MATTHEW Pavlich says he offered to retire earlier in the season after Fremantle's horror start, but Dockers coach Ross Lyon and football manager Chris Bond asked him to play out the year as planned.
Pavlich, Lyon and Bond have been in constant dialogue about his future ever since he made the decision to play on for one more season late in 2015.
But when the Dockers slumped to 0-5, with star trio Nat Fyfe, Aaron Sandilands and Michael Johnson all sidelined with significant injuries, Pavlich said he considered retiring immediately to allow younger players the opportunity to develop.
But Lyon and Bond both told him to continue and he is keen to see the season out.
"I went to Ross and Bondy, quite early in the season," Pavlich said.
"We obviously weren't going that well and it's certainly not in my character to step out and check out.
"But I said to them, 'Is it time for some other younger kids to play and if that's the case let's shake hands and walk away.'
"But amongst us all we committed to a play and we're going to stick to that and that's certainly to see the season out."
Pavlich said he was always fully committed to playing the entire season and never wanted to abandon ship. But he was conscious of holding back others if the club needed to begin its rebuild immediately.
"It's not in my DNA to flick the bails," Pavlich said.
"I was in and I was willing to stay the entire time and that's essentially what we came to.
"But given the position we found ourselves in over the last four years, contending, like it or not we weren't doing that early in the season.
"We didn't get those results early. It was more of a conversation to, 'Is it now time to really restump or restart?' or whatever words Ross used.
"But the three of us committed that I'm in and let's see the season out."
Pavlich will not travel to Metricon Stadium this week to face Gold Coast. He sits on 349 games but he will play his 350th game against the Sydney Swans at home in round 19.
"That's the plan," Pavlich said.
"I certainly find some of those longer trips a bit more challenging these days, so no trip to the Gold Coast and then, bar any unforeseen injuries or any events, play 350 against the Swans.
"I think for everyone it's a better result. But if it was in Adelaide or Melbourne, some of those shorter trips, you can start to look at that.
"But I think the ideal scenario for everyone was that it would be here in Perth."
The Dockers' injury list continues to grow. Michael Barlow was ruled out for the season on Monday after requiring shoulder surgery. Hayden Ballantyne will also be sidelined for an extended period with a fractured cheekbone.
But Pavlich said those injuries did not force him to reconsider playing against the Suns this week.
