ROSS Lyon has used his post-match press conference to heap praise on Fremantle star Matthew Pavlich, whose 300th game inspired the home side to a comfortable victory over Geelong.
Flanked by his captain, Lyon said it was difficult to say whether Fremantle’s barnstorming start to the game could be attributed to the hype created by Pavlich’s milestone.
But he said the build-up to the game had been well handled.
“I think we acknowledged it in the right way during the week,” Lyon said.
“Matthew's family was in pre-game, which we do for all milestone games. It's an emotional time because they raise Matthew and he can talk to what they've done in his football life and journey. But it was really important we didn't over excite on the arousal curve. It was a pretty calm, calculated pre-game with players and coaches.
“The emotion wasn't going to get it done, the only thing that was going to get it done was action, and we got into action all night tonight. So from that end it was really pleasing.”
Pavlich nailed the first goal of the game from a tight angle after less than a minute and finished with three goals from 16 disposals.
Lyon said the early touch had helped.
“Yeah I don't believe in omens, but if you did, you'd probably think, ‘Gee, that's not a bad one’',” Lyon said.
“Come out of the middle and hit him on the chest, and from an acute angle, bring all his skill to life. It was a fantastic start to the game.”
Pavlich said the week leading up to the game had been overwhelming.
“I was very humbled and at times embarrassed by the football club, the fans and the industry in general,” he said.
“We operate in such a fantastic industry because the amount of people that got to me throughout the week from opposing sides, just the industry in general, it was extremely humbling.
“To go out and play the way we did - to be able to get the four points and play in the manner that we did was extremely pleasing.”
Pavlich said he had told his teammates to focus on getting back to their best football.
“I said it's not about me. I said that no matter what they're feeling, the emotion and what they were getting their motivating factor from, it wasn't about that,” Pavlich said.
“It was about us getting back to our best footy. And I wanted to pretty quickly deflect back towards us playing our brand. I thought early that was somewhere near our best.”
Lyon said his side had won most of the statistical categories that mattered in what was a high-tempo game.
But he said he would call the AFL this week to ask for an explanation about one umpiring decision in which Joel Selwood was awarded a free kick for being bumped over the boundary line by Ryan Crowley even though it appeared Crowley had been thrown into Selwood by Steve Johnson.
Lyon also paid tribute to Geelong for forming a guard of honour for Pavlich as he left the ground.
