Fremantle coach Ross Lyon admits Matthew Pavlich's decision to play at least one more AFL season poses potential issues for the development of successors.
Pavlich remains Fremantle's best tall forward option at age 32, with 30 goals in 14 matches this season and 613 goals in his 305-game career.
However, Lyon is keenly aware Fremantle need to find who will be the club's key targets in attack for the next decade - and they must learn to flourish without Pavlich sooner or later.
Scott Gumbleton was recruited from Essendon as a potential short-term fix, but suffered a serious hamstring injury on the eve of the season and hasn't found any form in the WAFL to warrant selection.
Matt Taberner, Michael Apeness and Tanner Smith are three Lyon will be looking at to take over from Pavlich long-term.
Taberner has now played seven AFL games for four goals while managing 29 goals in 19 WAFL matches.
Rookie Apeness has impressed with Peel Thunder, kicking 12 goals from 10 matches and made his AFL debut in Fremantle's win over Melbourne in Darwin on Saturday night.
Smith hasn't had a good look at it the last two years because of injury but will come into calculations if he stays healthy.
Lyon knows their emergence must be factored in after Pavlich announced on Tuesday he'll play on in 2015.
"It can be good because he can help mentor and grow them, but he can also get in the way potentially," Lyon said.
"The only way you can improve is to play and I think when next year comes we will worry about it, but Matthew's form has entitled him to go on.
"It can be good because he can help protect them a little bit and carry the load, but it could be hard to fit them all in when maybe they deserve it.
"That will be the challenge going forward."
Pavlich also flagged the possibility of handing on the captaincy in 2015, likely to one of David Mundy, Nat Fyfe or Michael Barlow, but Lyon was quick to point out that won't be his decision.
"It's not Matthew's to hand over, let's be really clear on that," Lyon said.
"Our player group nominate their captain by vote and it's a public vote. That takes care of any conversations around it by me, Matthew, our president, our CEO.
"That's the way we do it."
As for Sunday's clash with the GWS Giants at Patersons Stadium, Lyon expects another key piece of his defence to return with Michael Johnson likely back from a knee injury.
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