Matthew Pavlich captained the Fremantle Dockers for a decade. In 16 epic seasons and 300-plus games he kicked over 600 goals and won glory, respect and a legion of fans Australia-wide.
Purple Heart is the thrilling, inspirational tale of an Adelaide kid who found himself in the west playing for a fledgling club still learning to fly. It reveals the incredible early struggles Pavlich and his Fremantle teammates faced in those early years and takes us inside the empire that rose from the rubble.
Pavlich tells for the first time why he rejected huge offers from rival clubs to stay loyal to his purple heart and become a one-club man. 'Pav' became the Dockers' games record holder, highest scorer, an all-time great of the modern era, and lifeblood of the AFL powerhouse Fremantle is today.
This is Matthew Pavlich's story - tough, honest, action-packed and heartfelt. Matthew Pavlich is a product of the Woodville-West Torrens Football Club. He was drafted to Fremantle at the end of 1999 and made his AFL debut in 2000, the first of 16 consecutive seasons with the Dockers. A six-time All-Australian, Matthew was a key member of the victorious Australian International Rules squads in 2002 and 2003. Away from football Matthew is married to Lauren and a proud father to Harper and Jack. He has completed a Bachelor of Science undergraduate degree at the University of Western Australia and is currently studying a postgraduate MBA.
