wear up to 12 guernseys throughout the match, while custom boots, wine and even a limited edition watch are all set to be on offer to fans.
It’s estimated he could earn over $300,000 from the match-worn jumpers alone.
However, the cash grab has caused a stir among some clubs, with the Collingwood champion expected to pocket around $500,000.
The issue is that the money Pendlebury will receive from the game will sit outside Collingwood’s salary cap.
Pendlebury will donate a portion of the profits to My Room, a charity for children’s cancer.
