NEW SYDNEY CEO Matthew Pavlich admits a Saturday morning text message enquiring about his interest in the vacant position caught him off guard as he transported his three kids between sporting venues but says it's the kind of job he's been preparing for his whole life.
Pavlich's football resume is unmatched by many while his work with the AFLPA, AFL rules committee and media background has him well versed on every area of the game.
Sydney's announcement of the Fremantle legend as its next CEO may still have caught a few by surprise but the 43-year-old is adamant his business background, coupled with a double degree, has him well placed for the role he says was too alluring for him to not make the giant leap.
"Everything (attracted him to the job). Big brand, big city, successful club, great culture. And a professional adventure for me and step up for me which not only am I ready for but my family is as well," he said.
"It's humbling and exciting and it's an honour that I absolutely understand. I know it's a huge task but I'm certainly up for it.
"People see me on the telly a bit and think that's what I've been doing but for the last decade I've been running, scaling and growing businesses. So, jack of all trades, master of one but I feel as comfortable as I can be.
"There'll be plenty of unknowns. I said to the staff earlier, the expertise and knowledge in that room I'm just going to have to absorb. That's the beauty of the people we have here at the Swans, the culture is strong and there's great stability off the field and we're hoping to quickly get back that on-field success as well."
One of Pavlich's first task will be to try to turn Sydney back into a premiership contender from as soon as next year.
That will include an active role in player recruitment as rumours continue to circle that the Swans are set to be massive trade period players.
"What I would hope is that we aspire to get the best possible people into our footy club so I hope those murmurs are true," he said.
Pavlich admitted he had been looking to pivot away from the media and had been exploring similar football executive roles in recent times as he looked to get back into the club-specific area of the industry.
In line with that the Swans admit they were keen for the person replacing long-time CEO Tom Harley – who is moving to work for the AFL - to have a similar background to the Geelong great.
"The training which they've had is similar. We've got great confidence that Matthew has all of the skills to take the club forward and he'll be a great success," said Swans chairman Andrew Pridham.
A major learning curve for Pavlich as he settles into the role will be understanding the greater footy landscape in New South Wales and the challenges that come with that as the Swans try to enhance their standing as one of the biggest sporting brands in the state.
"On my radar straight away is to ingratiate myself with the team here but also the broader community, the corporate community, our fans our members, get to know them and get to understand what they hope the club aspires to," he said.
"Coming from two non-Victorian states (South Australia and then Western Australia) we share that in common which is a good start. We know the game here needs to continue to grow and I look forward to getting stuck into that. Sydney's a great club, it's a great brand here. It's got record membership, fans flock to the games week in week out but we need to keep growing the game here in Sydney and in the northern states full stop and it's something I'm looking forward to getting suck into."
One area of familiarity though will be the head coach Dean Cox, who Pavlich duelled with for close to 15 years in WA.
"'Coxy' and I, we have similar noses which is a good start," Pavlich said.
"I had a great rivalry with Coxy and West Coast on the field. I've always admired how he went about it. He's made some tough choices off the field by coming to Sydney and staying in Sydney so it's nice to have a flavour in the west here in Sydney.
"It's going to be (their relationship) absolutely crucial to the team's success. I'm here to support Dean and the broader football department to get the best out them so they can have success on the field."
