MATTHEW PAVLICH - A LEADER AMONG LEADERS

A member of the club since 1999 and Fremantle’s captain since 2007, Matthew Pavlich is well-positioned to comment about the evolution of the leadership group.

Back when Pavlich began his career, there was no leadership group.

“We had joint captains, Shaun McManus and Adrian Fletcher, and from memory there were one or two
assistants,” he said.

“The leadership group in a sense was Shaun and Adrian, and there were probably a couple of senior players who took charge at various stages throughout the year.

“It has changed quite a bit.” Pavlich said that leadership groups came into vogue around 2002 and 2003.

“They were still very much in the formation of it back then and I don’t think it really started to have the cut through, not only here at Fremantle but at other clubs throughout the AFL, until around 2004, 5, and 6,” he said.

“There were a few programs introduced that really started to engage the playing group a bit more, and the football club, to account to a set of behaviours and a real strong trademark.”

Pavlich said how a typical week pans out for the leadership group has changed slightly this year compared
to the past.

“The weekly meetings we have are on a bit more of a needs basis, compared to having it scheduled in every week,” he said.

And, unlike in the past, each member of the group does not have a set-role.

“It’s more all encompassing and making sure that what we really value and how we want each player to behave, we hold them to account, and we do that well ourselves on and off the field.”

Pavlich said, as captain, he had to ensure that the leadership group was at the forefront of moulding a virtuous club culture for generations to come.

“Other than modelling the best behaviours as best as I can and ensuring that I challenge my teammates to continually model that behaviour, I think it’s really an opportunity for me to push the group that I sit with,” he said.

“I have to ensure a really strong sense of leadership and behavioural standards are left behind.”