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Dockers' fingers crossed for Pavlich

Dockers' fingers crossed for Pavlich

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon is confident veteran captain Matthew Pavlich will play against Adelaide on Saturday night.

Pavlich was substituted out of the Dockers’ win over North Melbourne last weekend with adductor soreness, but trained freely at Fremantle Oval this morning.

The side will fly to Adelaide this afternoon, with Lyon declaring Pavlich would not be left behind unless he "wasn’t right".

“We’re confident he’ll get through but if something bobs up we obviously wouldn’t play him but, yeah, he’s pretty confident,” he said.

“I spoke to him and said ‘Look, if I’m right, I’ll play. I’ll make the call, there will be no in between. He goes, ‘it won’t be about risk, either I’m right or I’m not.’”

Lyon said the Crows under new coach Phil Walsh presented a significant challenge, despite injuries to some of their key players.

Lyon said he would be broadly supportive if any of his assistant coaches were considering putting their hat in the ring for the vacant Carlton senior coaching position in the wake of Mick Malthouse’s sacking.

“It's not something we have discussed with them but as an organisation we want to grow, whether you are head of commercial operations, no matter what division you are in, we want people to grow and develop their careers and lives,” he said.

“Obviously in coaching it's in the context of our season and our mission that you don't get in the way of that. “So we're supportive ... we will cross that bridge when we come to it. “It is not a discussion that is front of the mind.”

And Lyon was matter of fact about Malthouse’s departure from the game.

“It's self evident what it was - and its over,” he said. “He is one of the great coaches, you cold argue he was the greatest coach.

“We are all going out.

“Your job will end, my job will end, we all move on.

“It's a great media story.

“A coach under pressure is a significant story and the wolves bark and they bay and ultimately the coach goes, so it's no surprise.”