It says lots about Joel Selwood as an individual that Geelong coach Chris Scott selected to mirror extra on his selflessness than his profession achievements after the Cats skipper introduced his retirement on Wednesday.
Selwood’s embellished profession throughout a Geelong-record 355 senior matches contains virtually each achievement an AFL participant may get pleasure from: 4 premierships, six All-Australian choices (together with three as captain), three membership greatest and fairest awards and a Rising Star nod to call just some.
Captaining the Cats to their tenth premiership this season merely added icing to the cake.
However as spectacular because the accolades are, Scott supplied larger reward for Selwood’s present of character throughout his 16 seasons with the Cats.
He felt working with Selwood was like profitable the “footy lottery” for the group.
“The factor that frequently struck me about Joel was his potential to look after others and prioritise others,” Scott stated at Wednesday’s media convention saying Selwood’s retirement.
In accordance with Scott, this shone by way of on the eve of the Cats’ finals marketing campaign, when Selwood selected to not publicly announce his determination to retire, regardless of having made up his thoughts six weeks in the past.
“Even when the chance got here to him to take a little bit of the limelight, his precedence was to verify his determination did not negatively affect anybody else,” Scott stated.
“He spoke rather well … to the remainder of the enjoying group round the necessity to hold [the decision] from everybody so they might prioritise the group efficiency going right into a finals sequence.”
Scott has now gained two premierships as a coach, which sit alongside the pair of flags he gained as a participant with the Brisbane Lions.
All through his profession in Australian guidelines soccer, Scott has proven he isn’t keen on hyperbole, which is why his summation of the place Selwood stands in AFL and Cats historical past is price noting.
“In my view … once you take all the things into consideration he’s the perfect participant I’ve ever seen and the perfect consultant of the Geelong footy membership that you might attainable think about,” he stated.
‘Unbeatable in the mean time’
Whereas Selwood did afford himself the chance to look again over his profession throughout Wednesday’s media convention, he nonetheless made positive the perfect pursuits of the Geelong Soccer Membership had been on the forefront of his thoughts.
He’ll miss enjoying for the Cats, however he is aware of they should forge a future with out his inspirational management.
“There’s simply a lot good footy in entrance of those guys they usually’re doing it with ease they usually’re doing it collectively they usually’re loving enjoying with one another,” Selwood stated.
“The magic potion, everybody’s in search of it, however it’s not all the time simple to do what they’re doing.
“They’re principally unbeatable in the mean time.”
Selwood additionally had some comforting recommendation for whoever faces the daunting job of changing him as Cats skipper.
“Have enjoyable. Have enjoyable,” he stated.
Selwood is the third consecutive Geelong captain to retire after profitable a premiership, following within the footsteps of Tom Harley (2009) and Cameron Ling (2011).
He’s the one Cats participant to win 4 flags and holds the VFL/AFL file for many finals appearances.