An Open Letter to Matthew Pavlich

[LostDoggy]

To: Matthew Pavlich, Fremantle Dockers Football Club
From: Lantern, Whitten Oval Online Forum
---

Dear Matthew,

Did you watch the gripping preliminary final between the Dogs and the Saints on Friday night? I'm sure you did -- you've always struck me as a football nut. Did you notice how the Dogs were so much better all over the ground than a team that had won 20 of 22 home and away games, and how many extra inside-50s the Dogs had over the Saints, usually a pretty reliable indicator of overall superiority?

Did you notice that most of the Dogs list are in their prime between 23 and 28 (like yourself), have played more than 100 games (like yourself) and have around 3-5 years left of being able to perform at this level (like youself)? If you did (and I'm sure you did) then you would conclude, like most of the rest of the football public, that this is one of the best teams going around, and will be so for a while yet.

Speaking of Friday night, did you also notice a gaping, glaring deficiency in our forward structure? When we were fresh, kicking the ball into the forward 50 was relatively easy, pinpointing one of our many skillful, fast, mobile (and small) forward options. But when the game got a bit tight, or when we got tired, we were kicking these high, looping balls, hoping that someone would take a mark, but we were just a little bit too short in many cases.

And yet, we only lost by a fingernail, despite all that, and the umpires shamelessly protecting this Nick Riewoldt fellow.

Speaking of Nick, are you sick of them talking about his height and atheleticism as if he was the only one of his kind in the competition, always forgetting about you because you don't play for a contender (with all due respect to Freo)? Don't you sometimes think you would be able to do what Nick does if you played with a better team -- heck you do it with Freo on a regular enough basis. If only you played in Melbourne, with a good team.. but more on that later.

On Friday night, watching, did you think that you would be the missing piece in the puzzle for the Dogs, that if you were playing for us, the Dogs would win the next five flags and create a new dynasty? I say five and not ten because you are already 27 and won't be able to play another ten years. Oh, that's right, you are already 27. Do you think Freo will win anything in the next five years? Even you, loyal, loyal Matthew, surely can't imagine that, even in your most optimistic moments. No one will question your loyalty for thinking that, Matthew.. you've given more than any sane person in your position would have for the old "heave-ho".

But maybe it's time to think of yourself? Maybe it's time for you to give Freo the old heave-ho themselves and come to the footballing mecca that is Melbourne. Maybe it's time to get the ubiquitous superstar recognition you truly deserve -- come on, in your heart of hearts you know you're better than Roo, that big softee with the goalkicking yips. Sure, a contending team like the Dogs won't have the same salary cap room than a basketcase like Freo (sorry) but you know that success comes at a price -- do you want to be the best-paid player in a nothing team in a nothing town, or take 70% of your market rate + 5 premierships? I know which one really floats your boat, if I know you well (and I think I do).

We would love you around the place. You would fill a hole in the team, and in our hearts. We will love you forever -- you will become a legend, not just a superstar, with the Dogs. Worried about the fishbowl that is Melbourne? No better place than the Dogs (look what we've done for Aker), family/community team that we are. No better blokes than Johnno, Huddo, Murph, Lakey, Coons et al.

Just think about it. Seriously. Think about Friday night, and look into your heart. You know I'm right. Then, on Monday morning, walk into the Fremantle Dockers' front office and ask for a trade. We only have pick 15 and Andrejs Everitt, but if you really make it clear that you're serious, Freo will take it (even they won't be silly enough to let you go for nothing).

If you still need convincing, just think about this -- when you're 80, with 12 grandchildren on your knee on Christmas day, which would you prefer: to tell them you played your whole career with the same team (some team named "Fremantle" that, along with "University" and "Fitzroy" don't exist anymore), or to let them play with your multiple premiership medallions + two brownlows (you know that players from winning teams get more votes). It really is a no-brainer, when you put it like that.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Red, White and Blue, and many, many years of invites to Legends dinners and Premiership reunions. Cheers!

Yours truly,
Lantern
Whitten Oval Online Forum
[All comments are personal opinion and not authorised by the Western Bulldogs, WOOF, or any related entity. I have James Fantasia's email address though, Matthew, if you're interested]

[AndrewP6]

Nice... not sure about two Brownlows though...we'd have to chuck him into the midfield..

[LostDoggy]

I love it Lantern.

Please send it to Fremantle..

See if you get any kind of reply

[LostDoggy]

Nice... not sure about two Brownlows though...we'd have to chuck him into the midfield..

We'll see -- if Roo comes close tomorrow night Pav can win it with us. And we'll just rotate him through forward and midfield anyway if he decides to throw his lot in with us.

[FrediKanoute]

Lantern, spot on......if only footballer's thought like that!

[boydogs]

Then, on Monday morning, walk into the Fremantle Dockers' front office and ask for a trade. We only have pick 15 and Andrejs Everitt, but if you really make it clear that you're serious, Freo will take it (even they won't be silly enough to let you go for nothing).

In fact, Matthew, let them know they could have a replacement full forward in Scott Welsh, a gut running long kicking 200 gamer in Nathan Eagleton and brownlow medal winner in Jason Akermanis as well, such is our appreciation for your ability. That should replace the experience they are losing in trading you away, and free some room in our salary cap to reward you handsomely for your efforts. Being in Melbourne is sure to bring you more endorsement deals as well as you get the profile you so richly deserve

[The Coon Dog]

If footballers thought like that, Chris Grant would have won a flag with Port Adelaide.

We carp on about Nathan Brown who left the club that drafted him because he wanted to play in finals, but shamelessly ask Pavlich to do likewise.

Nathan Brown may not be the best comparasin, but you get my drift.

I'm a bit of a traditionalist at heart & like to see players end their careers where they started. I hated seeing Dougy play for Fitzroy!

Imagine reading a similar letter, maybe not as compelling in the rationale, but advocating a change of clubs for Brian Lake. It would annoy the crap out of you.

Nice sentiment Lantern, but I can't see it happening.

[comrade]

Does anyone else get the sense we're gearing up for a really aggressive trade week?

We're shopping Dre around for best value, which says to me that we have a big target in mind, and if we secure another first rounder, we'll use our first 2 picks as trade bait.

[Desipura]

Does anyone else get the sense we're gearing up for a really aggressive trade week?

We're shopping Dre around for best value, which says to me that we have a big target in mind, and if we secure another first rounder, we'll use our first 2 picks as trade bait.

I do, Fantasia said as much in yesterdays paper. The window may only be open for a year or so........

[bulldogtragic]

Does anyone else get the sense we're gearing up for a really aggressive trade week?

We're shopping Dre around for best value, which says to me that we have a big target in mind, and if we secure another first rounder, we'll use our first 2 picks as trade bait.

I'm expecting a big and interesting week. I think we have a big target in mind, not sure who. But it wil be fun to speculate for a few weeks.

[comrade]

Unable to sleep last night and thinking about the inkling I have about us being big players in trade week, I cam up a crazy (yet possibly plausible) scenario.

If our salary cap wasn’t such an issue, Pav would be the perfect target.

Everitt goes for a first rounder (let’s say pick 11 from Carlton), leaving us with pick 11 & 15.

On trade them to Fremantle along with a young player (I’m thinking Josh Hill) and see if they’re interested.

Trade week could see us do the following:

Everitt to Carlton = pick 11

Pick 11 + 15 + Hill to Fremantle = Pavlich

Pick 60 + Guy O’Keefe to Sydney = Hall

OUT
Andrejs Everitt
Josh Hill
Guy O’Keefe
Pick 15
Pick 60

IN
Matthew Pavlich
Barry Hall
Pick 30
Pick 45
Pick 75


If the above played out (and with our cap it won’t happen), are we selling our future in a boom or bust type endeavour, or is this the perfect time to do it?

It doesn’t leave our recruiting team with much to pay with does it.

Would love to hear people’s thoughts (please refrain from calling we a kook though )

[bulldogtragic]

^^^^

Barry Hall trade seems about correct weight.

Carlton going with pick 11 is a little high, the Saints pick 16 or 17 could be agoer though. But for argument sake, perhaps add in our pick 30 and getting C. Cloke and it's fairer. Then we also have cover for the ruck. With Skip and Dre gone, we need some cover.

Gives us 3 talls who can play forward, and can also one ruck. That would cover our trading aims most likely and only leaves us a few speculative picks, perhaps Majak? Although I just can't see Pavlich going anywhere...

[LostDoggy]

If footballers thought like that, Chris Grant would have won a flag with Port Adelaide..

And would anyone have truly begrudged him? Besides, times have changed -- Judd and Cousins, as dyed in the wool West Coast as they come, have both changed clubs; we throw players around in trade week like rag dolls, and many who don't get traded get cut, and we talk about loyalty? Players have been changing clubs towards the end of their careers for a bit of potential success for eons.

We carp on about Nathan Brown who left the club that drafted him because he wanted to play in finals, but shamelessly ask Pavlich to do likewise..

Nathan Brown only said he left because he wanted to play finals. He left for the money. Pav would be coming here for LESS money.. the motivation would be for success. Very different scenario.

I'm a bit of a traditionalist at heart & like to see players end their careers where they started. I hated seeing Dougy play for Fitzroy!

Sorry to break this to you, but trading has been going on for a while -- heck, didn't Barass change clubs?

Dougy was stupid to go to Fitzroy, a nothing club with nothing to play for at the time. I said it at the time -- why destroy your reputation for no return? I'm not advocating for the same -- in the same scenario it would have made sense for Dougy to go to Hawthorn (or Geelong), and at least it would have been a rational decision. Love him, but not the sharpest tool in the shed, Dougie.

Imagine reading a similar letter, maybe not as compelling in the rationale, but advocating a change of clubs for Brian Lake. It would annoy the crap out of you...

The bolded bit is the key isn't it? You don't just change clubs for the heck of it, or for the wrong reasons -- I doubt ANYONE (except maybe Freo management) would blame Pav for advocating for a move. Plenty of players (ROK etc) agitate for a move -- look at our own Everitt etc.

Brian is a terrible example. He (or his management at least) has been hanging the spectre of a trade over us ALL YEAR to ensure the best deal for Brian at the Dogs. Do you think he'll be staying if:

a. We weren't paying him some semblance of the market rate, or
b. We weren't as close to a flag as we are? If we were near the bottom, Geelong/Hawthorn came for him, and we were unwilling to pay him close to market rate, do you think he would be playing for us next year?

---

I, too, am a traditionalist (if you read my letter carefully you'll see that much, if not all of it, is about tradition). I am also a pragmatist. You don't win premierships by sentiment.

[LostDoggy]

Let's face it, Freo is finally doing the hard yards and are recruiting for youth to build a premiership side. Trouble is they have decided to do that when this is the last uncompromised draft before GC and WS come into the competition. Two first yound draft picks and young Everitt might be enticing, as Pav will be too old to play by the time they get around to seriously challenging for the flag.

[Desipura]

Unable to sleep last night and thinking about the inkling I have about us being big players in trade week, I cam up a crazy (yet possibly plausible) scenario.

If our salary cap wasn’t such an issue, Pav would be the perfect target.

Everitt goes for a first rounder (let’s say pick 11 from Carlton), leaving us with pick 11 & 15.

On trade them to Fremantle along with a young player (I’m thinking Josh Hill) and see if they’re interested.

Trade week could see us do the following:

Everitt to Carlton = pick 11

Pick 11 + 15 + Hill to Fremantle = Pavlich

Pick 60 + Guy O’Keefe to Sydney = Hall

OUT
Andrejs Everitt
Josh Hill
Guy O’Keefe
Pick 15
Pick 60

IN
Matthew Pavlich
Barry Hall
Pick 30
Pick 45
Pick 75


If the above played out (and with our cap it won’t happen), are we selling our future in a boom or bust type endeavour, or is this the perfect time to do it?

It doesn’t leave our recruiting team with much to pay with does it.

Would love to hear people’s thoughts (please refrain from calling we a kook though )

I like your thinking, I often do the same about player trades.
I read not too long ago that Pav was going to talk Hasleby into staying (succeeded) so I highly doubt Pav is going anywhere.

I would seriously look at the following:

trade our 4th pick & Addison for Hall

Everitt to the highest bidder, say it is a late 1st round.


We then have picks 15 & say 17.

Trade 2nd round pick for Spangher

Trade pick 17 for Walker and

hope to pick up a Jetta or Matera type with pick 15.

We would then have addressed:
our key forward issue short term with Hall
long term with an exciting forward in Walker
our CHB issue with Spangher
our goalsneak with a Jetta or Matera.
What do you think?