Nine Eagles tasted MCG action for the first time in front of 90,028 fans - the largest home-and-away crowd in club history by some margin - against the Magpies on Saturday.
And while their brave fightback fell short in a 13.14 (92) to 12.10 (82) defeat, McQualter felt there was plenty to be gained.
"You can't replicate that game anywhere," the second-year West Coast coach said.
"It's really prelims and grannies you get 90,000 people, so that's an awesome opportunity for our players, and we had nine players playing at the 'G for the first time.
"We get the experience of it and hopefully our guys will be better for it."
West Coast trailed by 29 points midway through the third quarter when Nick Daicos and Jamie Elliott combined for three goals in four minutes to bust the game open.
But the visitors refused to lie down and closed to within three points with more than seven minutes left, going close to spoiling Pendlebury's big day.
"It's about building evidence that no matter the situation we can stand up and play our style of football, which I thought we got for fair chunks," McQualter said.
"Definitely, Collingwood had momentum at different stages and that's what good teams do.
"But when they did start to pile on goals I thought we were able to arrest that momentum pretty well and get the game back on our terms."
The loss left the Eagles (3-8) 15th on the ladder ahead of a home clash with last-placed Essendon next week.
Pendlebury broke Brent Harvey's all-time games played record in his 433rd appearance but wasn't the only player on the ground who reached a milestone.
Eagles young gun Harley Reid celebrated his 50th game by going after Pendlebury in the opening stages, fending off the 38-year-old veteran with a trademark stiff-arm.
"He ran to the bench and said, 'Did you see me? Did you see me?' He was pretty happy with that," McQualter said.
"It's just what he does. He's a competitor and he had a good moment there."
Reid was one of the Eagles' best with 20 disposals and four clearances.
McQualter said the much-hyped 2023 No.1 draft pick has enjoyed a great start to his career.
"He's probably had more scrutiny than anyone in his first 50 games, just with the publicity that comes with being Harley, but I just think he's handled it so well," McQualter said.
"He's a leader in our football team, he's a barometer for our team, I'm proud of the way he goes about his football and the person he's becoming."
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