Scott Pendlebury is happy to have made a seamless start to his captaincy of Collingwood, but says it has little to do with himself.

Pendlebury was appointed skipper at the start of the year and the added responsibility hasn’t affected his stellar form.

Pendlebury, out of a moon boot and able to train after overcoming last week’s ankle injury, downplayed his own strong start to the season.

But the 26-year-old is relieved he hasn’t come under the microscope after replacing Nick Maxwell in January.

“If I wasn’t getting a kick, everyone would be asking questions and saying the captaincy thing could weigh you down,” Pendlebury said on Monday.

“We’ve got a really strong group of leaders at this football club, so it’s not just me doing the leadership stuff.

“We’ve got guys contributing on match day and off the field, so its made it a really easy transition.”

One star Magpie that is having questions asked of his form is Travis Cloke, who was held goal-less by David Astbury in the side’s last-start win over Richmond.

Some among the black-and-white faithful jeered Cloke’s attempts to snaffle the ball at the MCG, and Pendlebury was not impressed.

“It’s a tough game at times, but don’t forget how hard this guy works for the football club,” Pendlebury said of his message to those fans that criticised Cloke.

“He rarely gets beaten.

“Everyone expects him to kick a few goals or take big marks, but at the moment he’s providing such a good contest.

“It must be tough for him at times, but we just keep telling Trav to compete.

“Sooner or later he’s going to be clunking those again.”

The Magpies, who sit ninth on the ladder after a 2-2 start to the season, face North Melbourne on Saturday.