Fremantle legend Matthew Pavlich beamed as he sat in new colours and declared he was primed and ready to take on one of the biggest jobs in football.

One of the greatest Dockers of all time was unveiled on Wednesday as the new chief executive of powerhouse club Sydney Swans.

“I got drafted 25 years ago and I have been preparing for something like this, by virtue of playing for a long time, going to university, going into business, transitioning into that as well as media,” Pavlich said in Sydney.

“While it’s a big role and it’s quite humbling, I feel really ready and prepared for this as well as I can be, while knowing there is a lot to learn.”

The former Docker is adamant his background in business — where he has co-founded talent and technology brand Launchd and helped develop creative services company PMY Group — had set him up for the role.

“I guess people see me on the tele quite a bit and think that’s what I’ve been doing, but realistically for a decade, I’ve been starting, growing, scaling and running businesses and been at the forefront of that,” Pavlich said.

“I feel comfortable enough as I can be. There will be plenty of unknowns about this role, there will be plenty of things I have to listen and learn from and I said to the staff earlier, the IP, the expertise and the knowledge that is in that room, I am just going to have to absorb.”

The Swans are the AFL’s biggest club in one of its most prized markets. Pavlich takes the role over from former Geelong premiership captain Tom Harley — one of the most respected corporate minds in football — who will become the league’s chief operating officer at the end of the season.

Pavlich will relocate his family to Sydney during a transition period where he works with Harley to take the reigns.

The 700-goal champion will leave his media duties with Channel 9 in Perth to take up the job.

“I’m really confident and lucky to have Tom lead the club over the last decade or so, and really excited to meet everyone and get to work,” Pavlich said.

The 43-year-old said one of his first jobs was to establish himself in Sydney’s uber-competitive sporting markets and work to grow the game in its northern markets.

He also opened up on the “left-field” approach by the Swans, but said he had already put his hat in the ring for a number of recent opportunities.

It is understood that includes the AFL Players’ Association chief executive role vacated by Paul Marsh.

“I got a text message. My wife was away, visiting her brother in New York, and I got a text message early on a Saturday morning, amongst trying to get three kids to different sporting commitments,” Pavlich said.

“I had put my name forward for various opportunities more recently back into the industry. I’m so passionate about the game, I love the game, love footy clubs and so I have been in around some opportunities.”

The only man beaming as much as the West Australian footy icon was highly-regarded Swans chair Andrew Pridham in his matching red tie.

It is a rare external appointment for the Swans, who elevated Harley to the role from his position as general manager of football.

“I think you’ve seen Matthew, you’ve heard him speak and I think everyone knows a fair bit about (him), having watched (him) on television, especially in Perth,” Pridham said.

“Matthew is no stranger to football and business and complex organisations. We have got great confidence. We did an enormous amount of work.

“Tom was fantastic in handing over. Before he accepted the role at the AFL I knew for some time it was a distinct possibility, so we had a long time to think about what we were looking for in a leader of this club.

“Circumstances presented in such a way that we felt it was, in this instance, better to go outside the club.

“We were very keen for our next CEO to have a similar background to Tom, because it has been a great success having Tom at the helm. Matthew’s football pedigree, in addition to his business experience and, importantly his knowledge of the industry through his work on the rules committee, at other clubs in external reviews and of course the AFLPA.

“We’ve got great confidence that he displays every element of what we’re looking for.”

It means Pavlich will be working closely with former western derby rival and first-year Swans coach Dean Cox. The former West Coast ruckman took the reigns at the Swans from John Longmire after the club’s grand final defeat last year.

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir said he was “really proud” of his long-time Dockers teammate, but joked he had been secretive about the move.

“Good luck to him, he’s worked really hard behind the scenes and got a great opportunity in front of him,” he said.

“I don’t know much about it, he’s kept his cards pretty close to his chest. He seems to ask me a lot of questions, I don’t get to ask him too many.

“Really proud of him, and it’s a great opportunity, and I wish him all the best.”