Click to watch Pavlich’s courageous act on YouTube.
While he managed a match-winning six goals, it was a play in the third quarter in which Matthew Pavlich performed his most telling act at the MCG on Saturday.
Knowing how important this game was to the club, the captain set the tone for his younger teammates to follow from the early stages.
But anyone wondering how the terms courage and leadership-by-example would look in real motion should watch Pavlich compete in a two-on-one marking contest in the third quarter when Freo were down 55-54 with a minute to go.
He knew it was going to hurt, but the Freo skipper fearlessly threw his body into the two Tigers, causing a spillage.
With Freo's attacking 50 now wide open, Matt de Boer picked up the ball, handed off to Tendai Mzungu and kept running.
Mzungu drew the player and passed the footy to de Boer, who marked and goaled to give Freo the important lead going into the final quarter.
It’s these great efforts that Ross Lyon has asked for all season long.
On Saturday, his captain stood up and showed the team exactly what their coach expects.
Pav's best goal not necessarily off his own boot
Matthew Pavlich was brilliant with six goals, but his most telling act may have created, rather than kicked a goal
