Prospect of Nat-Dusty showdown excites Pav

TWO top picks for this year’s Brownlow Medal will go headto-head on the MCG today as Fremantle captain Nat Fyfe edges closer to his best form.

Averaging 30.6 disposals a game this season – up on his Brownlow-winning year of 2015, when he produced an average of 28.8 – Fyfe ( pictured left), 26, could face off with last year’s winner, Richmond’s Dustin Martin ( right), also 26.

Fyfe’s predecessor as skipper of the Dockers, Matthew Pavlich, believes Fyfe is closing in on career-best form.

Pavlich, the captain between 2007 and 2015, said Fyfe was reaping the benefits of time, having missed all but five games in 2016 after breaking his leg twice in eight months.

“He missed an entire season of footy, had two broken legs and had a long time away from football training – it’s all well and good to train, but when you don’t train as much or if you miss a whole year of footy, it does take a while,” the Fox Footy commentator said.

“He was solid last year – he finished third in the best-andfairest and he was a very good contributor, but he’s really hit his straps so far this year.

“It came off the back of that International Rules series (at the end of last year) as well, where he really had a great series, won the Jim Stynes medal, and he’s really starting to show his best form again.

“He’s such a talented and gifted athlete with his size and ability to run. He’s now put 12 months of really solid training and footy behind him so he’s getting very close to his best.”

When Fyfe took on the captaincy last season, Pavlich said he believed it might take him a little time to “find his groove” and – watching from outside – he believed he was doing just that.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick this week refused to be drawn on whether he was planning a head-to-head battle between Fyfe and Martin.

Pavlich obviously hopes it will happen.

“I grew up watching wonderful battles in the ’90s, whether that was a forward versus a back or gun midfielders going head-to-head,” he said.

“It doesn’t happen that way quite as much anymore, but hopefully they do spend some time on each other.

“It would be two very elite players of the competition going head-to-head – it would be great to watch.”

“He’s such a talented and gifted athlete” MATTHEW PAVLICH