MATTHEW Pavlich's days as Fremantle captain could be numbered with David Mundy and Nat Fyfe among the leading candidates to take over, coach Ross Lyon says.
The Dockers have not made a captaincy change since 2007 with Pavlich leading the club on 187 occasions, including the 2013 Grand Final.
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Only six players, Stephen Kernahan (226 with Carlton), Dick Reynolds (224 with Essendon), Ted Whitten (212 with Footscray), Michael Voss (210 with the Brisbane Lions), Nick Riewoldt (199 with St Kilda) and John Nicholls (188 with Carlton) have captained more games in VFL/AFL history.
But Pavlich, who turns 34 later this month, strongly considered retirement at the end of last season before making a decision in late October to play another season.
Lyon told 3AW on Thursday night that now might be the right time to make a change
"There's no doubt it's on the radar," Lyon said.
"Pav will be thinking about it. The group will make the decision. We've got a couple of big influences outside of Pav, David Mundy in particular and Nat Fyfe.
"Matthew is probably (at a stage) where we're going to be managing his load, so he'll have some challenges.
"But I think the next emerging influences really catch up with Pav.
"It's clearly an opportune time to look at handing over the baton. But will that happen? The players will talk."
The Dockers could turn to David Mundy's sure hands as a new captain. Picture: AFL Media
Leadership consultant Ray McLean will visit the Dockers in January and the players will hold an annual vote on the leadership group and the captain, with each player voting on their top five choices.
Fyfe was added to the leadership group last season alongside Pavlich, Mundy, Aaron Sandilands, Luke McPharlin and Lee Spurr.
McPharlin retired at the end of the season and has just taken up a role as an assistant coach with his old WAFL club East Fremantle.
Lyon also spoke candidly about his desire to give troubled new recruits Harley Bennell and Shane Yarran a second chance at Fremantle.
Bennell was recruited from Gold Coast via a trade and said a dinner with Lyon's family had been a key factor in him choosing Fremantle. He also met with Fremantle pair Michael Johnson and Michael Walters.
Lyon said Bennell deserved a second chance but the former Sun would need to make some adjustments.
"He'll need to make some changes," Lyon said.
"He knows that.
"He's trying to have a different value system for himself around how he prepares and be a role model and try and deliver on that and get some self-esteem on that, as opposed to going out and being with his mates and measuring himself on that.
"We think if he can make those shifts, like Michael Walters did, we could have a very good young player on our hands."
Lyon said Yarran had put together a compelling case for the Dockers to draft him with pick No.61 in the NAB AFL Draft, not just through his football where he dominated for Subiaco over two seasons in the WAFL, but also in rebuilding his life after he was released from a lengthy stint in prison.
"He's done some significant hard yards," Lyon said.
"He'd been catching the train an hour-and-a-half to training and back, working as a plumber's apprentice full-time, has got a young baby and was performing.
"So there was a real consistency outside of his football. If he had not done any of that and (the recruiters) brought him to me, I would've been able to say no. But he's put a strong case that he was trying to build his life and someone said to me you always give someone a second chance, but never a third."
