COLLINGWOOD captain Scott Pendlebury says the Magpies will cop any sanction for Jordan De Goey and Jeremy Howe's in-game phone use on the chin.
The Magpies received a 'please explain' from the AFL after De Goey was caught on TV camera picking up two phones and giving one to Howe when the injured pair were in the change rooms during Friday night's loss to West Coast.
AFL rules bar players from using their phones during games due to integrity concerns, with only 10 people per club allowed to access them.
BARRETT Pies have some serious explaining to do over phone use
"If we get a warning it's a little reminder but if we cop a financial sanction it's a fair warning to the whole league that we shouldn't be doing that," Pendlebury told reporters on Monday.
"I'm not too sure of what those guys did – I think they just sent a text back home just letting their family know that they were OK.
"But obviously we know we're not allowed to do that and I dare say (across) the whole competition now that box will be locked right through to the end of the game."
Pendlebury was unsure whether a change-up in staff – operations manager Nick Maxwell couldn't travel to Perth after he'd been in Brisbane the week before – had led to the phones being accessible.
"Whether that role got lost in translation or something happened there (I'm not sure) – but we know as players that you shouldn't be on them during the game and we're sort of at the mercy of what the AFL want to do," he said.
"The boys and the club have put their hands up and we'll see what happens.
"You get educated enough about it - it's just a slip-up."
The traditional Anzac Day clash with Essendon is a must-win, with pressure piling on coach Nathan Buckley and the Magpies (1-4).
"It's not water off a duck's back – you know it's (pressure on Buckley) going to come," Pendlebury said.
"But we're just worried about playing a really good brand of footy and if we can play that good brand of footy and get some wins on the board, I know the pressure goes away off Bucks.
"But moreso than anyone, we want to do it for each other, not just for Bucks.
"I know he's a big storyline but as the whole football club we want to start playing well because it's a better environment to walk into when you're playing good footy and I feel like we're not too far away from that."
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