Fremantle legend Matthew Pavlich will be inducted into the WA Football Hall of Fame in a ceremony at the Sandover Medal on Tuesday 28 September.
The WAFC confirmed on Friday that the 353-game player would be one of the inductees at the event, which will combine the WA Football Hall of Fame and the Sandover Medal count for the first time
The WA Football Hall of Fame was established in 2004 to recognise and honour players, coaches, umpires, administrators and media representatives that have made a significant contribution to the game of Australian Football in WA.
The six-time Doig Medallist and All-Australian became the first player from a Western Australian-based club to reach 300 AFL games and retired as the greatest player in Fremantle’s history.
He joins fellow Fremantle players Peter Bell, Ben Allan and Paul Hasleby as inductees as well as inaugural coach Gerard Neesham.
Pavlich told The West Australian that he saw the honour as a ‘great privilege’.
“I am a great traditionalist and I love looking back at great players and great people within our game,” Pavlich said.
“I have always had a keen eye on history, no matter whether it was growing up in South Australian and looking at the VFL or AFL or now looking at WA.
“To be recognised in this company is a great privilege and a serious honour.”
Fremantle president Dale Alcock said the Club was proud of Pavlich’s ongoing legacy from his 17 years at Fremantle.
“Matthew Pavlich’s impact at the Fremantle Dockers is without peer and we see him as a more than worthy inductee into the WA Football Hall of Fame,” Alcock said.
“A true measure of a champion player is their ability to consistently play well in big games and regularly influence the outcome of matches by imposing their sheer brilliance on the contest, of which there is no question Matthew did throughout his 353-game career with Fremantle.
“The selection criteria required players that displayed integrity, sportsmanship and character and Matthew’s reputation in all three areas is universally acknowledged as being of the highest order.
“He continues to be the gold standard as a role model - both during and after his playing career – and we couldn’t hope for a more outstanding advocate and ambassador, not only for the Fremantle Football Club, but the game itself.”
Honours: Fremantle Club Champion (Doig Medal) 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011; Fremantle Captain 2007-2015; Fremantle Leading Goalkicker eight times, All-Australian 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008; Ross Glendinning Medal 2008 x2, 2012; Geoff Christian Medal 2002, 2005, 2008; AFL Dream Team 2008; AFLPA Madden Medal 2016; Fremantle Life Member 2006; AFL Life Member 2013.
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