Matthew Pavlich facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Matthew Pavlich
Pavlich after his final game in 2016
Personal information
Full name	Matthew Lee Pavlich
Nickname(s)	Pav
Date of birth	(1981-12-31) 31 December 1981 (age 43)
Place of birth	Adelaide, South Australia
Original team	Woodville-West Torrens (SANFL)/Sacred Heart College
Draft	No. 4, 1999 National Draft, Fremantle
Position(s)	Key Forward, Key Defender
Career highlights
Club 6× Doig Medallist: 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011 Fremantle captain: 2007–2015 Fremantle 25 since '95 Team: Captain 8× Fremantle leading goalkicker: 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 Woodville-West Torrens leading goalkicker: 1999 AFL Rising Star nominee: 2000 3× Geoff Christian Medal: 2002, 2005, 2008 3× Ross Glendinning Medal: 2008, 2008, 2012 Fremantle leading goalkicker of all time Representative 4 games for Australia 1 game for Dream Team 6× All-Australian team: 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Honours Fremantle Life Member: 2006 AFL Life Member: 2013 Madden Medal: 2016 West Australian Football Hall of Fame Inductee 2021 Australian Football Hall of Fame: Inductee 2022 South Australian Football Hall of Fame: Inductee 2022

Matthew Lee Pavlich, born on December 31, 1981, is a famous former professional Australian rules football player. He played his entire career for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Pavlich was known for being a very flexible player. He could play in many different positions on the field. Many people think he was one of the best centre half-forwards of his time. He was chosen for the All-Australian team six times between 2002 and 2008. He also played for Australia twice in the International Rules Series.

He made his AFL debut in 2000 and played for 17 years. During his career, he won the club's best and fairest award (the Doig Medal) six times. He was also Fremantle's top goalkicker eight times. From 2007 to 2015, he was the team captain. In 2014, he made history by becoming the first player from a Western Australian team to play 300 AFL games.

Early Life

Matthew Pavlich was born in Adelaide, South Australia. His family has roots in Croatia, Scotland, Germany, and Ireland. His father and two uncles played for the West Torrens Football Club in the SANFL, which is a football league in South Australia.

Pavlich played school football at Sacred Heart College in Adelaide. He then followed his father's path, playing senior football for the Woodville-West Torrens Eagles. In 1999, he was the top goalkicker for his club.

AFL Career

Getting Drafted

Fremantle chose Pavlich as their fourth pick in the 1999 AFL national draft. He had tried to get drafted in 1998 but no clubs picked him.

Starting Out (2000–2001)

Pavlich warming up before a game in 2006

The 2000 AFL season started earlier than usual because of the 2000 Summer Olympics. Pavlich played only one game for South Fremantle before making his AFL debut in Round 5. He did something special by kicking two goals with his first two kicks in the AFL! He played 18 more games that season. He was even nominated for the Rising Star award in Round 17.

In 2001, Pavlich spent more time playing in the forward line. He showed how good he could be, kicking four goals in two games against the Brisbane Lions. He played 21 games that season and kicked 28 goals. Even though Fremantle had a tough season, Pavlich was a bright spot. He was starting to show his true talent.

Becoming a Star (2002–2004)

The year 2002 was very important for Matthew Pavlich. Fremantle's new coach, Chris Connolly, made a surprising move. He asked Pavlich to play in a defensive role. Pavlich showed how talented and flexible he was by easily switching to this new position. He was great at stopping his opponents. He also got a lot of the ball and helped set up plays for his team. Because of this, he was chosen for his first All-Australian team at fullback, even though he was only 20 years old.

Pavlich jumps high for a mark in 2008

In 2003, he was asked to play another new role. Pavlich moved into the midfield and also played as a half-forward. This allowed him to get many possessions and become a strong goal-kicking midfielder. He played all 23 games that season, including the club's first ever final. He averaged almost 19 possessions per game and kicked 37 goals. He was rewarded with his second All-Australian selection, this time as a half-forward.

Peak Performance (2005–2008)

In 2005, Pavlich moved to centre half-forward. Fremantle wanted a taller forward line, and this change worked very well. Pavlich became Fremantle's top goalkicker with 61 goals. He also took more marks than any other player on his team. He won his second Doig Medal as Fremantle's best and fairest player.

He was chosen for the All-Australian Team six times: in 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. He also played for the Australian International rules team in 2002 and 2003. On December 13, 2006, Pavlich was named the captain of the Fremantle Football Club.

Matthew Pavlich kicks for goal in 2010

Even with the extra responsibility of being captain, Pavlich played very well in 2007. He kicked a club record of 72 goals. He also came second in the Coleman Medal, which is for the league's top goalkicker. He was named full-forward in the All-Australian team for 2007.

In 2008, Pavlich won his fifth Doig Medal. He was also Fremantle's leading goalkicker. He won the Ross Glendinning Medal in both Western Derbies (games against West Coast Eagles). He also earned his sixth All-Australian selection.

Later Career (2009–2016)

In 2009, under coach Mark Harvey, Pavlich moved into the midfield. He had a strong year, averaging over 21 possessions per game. He also led Fremantle's goalkicking with 28 goals.

In 2010, Pavlich played both in the midfield and forward line. He averaged almost 19 possessions and kicked 61 goals. He helped his team reach the finals for the first time since 2006.

In 2011, Pavlich had to play in the midfield more often because many of his teammates were injured. He had another successful year, averaging over 23 possessions and kicking 21 goals. He won his sixth club best and fairest award.

500th Goal and Finals (2012–2013)

In Round 7 of the 2012 AFL season, Pavlich kicked his 500th career goal. This made him the first Fremantle player and only the 51st player in VFL/AFL history to reach 500 goals. He kicked 55 goals in the last 13 games of the year. Highlights included kicking 8 goals in a Western Derby and 6 goals in a final against Geelong.

Pavlich had a tough start to the 2013 season. An old Achilles tendon injury came back, and he needed surgery. He was out for 16 weeks. Even without him, Fremantle played well and aimed for a top-four finish.

Pavlich returned in Round 20, kicking two goals. Fremantle made it to the AFL Grand Final for the first time ever! Pavlich played a key role, kicking 3 goals in the preliminary final win against the Sydney Swans. He also kicked 3 goals in the Grand Final, but Fremantle lost to Hawthorn by 15 points.

Milestones and Retirement (2014–2016)

In 2014, Pavlich played his 300th game against the Geelong Cats. In the same match, he reached another milestone, kicking his 600th career goal.

On January 13, 2016, Pavlich stepped down as captain of the Fremantle Football Club after nine seasons. David Mundy took over. Pavlich announced his retirement in July 2016. His last game was in Round 23 against the Western Bulldogs. He said he had "nothing left to give" and felt "quite fulfilled."

In his final game, Fremantle beat the Western Bulldogs by 20 points. Pavlich entered the field with his teammates and family through a special guard of honor made by fans. He kicked a goal in the first quarter to reach 700 career goals. This put him in a special group with only two other players who had played 350 games and kicked 700 goals. After the game, Pavlich ran a final lap to say goodbye to the fans. He then left the field through another guard of honor, this time from current Fremantle and Western Bulldogs players, and past Fremantle players.

Post-Playing Career

After retiring from football, Pavlich started a new career. In April 2018, he became a sports presenter for Nine News Perth on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. In late 2018, he also worked as a correspondent for Nine's Wide World of Sports. He covered the Hopman Cup Tennis tournament in Perth.

Statistics

Honours and Achievements

• Individual Awards
  • All-Australian: 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
  • International Rules Series Player: 2002, 2003
  • Doig Medal (Fremantle's Best & Fairest): 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011
  • Fremantle Leading Goalkicker: 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012
  • Fremantle Captain: 2007–2015
  • Fremantle Life Member: 2006
  • Runner up Coleman Medal: 2007, 2012

• Team Achievements
  • McClelland Trophy (Fremantle) 2015 (as Captain)

Personal Life

In 2009, Matthew Pavlich was in a TV advertisement called "AFL: In a League of its Own." It showed AFL players playing football in funny places around the world.

Pavlich married Lauren O'Shannassy in December 2010. They have a daughter, born in 2013. They also have two sons, born in 2015 and 2016.

Pavlich studied at Sacred Heart College (Adelaide) and the University of Western Australia.

Images for kids

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  Pavlich kicking for goal in 2006