 Pavlich prepares for a set shot at goal
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth | 31 December 1981 , Adelaide, South Australia |
| Recruited from | Woodville-West Torrens FC |
| Height and weight | 192cm / 100kg |
| Playing career¹ | |
| Debut | Round 5, April 8, 2000, Fremantle vs. Melbourne, at The WACA |
| Team(s) | Fremantle (2000 - present)
194 games, 379 goals |
| ¹ Statistics to end of 2008 season | |
| Career highlights | |
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Matthew Pavlich (born 31 December 1981) is a South Australian-born Australian rules footballer of Croatian descent. He plays for the Fremantle Football Club, wears guernsey number 29 and made his AFL debut in 2000. He plays primarily in the centre half-forward position, but is occasionally moved into the midfield, and started his career as a reliable backman.
Pavlich was recruited by Fremantle (the Dockers), from Woodville-West Torrens (and Sacred Heart College with the fourth selection in the 1999 AFL national draft.
Since his first game for the Dockers, Pavlich has consistently shown all the attributes of a key forward: physical size (a height of 192 cm and a weight of around 100 kg), strength, speed and agility. However, it was not until 2005 that he played primarily at centre half forward. The move paid off, as Pavlich topped Fremantle's list of goalkickers, with 61 goals for the season. He also took more marks than any other Docker and won his second Doig Medal as Fremantle's best and fairest player. In the 2005 Brownlow Medal count, Pavlich finished equal ninth and received more votes than any other Fremantle player.
He has been selected in All-Australian Teams six times: in 2002 (fullback), 2003 (half forward flank), 2005 (centre half forward), 2006 (interchange), 2007 (full forward) and 2008 (interchange). He was a member of the Australian International rules team in 2002 and 2003, and was a Rising Star nominee in 2000. On the 13 December 2006 Pavlich was named the captain of the Fremantle Football Club after Peter Bell retired from the role at the conclusion of the 2006 season.
Despite the additional burden of captaincy, Pavlich performed well throughout the 2007 season, leading an otherwise disappointing Fremantle side. He kicked a club record 72 goals, came second in the Coleman Medal and was named full-forward in the All-Australian team for 2007.
On 14 August 2007 Pavlich signed a new, 3-year contract with the Fremantle Football club, which ended speculation that he may join the Adelaide Crows or Port Adelaide. The contract is rumoured to be worth $2.5 million.[1]
In 2008, despite Fremantle again missing the finals, Pavlich won his fifth Doig Medal, as well as being Fremantle's leading goalkicker, the Ross Glendinning Medal in the 27th Western Derby and his sixth All-Australian selection.[2]
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Peter Bell |
Fremantle Football Club captain 2007 – |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Awards | ||
| Preceded by Peter Bell |
Fremantle Best and Fairest winner 2002 |
Succeeded by Peter Bell |
| Preceded by Peter Bell |
Fremantle Best and Fairest winner 2005 – 2008 |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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