Collingwood’s reigning best and fairest Scott Pendlebury has signed a new deal which will keep him at the AFL club until the end of 2016.

The new four-year contract puts the 24-year-old premiership player out of the reach of Greater Western Sydney, whose poaching concessions do not extend beyond this year’s post-season.

It also means the Magpies do not have to sweat on their vice-captain becoming eligible for restricted free agency at the end of his eighth season, next year.

“I have signed with the Pies for four more years and am looking forward to being a part of future success,” Pendlebury said on his Twitter feed.

“I’m extremely happy with the outcome and now my attention moves to Friday night versus the Hawks.”

Pendlebury is the latest of a wave of big-name AFL stars to sign long-term deals tying them to their teams, in what is seemingly an attempt by clubs to prepare for free agency’s arrival at the end of this season.

The Magpie midfielder’s deal comes soon after Geelong captain Joel Selwood, Richmond two-time best and fairest Brett Deledio and Essendon key forward Michael Hurley agreed to five-year terms with their clubs.

Young Sydney key forward Sam Reid also recently signed a five-year deal with the Swans.

Pendlebury had been a target of the Giants.

His commitment to Collingwood is set to increase the speculation over whether teammate Travis Cloke, believed to be another Giants target, will stay or go.

The 25-year-old power forward, who comes out of contract this year, said last week he would prefer to put off any new deal until the end of the season.

He acknowledged that would leave him facing a year of constant questioning over his future.

While Cloke also said that ideally, he would stay with the Magpies, his reluctance to re-sign quickly gives the expansion club plenty of opportunity to try to lure him to Sydney’s west.