FREMANTLE captain Matthew Pavlich says he was never close to leaving the club where he started his decorated career, finally ending speculation about his future with a new four-year deal.

After only a few weeks of smooth negotiations between Fremantle and player manager Dan Richardson, Pavlich signed a four-year contract extension on Wednesday morning that will tie him to the club until the end of the 2014 season.

Pavlich said he was happy and relieved that negotiations were out of the way as Fremantle prepares for a do-or-die semi final against Geelong at the MCG on Friday night.

“There’s always going to be rumour and innuendo around until you actually sign [and] this puts everything to bed,” Pavlich said from Subiaco Oval on Wednesday afternoon.

“We really only formally engaged in discussions a short time ago … and as a matter of course it went along really smoothly. This morning it was finalised.

“It’s been entirely consistent all along with the timeframe we put in place all the way back 12 months ago.

“[I’m] really happy with the process, really happy with the outcome. I hope the Freo faithful are happy as well.”

The 28-year-old’s new deal, which will ensure he finishes his career as a one-club player, ends speculation that Pavlich was considering a lucrative offer from new franchise Gold Coast. 

Significantly, Pavlich will qualify for veteran status in 2012, meaning half of his wage will fall outside of the salary cap. However, he denied he was the club’s first $1 million a season player.

Pavlich said the prospect of sustained success with Fremantle, which has climbed from 14th in 2009 and into the semi-finals, factored in his decision.

“Seeing the young guys come through in the previous couple of years has certainly given me a significant amount of hope towards the end of my career,” he said. 

“Every player wants to be involved in sustained success and that’s certainly the paramount focus that I have.

“I know this young group is so driven and motivated to gain that sustained success.”

Pavlich was also hopeful that as the side’s young midfielders develop he would be able to play out his career as a permanent forward, relinquishing the physically demanding time he currently spends in the midfield. 

“I’ve been hoping for that role for a long time - a lot more up forward than in the midfield - but that’s the tyranny of our position in the last couple of years,” he said. 

“We’ve had a number of guys developing and becoming better equipped at that role in the midfield.

“When those guys - (Nick) Suban, (Stephen) Hill, (Michael) Barlow etc - keep maturing and getting better in those roles, hopefully they can kick it to me.”

Fremantle last week re-signed key youngsters Hill, Greg Broughton, Matt de Boer, Alex Silvagni, Dylan Roberton and Jesse Crichton.

However, star defender Chris Tarrant and midfielder David Mundy, who was named in the 40-man All-Australian squad, are yet to commit to the club.