News And so it begins.......

[leeloo]

I suppose the time has come that some of us Pavlich fans have to be realistic that his time is coming and these stories will start coming thick and fast, especially if he struggles next year.

Warning: Below article is written by our favourite journo but it is a fairly good read and quite lengthy.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/fr...-the-2014-season/story-fndv8h5w-1226788026840

MATTHEW Pavlich is uncertain whether next season will be the last of his glittering career at Fremantle.
But the Dockers captains know one thing: Fremantle will turn on more of its bold third and fourth-quarter Grand Final form than its mistake-riddled jitters of the first half.
The Dockers' greatest player is only nine games shy of becoming the first West Australian-based AFL player to reach 300 games, but he will not contemplate whether to retire or play on after 2014.
Before a two-week break from training and his 32nd birthday on New Year's Eve, Pavlich said he expected Fremantle to retain its blue-chip midfield by securing new contracts next year for Nat Fyfe and David Mundy.
He also opened up on his performance in the first half of the Grand Final loss to Hawthorn; what took place at half-time; the prospect of missing some games next year to manage his body; and the recruitment of Melbourne firebrand Colin Sylvia to Fremantle.

 

[Wigarus]

Saw that earlier. Died a little inside

It will be a very sad day when he eventually retires.

 

[Reginald Perrin]

Pav has earned the right to decide when he goes, but I'd like to see a year from him free from the burden of Captaincy.

It won't be the end of the world anyway, I have a feeling that we have players in our group already who will step up when they are out of the great man's shadow.

 

[wild side]

Hopefully he can retire on a high !!!

 

[simpsonwillo]

Will be kind of strange not having Pav around. It will be like something is missing. Really hope he can go out with a bang. Seeing him lift the cup has been one of my big wishes for a long time. Think we should go very close next year. Would love to see him win a Norm Smith in premiership winning team for dockers who would become immortal. Those rooster goals from 65-70 out. No one does it like him. I have a feeling he will play beyond 2014 though


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[leeloo]

Pav has earned the right to decide when he goes, but I'd like to see a year from him free from the burden of Captaincy.

It won't be the end of the world anyway, I have a feeling that we have players in our group already who will step up when they are out of the great man's shadow.

Agree with everything you say. Except the part about it not being the end of the world!

I can hardly remember our team without him.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

Agree with everything you say. Except the part about it not being the end of the world!

I can hardly remember our team without him.[/quote]



I can.
The team is wired up differently now so that we are less reliant on particular individuals hence our winning record in 2013 .
This coming season is almost certain to see our veterans' season being mapped out. We all agree we now have the depth.

To be the devils advocate, it could be argued our 2013 win / loss could have been even better had we rested senior players when it was required.
My mind turns immediately to the Essendon game; Pav should definitely not have played in that game. He could barely run.

I am tipping Pav to play for us in 2016 in the goal square.

 

[scon]

When it happens it will undoubtedly be 'THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT!'

 

[ImperialPurple]

 

[se17enteen]

Hopefully he can retire on a high !!!

Drugs is not the answer.

 

[Righteo]

Will finish with the fairytale, premiership winning captain in his last game. Few things in sport have needed to happen more than this.

 

[electricfeel]

I was in year 3 when Pavlich debuted. Jesus. Fair to say I do not remember the team without him!

My only memory of 2000 was Nikki Webster singing at the Olympics...

I have a feeling 2014 will be his last year, regardless of whether we win the premiership or not. I think he will definitely retire if we either win the flag or fall outside the top 8 (somehow). If we end up being pretty close to a premiership such as a prelim exit then perhaps he'll go around one more year for one final chance. I can see McPharlin going around for another year but Sandi retiring at the end of 2014.

 

[Wigarus]

Pav has earned the right to decide when he goes, but I'd like to see a year from him free from the burden of Captaincy.

It won't be the end of the world anyway, I have a feeling that we have players in our group already who will step up when they are out of the great man's shadow.

I don't want it to seem like I am disagreeing with you for the sake of it (I'm not, honest ) but I hope he finishes as the captain.

I think when he first became captain he was not anywhere near the captain he is today. He was a great player but now I think he is a great captain as well.

 

[Nickos66]

He'll go around again in 2015... If we fail in 2014, IMO.

 

[sij1981]

Agree with everything you say. Except the part about it not being the end of the world!

I can hardly remember our team without him.

I can remeber when he had just started in his first derby and boxing with an old hulky Michael Gardner !!!

 

[Beetlebum]

I can remeber when he had just started in his first derby and boxing with an old hulky Michael Gardner !!!

The fist fight when despite being only inches from each other neither man could land a punch.

Though in retrospect Pav is too gentlemanly to thump a junkie.

 

[FreoRicci]

Jesus cannot remember Freo without Pav.. Went through childhood supporting him, now finally seeing him get some success. If Freo were to win the premiership for anyone, Pav is without a doubt the person/player to do it for. Just a curious point, given teams around the world retire numbers for their champion/s, will Freo do so -even for a few years? Would hate to be the youngster wearing the 29 after he gives it up...

 

[ilikepotatoes]

If, and a big if, we win the GF this year I would bet all money on Pav, Sandi and Macca calling it a day.

 

[electricfeel]

Jesus cannot remember Freo without Pav.. Went through childhood supporting him, now finally seeing him get some success. If Freo were to win the premiership for anyone, Pav is without a doubt the person/player to do it for. Just a curious point, given teams around the world retire numbers for their champion/s, will Freo do so -even for a few years? Would hate to be the youngster wearing the 29 after he gives it up...

We might not officially retire the number but we might hold onto it for a while until a very promising youngster comes to us. Probably when we start being shit again and end up with a top 10 pick.

 

[estibador]

The fist fight when despite being only inches from each other neither man could land a punch.

Though in retrospect Pav is too gentlemanly to thump a junkie.

I watched that again earlier this year and Pav never even swung.

He was just stiff-arming trying to keep the tweaked out junkie at a distance. That's why Gardiner got suspended and Pav didn't.