Hail to the Kings: Pavlich deserved the same respect as the other milestone men

As you’d all be aware, Mark Robinson covered himself in glory on AFL 360 a few days back by opening a short interview with Matthew Pavlich with a gem.

“Do you take that as incredibly insulting when someone like me says it’s sad seeing Pav playing the way he’s playing?”

First of all, what is up with the phrasing? Did he not have the chutzpah to say it directly?

Robinson then rehashed some criticism made of Pavlich by a former Dock… no, wait, it was by a former St Kilda coach – Grant Thomas – made several years ago.

What’s that? Pavlich never played for St Kilda? No kidding.

Apparently the coach of a rival club had some insight so amazing that it is still relevant years later, on the occasion of the player’s 350th game.

Secondly, journalists shouldn’t shy away from asking tough or awkward questions – it is what we do for a living – but when you ask someone on for a short interview about their 350th game, do you open with “So, are you insulted that I think you’re a s**t player now?” and then rehash some criticism from Grant Thomas?

Thirdly – yes, Pavlich’s leg speed isn’t what it used to be. But in 2015 his leg speed wasn’t what it used to be either. Maybe it’s because he turned 33 at the end of 2014 and since he stopped playing as a midfielder years ago, it’s not that big a deal.

Maybe he’s not kicking as many goals because his team is playing really awful football and only go into their forward 50 46 times a match, and it’s usually delivered appallingly.

Yes, it’s Pavlich’s last season. Yes, he’s not as quick as he used to be. But the truth is, he’s still one of the best two tall forwards at Fremantle this season, if not the best. Maybe that’s a bit damning of Fremantle at this stage, but the man deserves his place in the side and to be accorded a bit of respect.

Channel Seven, in cutting away from the Sydney match early and failing to broadcast Pavlich being carried from the field aloft the shoulders of his teammates, applauded by the crowd and the Swans, showed a total lack of appreciation of the occasion.

The other grand veterans got the treatment they deserved this round.

To paraphrase Ze’ev Jabotinsky, I look upon Corey Enright with the same instinctive love and true fervour that any Aztec looked upon his Mexico or any Sioux looked upon his prairie.

The man is an icon of his club and of the game.

The Geelong record he broke on Friday night with his 326th game had stood since 1983. He and Matthew Scarlett were the most important two stones of the Great Wall on which the Cats built a dynasty. He has a preposterous tally of playing honours.

Jimmy Bartel is a living saint. His 300th was rightfully lauded and celebrated.

And what more can be said about Brent Harvey? As Ivan Drago said of Rocky Balboa “he’s not human – he is a piece of iron”. There’s nothing to indicate Harvey can’t play on next season and be just as good as he is now. It’s just bloody extraordinary.

Enright, Bartel and Harvey all have premierships to their name. Pavlich doesn’t – but neither did Bob Skilton. Pavlich never won a Brownlow, but neither did Leigh Matthews or Gary Ablett Snr.

Pavlich’s 350 games includes playing slightly less than half his regular season matches, and almost every final he’s played, bookended by four-hour flights. As a former FIFO worker, I can tell you that it wears you down.

Saying he is a six-times All Australian player doesn’t really cut it. In 2002 he was the All-Aus fullback. In 2003? Half forward flank. Two years later – centre half forward. In 2007 he was named at full forward.

What other players have been All Australians multiple times, in defence, the guts and in the forward line?

Despite spending plenty of time in defence and the midfield, and despite the Dockers having many disappointing seasons during his career, Pavlich is now approaching 700 career goals.

His 350 games means as much as Bartel’s 300 or Enright’s 326. And, under the circumstances, it’s not far off the stature of the elite 400 club.

There was a certain parochial myopia applied to Pavlich’s milestone by some in the game’s capital, and that’s a pity. From wherever you stand, it’s clear to see he’s a giant of the game.