The Freo captain said he and the club had already mapped out a plan for his return to full-scale competition.
“We’re looking at one or two NAB Cup games at this stage, which is similar to what I’ve had in the past,” he said.
Pavlich said the period before Christmas would be vital in his rehabilitation.
“I’ve got to make sure that I recover firstly from the surgery, and that I do everything right so that I’m out with the boys on the track early January,” he said.
Pavlich admitted he had carried the back ailment, along with Achilles and hip issues, throughout the 2012 season.
“I was able to get through it and we thought rest was going to be the right approach in the off-season,” he said.
“I began running and doing some weights, but it just wasn’t right. We tried some less invasive methods, which unfortunately didn’t get the job done.
“We got to the decision to have the procedure, and it was an easy decision because it was the only thing left to make it perfect.”
Pavlich said he had taken heart from a similar pre-season in 2005, in which he had also undergone surgery.
“I had two lots of surgery immediately post season, and then began training and got sore and hurt myself, then had another lot of surgery prior to Christmas,” he said.
“Fortunately, I went out and played a relatively strong season and got through the entire year with my body in good shape.
“That gives me a huge amount of confidence that I can go into 2013 with exactly the same approach.”
Pavlich credited his meticulous preparation over the duration of his career for helping him stay out on the park, year after year.
“The diligence to the program and my preparation, I think that’s important to me being able to get through the career to this point,” he said.
He also credited the club’s fitness and medical staff.
“Our strength and conditioning staff, matched with our medicos, we believe are elite by AFL standards. I back them in completely to make sure that, come round 1, I’ll be ready and raring to go.”
