AFL cult figure Mason Cox has gone into bat for his former teammate, Scott Pendlebury, who is set to cash in when he plays his 433rd game against West Coast next Saturday.

The record game, the most in AFL/VFL history, will be a cash windfall for Pendlebury, but eyebrows have been raised over the fact that the money will sit outside Collingwood’s salary cap.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Mason Cox defends Pendlebury’s commercial opportunity

At least five rival clubs are filthy over the situation, with the Collingwood champion expected to pocket around $500,000.

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, Cox has accused the critics of tall poppy syndrome and says Pendlebury deserves every single cent he gets.

“It pisses me off. I’m just 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,” Cox raged said on his ESPN podcast.

“Tall poppy syndrome (is) well and truly alive ... and there’s no better case of it right now. You’re talking about, I’ll be honest, the most consistent player that’s ever played the game ...

“And let’s say this, Pendles has not laid a foot wrong. He’s never really got any media scrutiny or media trouble or anything like that. A lot of you other media people probably have and you’re telling me that you can’t celebrate this guy?

“We’ve been sitting here for the last probably two weeks and we mentioned this whole gold tin jumper thing, I mean, who really cares? It’s like if you want to do it, do it, it’s his game where he’s breaking a record that may never be done again.

“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.’ Well, heaven forbid. Dude, seriously, I’m like, are you kidding me? As he should! As he should! He should make as much money as he wants.

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

“So stop trying to throw all these things at Pendles. Heaven forbid you make money in a sport that’s heavily underpaying their players.

“It’s the most absurd, ridiculous (thing) that pisses me off. I’m just 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 there talking about him making cash.

“Yes, I would hope that the guy who’s 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 gonna have to probably work a job once he’s done and he’s the best thing you guys have ever produced and you’re pissed off he’s still making money off it.

“It blows my mind and it 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. Do what you want because you’re a better player than any of us speaking. Live it up, soak it up, enjoy it.

“We should all just sit back and watch and just be in awe and appreciate the man that has been, and the man that will continue to be, a great role model for the AFL.

“And stop bitching and complaining about him making a dollar.”

Veteran AFL journalist Caroline Wilson first raised the issue Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters.

“I’ve spoken to five other clubs who are absolutely filthy about it,” she said on The Agenda Setters.

“And look, Collingwood deny, and we take them at their word, that there was not a negotiation done where maybe Scott received unders last year knowing he was going to get the money this year. We take them at their word.

“The question must be asked by the clubs.”

Wilson went on to say that Geelong would be interested onlookers after they were investigated and eventually fined for sloppy paperwork surrounding third-party payments.

“I’m not going to name names, and I have not spoken to anyone from the Geelong Football Club ... But we broke the story at the beginning of last season about third-party issues with Geelong that as it emerged, and we never said there was anything underhand, but there was some sloppy paperwork that had happened,” she said.

“They were fined the Geelong Football Club. It was a long-negotiated settlement.

“Now, if I was Geelong and I saw that report last night, I would be going, ‘holy hell’.”

Host Kane Cornes implored the AFL to step in and not allow it.

“Is it the biggest loophole in recent salary cap memory, like that clubs can exploit this? Like that clubs can exploit this? They’re looking at it going, well, if Collingwood have done this,” he said.

“The AFL can’t accept, cannot allow this to happen.”

“In a competition that’s supposed to be even, and that is the biggest aim of the AFL, to make it even, this is a big issue and one that I think the AFL have dropped the ball on.”

Carlton and Collingwood great Dale Thomas said any potential earnings should be capped.

“I can understand how at a milestone in something as massive as the game’s record, your Buddy Franklin’s 1000th goal, you could do something slightly outside, but I think it should be capped,” he said.

“I think that’s in fairness to the competition.”

Pendlebury will donate a portion of the profits to My Room, a charity for children’s cancer.