Nor is it a shock that in a sordid juncture for the Swans last month, with Sydney\u2019s hard-earned reputation in peril, it was Pavlich who squared his shoulders and acted decisively to set the tone forward for a club in the midst of a crisis.<\/p>\n
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With Fremantle pursuing its first premiership, and the Swans aiming to end a drought dating back to 2012, Pavlich is sure to be feeling conflicted when they meet at the SCG tonight, according to former Dockers teammate Lee Spurr.<\/p>\n
New Sydney Swans CEO Matthew Pavlich and wife Lauren.Source: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is part of the fabric (at Fremantle) and always will be. But I know that come game day on Friday, he\u2019s 100 per cent in for the Swans,\u201d he told foxsports.com.au.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a man of commitment and integrity. He will be all-in Swans \u2026 but (I\u2019m certain) he will have a soft spot for the fabric of Freo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fremantle helped make the man and leader Pavlich is now.<\/p>\n
From the day he was drafted he bled purple. Infamously, he almost killed himself for the club on his first day when pushing an immature body far beyond the limits it was ready for on a western scorcher according to former recruiting boss Phil Smart. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou could feel the heat coming out of the grass and I was sitting with Brent Dawkins, one of our recruiters, as (Pavlich) \u2026 just started running off the line, a bit like that lady in the marathon that time when she was running at right angles,\u201d Smart told this reporter prior to Pavlich\u2019s 300th game.<\/p>\n
\u201cI looked at Brent and said, \u2018This is going to be good. (His) mum didn\u2019t want him here and now I am going to have to tell her that he is in intensive care\u2019.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Justin Longmuir is mobbed by Steven Koops (left) and Matthew Pavlich (right) after kicking a goal.Source: News LimitedMatthew Pavlich retired in 2016.Source: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n
One of the finest footballers to grace an oval, Pavlich was already planning for the future while excelling from one end to the other as a Docker, building knowledge and expertise for life after footy while trying to lead Fremantle to the Holy Grail.<\/p>\n
Every week he would put on his Superman cape \u2013 it was his address in a 2009 clash with Hawthorn that sparked the now ubiquitous \u2018Wharfie time\u2019 phenomenon \u2013 and led with distinction from defence to attack and in the middle as well.<\/p>\n
When the Dockers last met Sydney in a match meeting the stake that is on offer at the SCG tonight, the 2013 preliminary final in Perth, he was near unstoppable when the final was at its hottest.<\/p>\n
But the premiership he and the Dockers craved eluded Pavlich.<\/p>\n
The 2013 grand final was the closest Fremantle has got, though one confidant believes the one that truly went begging was the 2014 flag when Pavlich was outrageously good in a qualifying final against the Swans but could not drag the Dockers over the line. <\/p>\n
As a close mate told foxsports.com.au yesterday, his loyalty was exemplary despite big offers to return to his native South Australia, with the Crows leading the charge, and he proved himself the \u201cultimate one club player\u201d. At least until he was not.<\/p>\n
Matthew Pavlich (far right) with teammates after a win.Source: News Limited<\/p>\n
After an outstanding media career that included an extended stint with Fox Footy along with newsreading duties back in Perth, a chance too good to refuse arose to put the expertise he had gleaned from footy, from study and from extensive business experience into place \u2013 heading up the Sydney Swans, a club with one of the biggest fanbases in the country. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s probably bittersweet that they are playing each other in order to get to a grand final,\u201d Spurr said.<\/p>\n
STANDING TALL ON HISTORIC NIGHT FOR FREMANTLE<\/p>\n
The last time the Dockers and Swans met on a stage of such significance was the 2013 preliminary final, which resulted in Fremantle\u2019s greatest moment as a footy club. <\/p>\n
The Dockers were on top in the cut-throat match played at Subiaco Oval but inaccuracy was a plague early, which kept the Swans in the match.<\/p>\n
But Pavlich was decisive, with his goals at the 19-minute mark of the first term and in the infancy of the second swinging momentum firmly Fremantle\u2019s way.<\/p>\n
Matthew Pavlich takes the mark in front of Ted Richards.Source: AAP<\/p>\n
The first was a classic by the captain, with the six-time All Australian out-positioning Ted Richards to mark a long-kick in from Nick Suban as his former rivals Luke Darcy and Matthew Richardson waxed lyrical about his importance for Fremantle in commentary.<\/p>\n
The second followed another strong pack mark and as Pavlich pumped his fist in triumph and was embraced by Ryan Crowley, the Fremantle faithful rose as one in the stands.<\/p>\n
The magnificence of his football aside, the reason Pavlich was so respected across the competition was evident amid the outpouring of emotion in the moments after the final siren sounded on a historic night for the Dockers.<\/p>\n
As his teammates embraced each other and fans celebrated wildly at Subiaco Oval, Pavlich made a beeline to the hard-as-nails Swans midfielder Jude Bolton, whose career ended with the loss, and embraced him. It was brilliant sportsmanship.<\/p>\n
The Dockers and Swans would clash in the following two finals series in qualifying finals \u2013 Pavlich was a lone hand in attack when kicking four goals in defeat in 2014 after the Dockers lost Matthew Carr to a hamstring early on, and was quieter with his side in control a year later \u2013 after he set the tone in 2013.<\/p>\n
Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich poses with the cup in 2013.Source: News LimitedBut it ended in heartbreak for Matthew Pavlich and the Dockers.Source: News Limited<\/p>\n
A grand milestone moment in the twilight of his decorated career also came against the Swans, with Pavlich snaring a couple of late goals in his 350th game.<\/p>\n
At that stage, he was the first footballer to spend the entirety of his career based in Western Australia to reach the 300-game milestone, with the impact associated with regular travelling cutting the careers of other champions short, though ex-West Coast skipper Shannon Hurn and future Fremantle captain and current record holder David Mundy have since followed suit.<\/p>\n
Spurr, who celebrated his 100th game in that Pavlich milestone match, was in awe of playing alongside a champion of his calibre and said his influence on the club was extraordinary.<\/p>\n
\u201cFreo was incredibly blessed. Matthew Pavlich is the best leader I\u2019ve played with,\u201d Spurr said this week.<\/p>\n
\u201cAaron Sandilands, Luke McPharlin, David Mundy; you talk about those players but Matthew Pavlich, that ability to have the like versus respect (was critical as captain). <\/p>\n
\u201cHe sacrificed himself. Pav probably could have got five or 10 per cent more out of himself if he was a little bit more selfish or a bit more insular \u2026 but he knew it was a collective. He needed to ensure that Lee Spurr, playing at half back, (was switched on); \u2018Was he ready. What was going on?\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cHe sacrificed his own preparation and his own performance for the team to drive forward (and) we were incredibly blessed that our best player was also our best leader and best captain.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I think about Matty Pavlich, he set this club up for success. That\u2019s all I ever saw from the moment I walked in. He has a huge legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dockers icon Matthew Pavlich runs the Queen\u2019s Baton Relay through Fremantle ahead of the 2006 Commonwealth Games.Source: News Corp AustraliaYoung Freo footballer Matthew Pavlich fishing in 2000. Picture: Megan LewisSource: News Limited<\/p>\n
Leading into his 300th game, Pavlich\u2019s father Steve explained why the superstar, who Spurr believes should be considered \u201ca top five player of all time\u201d, always resisted the lure and riches on offer to return to South Australia.<\/p>\n
\u201c(It was) because he wanted to help Fremantle get better. That\u2019s it. That\u2019s the real base of it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were times that he was very frustrated that they weren\u2019t doing as well as they would have liked, but he wanted to be part of building that history at the Dockers.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis relationships with the people at the club and those around the club that he had met were very important to him. He felt loyal to those people who had invested time in him and he didn\u2019t want to break that loyalty.\u201d<\/p>\n
One man who understands those ties is Tex Walker, who similarly to Pavlich moved interstate to pursue a career and ultimately went on to captain his club to a decider.<\/p>\n
The Adelaide champion, who retired after the Crows\u2019 loss to Brisbane in a semi-final last week after playing in 319 games, would have loved to see Pavlich return to South Australia if only to have the chance to play alongside him and feels Pavlich\u2019s excellence on the field is arguably undersold despite his phenomenal record.<\/p>\n
Ron Barassi at the MCG with Matthew Pavlich.Source: News Limited<\/p>\n
And he says it is no surprise that it has taken Fremantle 11 years to get back to a preliminary final given the impossibility of replacing a player of the calibre of Pavlich, who captained the Dockers for nine years. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt would have been unbelievable to have him back. It is always good to get South Australian talent back and \u2026 he was a special player, unbelievable to play against and unbelievable to watch,\u201d Walker said on Thursday. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe was an absolute superstar. I\u2019m not sure people understand how incredible it is, really, for someone to be able to be an All Australian in three different areas of the ground. That is just extraordinary and it is a testament to how incredible he was as a player. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf he had been playing in Victoria, I think people would be rating him up there with the greatest players of all time. And his record alone says that. Then to be able to lead a club for so long, and with such conviction, that is a special thing in itself.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t beat experience. You can\u2019t buy it. Having someone around the club like that is invaluable and they are an avenue of being someone to learn from, even if you are doing it without actually realising, because they are so professional. I am sure there would have been a massive hole in the footy club when he left.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cox set for WAFL return this week | 00:30<\/p>\n
BUILDING TO BECOME SENIOR SWANS EXECUTIVE<\/p>\n
During the three successive finals series where the Dockers and Swans were squaring off against each other in significant matches, Pavlich already had an eye on life after footy.<\/p>\n
Walker said the role of captain is a complex one that offers those who hold it a unique perspective on the inner-workings of a footy club, but also the opportunity to meet and learn from external sources with a broad range of experiences. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt is good to see good players like that stay within footy, because they understand how the game works, how it is played, all of that,\u201d Walker said.<\/p>\n
\u201cCaptaincy does fill your cup a little bit more than just playing. Meeting people is one of the obligations, part of the job of being a skipper, and especially when you have a family, it is hard to juggle that, but the ones who have taken it on their chin, taking it in their stride are the ones who are quite successful.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ones who don\u2019t want to do all the extra stuff are the ones who go down a little bit quicker but he is one who certainly took it in his stride and accepted it as part of his job, I suppose.\u201d<\/p>\n
Teammates get around retiring Docker Matthew Pavlich.Source: News Corp AustraliaMatthew Pavlich is chaired from the ground by David Mundy and Alex Silvagni.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
While playing, he completed a bachelor\u2019s degree in science at the University of Western Australia and later added an MBA to his qualifications, and in the latter stages of his career he and wife Lauren became parents to Harper and Jack, with William born just after Pavlich\u2019s retirement in 2016. <\/p>\n
Just over a year after Fremantle\u2019s loss to Hawthorn in a tight grand final, Pavlich was elevated to the presidency of the AFL Players Association as a replacement to Luke Ball and served the collective as leader through testing negotiations, forming a new Memorandum of Understanding with the AFL while also steering through the inaugural AFLW MOA.<\/p>\n
Such was his respect across the competition, it was a role he held for a period after his retirement before eventually handing it over to Geelong champion Patrick Dangerfield.<\/p>\n
Life after footy on the field was no less busy. <\/p>\n
Along with former Saint and Crow James Begley, Pavlich launched a business called Pickstar, which subsequently became Launchd, a company that specialises in brand partnerships.<\/p>\n
Pavlich was also pivotal in the running of PMY Group, a technology and information management company founded and run by a childhood mate Paul Yeomans.<\/p>\n
Matthew Pavlich (then-AFLPA president) & Richard Goyder (then-AFL chair) sign contracts after a player pay increase announcement.Source: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n
All the while he was the primary sports presenter for Channel Nine in Perth, while offering expert analysis nationwide for Fox Footy, where he was a favourite.<\/p>\n
But footy tugged at his soul and when the chance arose to replace Tom Harley at the Sydney Swans last year, Pavlich appealed as a logical choice according to chairman Andrew Pridham.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is a champion of our game and brings to the club a wealth of football experience both from a playing, as well as an administrative, perspective,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTogether with his business pursuits in the sports and entertainment industry, Matthew has stayed involved in the game since his retirement from playing in 2016 and is widely respected across the industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe he will fit in well with the Sydney Swans culture and bring his own unique insights and perspectives that will benefit the club moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthew Pavlich, pictured with Shaun Burgoyne, Leigh Montagna and Garry Lyon, was a favourite at Fox Footy.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
LEADING IN A TIME OF CRISIS<\/p>\n
When Pavlich accepted the role with Sydney, he always knew there was a chance the Swans and Dockers would meet in a match of massive significance given the strength of both sides leading into 2026. <\/p>\n
And so it has proven with a grand final spot at stake at the SCG.<\/p>\n
Before the Pullman Hotel crisis that engulfed Sydney a month ago<\/a>, one that saw five star players suspended, the six-time Doig Medallist spoke of the conflict he felt when the Swans travelled to Perth to play the Dockers in late July.<\/p>\n Matthew Pavlich stood at the front during the Pullman Hotel saga.Source: Supplied Source Known<\/p>\n \u201cFreo, my first football love, is on fire, and it warms my heart to say that. But at the same time, I\u2019m now on the other side of the fence, and I\u2019m really excited about what we can do at the Swans this year. It\u2019s going to be a tremendous match,\u201d he told the AFL website<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI keep saying to a few people that it\u2019ll be a bit like asking me which one of my kids I love the most \u2014 it\u2019s an impossible question to answer, albeit that I\u2019m all in on where I am at the moment.<\/p>\n \u201cI might have to wear a neutral suit. I think everyone \u2014 whether it\u2019s Lauren, the three kids, or everyone in between that I\u2019ve shared 26 great years in Perth with and have a strong connection to the Freo football club \u2014 will feel a bit strange and awkward about it.<\/p>\n New Sydney Swans CEO Matthew Pavlich and family, wife Lauren, sons Will and Jack and daughter Harper.Source: News Corp AustraliaSydney Swans CEO Matthew Pavlich heads out to address the media.Source: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n \u201cThat being said, my love for that club won\u2019t change, and my passion, direction, and real ambition for the Swans is certainly not diminishing just because we\u2019re playing my old team.\u201d<\/p>\n September has proven far from easy for both clubs. <\/p>\n Fremantle were outmuscled by Hawthorn in a qualifying final, which made their path to a potential second grand final far harder \u2013 but they arrived in Sydney fresh from a confidence boosting win over Geelong.<\/p>\n It seems the whole world knows what happened with the Swans \u2013 it was reported in The New York Times and American reporters in Melbourne for the NFL last week could not quite shake their astonishment at what unfolded \u2013 but the crisis has not \u201ctorpedoed their season\u201d, as Pridham feared it would in the immediate aftermath of the scandal.<\/p>\n Swans CEO Matthew Pavlich fronts the media on arrival.Source: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n