GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - JULY 23: Head coach, Ross Lyon of the Dockers speaks to his players during the 2016 AFL Round 18 match between the Gold Coast Suns and the Fremantle Dockers at Metricon Stadium on July 23, 2016 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Matt Roberts/AFL Media)
Former Fremantle and St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has revealed one of his best sprays at the expense of Dockers great Matthew Pavlich.
Speaking to AFL Media, a back and fourth with Pavlich during a clash with the Gold Coast Suns is the spray that stood out most for Lyon during his time as coach.
“I think we were playing the Gold Coast 2012 and they’d hardly won a game in that period when they were just starting out. At half-time we were down, so I thought ‘I’ll start at the top’,” Lyon said.
“So I looked at Pav (Matthew Pavlich) and I said: ‘Mate, you look pristine.’
“I said: ‘Mate, you’re pristine, look at ya!’ A few adjectives (then): ‘Not a bead of sweat on ya, jumper’s immaculate, socks up, tucked in.’
“You know, I went on a bit and you could see all the other players going on: ‘He’s hitting up Pav’
“I said: ‘How about you dig in?’ And Pav, to his credit, just went ‘yep, yep, yep’.
“And they went out and I felt sick and I think we won by a kick.”
Then, Lyon revealed an shocking twist to the story.
“Then ‘Bondy ‘(Chris Bond) the footy operations manager came up afterwards and he goes: ‘You know Pav had a shower and changed and dressed at half-time!’” Lyon said.