Toast The Joel Selwood Stand

[calder_daddy]

Reckon Frank Costa, Brian Cook, Tom Harley, Mark Thompson, and Chris Scott might have had an oar in as well.

No argument with Costa and possible Cook but Selwood is streets ahead of those others.
If people mention Harley, they may as well mention Ling.
Just you stock standard good captain

 

[Partridge]

No argument with Costa and possible Cook but Selwood is streets ahead of those others.
If people mention Harley, they may as well mention Ling.
Just you stock standard good captain

We differ in our views.

He completely turned around the onfield culture of the club, and for the first time in anyone's memory had the guts to actually impose discipline on the playing group. Seemed to work too.

Three seasons as captain for two premierships and a runners-up. If that's stock standard I'd love to see what constitutes good.

For me the best captain we've had at Geelong in my lifetime by a long, long way.

 

[Partridge]

So you are yet to give us your name for the new stand

If it was up to me? Easy. Gary Ablett.

Rename the terrace to any number of other worthy candidates.

(cue the outrage and moral indignation in one, two, three...)

 

[Partridge]

Costa-Cook stand
They were there when the club was at its lowest ebb and actively worked on every aspect of the club to make it what it is today

Still prefer it was named after a player - it is a football club still.

But not the worst idea.

 

[Sttew]

If it was up to me? Easy. Gary Ablett.

Rename the terrace to any number of other worthy candidates.

(cue the outrage and moral indignation in one, two, three...)

No outrage. Even though I rate GAS as the best player I have seen he comes with too much baggage to warrant a stand being named after him, IMO.

 

[cats_09]

Still prefer it was named after a player - it is a football club still.

But not the worst idea.

Except:

• The Stadium isn't owned by the football club; the GFC is a tenant
• The GFC didn't name the new stand

That's why the cricket rooms are back, plus recognition with the naming of rooms for various individuals who have been influential with the Geelong Cricket Club over the years

 

[dazbroncos]

All adulation is temporary
Like so many great Geelong players, Selwood will eventually be consigned to the history books as nothing more than a name.
It's amazing how many people don't know who Dick Reynolds is, or Bill Hutchison, Gordon Coventry, Edward Greeves, Albert Thurgood, John Coleman etc.
Even recent legends and superstars like Bruce Doull, Wayne Johnston, Mark Ricciuto and Andrew McLeod, Simon Black, Jason Dunstall, Garry Hocking, John Platten etc. are unknown by so many. Footy supporters (and people) have a very short-term outlook and quickly forget the past. Very quickly.

Joel had an armchair ride during his career. The club was totally stable, never sacked a coach, board never challenged or spilled, no infighting, and massive on-field success. Geelong last sacked a coach in 1988. No other club comes close. Since 1989, Geelong has had 4 coaches. Faint Kilda in the same timeframe has had 11. Richmond has had 8, and Brisbane 9. People take it all for granted, but don't understand how or why.
I will say that Joel has been completely important in keeping the club on track and no doubt had a lot of buy-in as the club was developing, but I still think naming a stand after him is grossly premature.

As much as people may be in love with Joel, he didn't revolutionise the club as others did. Tom Harley as leader was important, and Cook-Costa are the most important duo in the history of the club. They're a major reason why Joel had such a successful career, along with so many others.

Without Cook and Costa, there may not have even been a club as a single entity with a new stadium and financially strong club and sadly, too many people will forget their contribution in making Geelong one of the best clubs in the AFL.

Joel hard an armchair ride during his career.

Undid any good meaning you may have started right there.

Total crock.

Go Catters

 

[uranium_death]

I am just not in love with Joel as others are...

With the way some people view him, I'm expecting him to be nailed on the cross this Easter

 

[dangerwood]

I am just not in love with Joel as others are...

With the way some people view him, I'm expecting him to be nailed on the cross this Easter

Judas!

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

We differ in our views.

He completely turned around the onfield culture of the club, and for the first time in anyone's memory had the guts to actually impose discipline on the playing group. Seemed to work too.

Three seasons as captain for two premierships and a runners-up. If that's stock standard I'd love to see what constitutes good.

For me the best captain we've had at Geelong in my lifetime by a long, long way.

X2 on Harley Partridge , set a thoroughly professional tone that has been largely followed since.
Fantastic leader and fearless competitor on the field.
Smart guy as well , evidenced with the roles he has held since his playing days.

 

[dazbroncos]

I am just not in love with Joel as others are...

With the way some people view him, I'm expecting him to be nailed on the cross this Easter

The only thing getting nailed is the statement Joel had an arm chair ride.

Go Catters

 

[CharacterFirst]

A relative of mine is currently dying of a brain tumour.

He received a best wishes clip from Joel this week.

Joel is obviously not even a player or captain at Geelong anymore, and even says in the clip that he knows he is not with the club anymore, but wants to send his best anyway.

Joel mentions my cousins wife by name, his adult kids by name, my nephews recent engagement, and wishes my cousin the best in his treatment and future (which is pretty short in this life).

It is clear JS is a fraud, and along with all his other false achievements and "arm-chair ride", most definitely doesn't deserve a stand in his name.

 

[goyoucatters]

Surely the only real point of contention here can be whether it is reasonable for the latest stand to be named after an individual player at all. If you settle that it is OK to do so, it's actually really hard to argue that Joel isn't the most appropriate person to receive this accolade. In the history of a club that has been around for over 160 years, no player has appeared more often for the Cats, won more premierships at the club, or played more games as captain (across the entire competition). He's also a three-time B&F winner and has played more finals than anyone else in the history of the game.

You can certainly argue that we've had better players across the course of the club's history. But it's simply impossible to suggest that any other Geelong player has reached anything like the historic heights Joel managed across his career. When you consider all that, I don't think it makes any difference whether he retired last century or last week. He's head and shoulders above everyone else who's ever pulled on the hoops in terms of his overall standing and contribution as a player to the GFC. On that basis alone, he's entirely deserving of having this stand named after him. The honour sits better on him than it would on any other player who's represented Geelong over our extensive history.

 

[dangerwood]

A relative of mine is currently dying of a brain tumour.

He received a best wishes clip from Joel this week.

Joel is obviously not even a player or captain at Geelong anymore, and even says in the clip that he knows he is not with the club anymore, but wants to send his best anyway.

Joel mentions my cousins wife by name, his adult kids by name, my nephews recent engagement, and wishes my cousin the best in his treatment and future (which is pretty short in this life).

It is clear JS is a fraud, and along with all his other false achievements and "arm-chair ride", most definitely doesn't deserve a stand in his name.

This is also why I'm biased but it shows what a quality person he is aside from his on field performance.

On the Friday before the Grand Final in 2022 he sent my family a message of support in relation to a family member dying of a brain tumour. I don't know Joel personally but he wished myself and my wife all the best regarding the birth of our son.

My wife, who couldn't care less about football is now a Geelong supporter because she felt so touched. I just remember thinking, I don't even know this bloke and he's playing in a grand final tomorrow and he's reaching out to me. How many other people is he doing this for and how does he have the capacity?

He has his own family challenges to deal with, captain of the team and all the connections there, sponsors etc etc and he has the mental capacity to think I'll message that family that I don't even know... So yes, I think he is amazing.

You then see him carry Levi on the ground, win the game, kick that goal, hug Sammy, he's just giving himself everywhere. Oh Captain my captain! I will forever be proud sitting in the Joel Selwood stand.

 

[goyoucatters]

A relative of mine is currently dying of a brain tumour.

He received a best wishes clip from Joel this week.

Joel is obviously not even a player or captain at Geelong anymore, and even says in the clip that he knows he is not with the club anymore, but wants to send his best anyway.

Joel mentions my cousins wife by name, his adult kids by name, my nephews recent engagement, and wishes my cousin the best in his treatment and future (which is pretty short in this life).

What's actually notable for me about this story is not only the clear demonstration of authentic care and compassion that is apparent. It's also that this is far from an isolated example of how Joel conducts himself in everyday life. Despite any efforts to lessen the man's achievements on the field, the nature of the man off the field is surely beyond question. Great footballer, yes. Even better person, absolutely.

And in solidarity with the skipper, our hearts also go out to your relative and your family at this time. May you each find the comfort and care that you need as you walk this challenging road.

 

[#6 Thorp #7 Selwood LOL]

Should have called it the "Conveniently Absent When We're Good Stand".

 

[Art Vandelay_]

No argument with Costa and possible Cook but Selwood is streets ahead of those others.
If people mention Harley, they may as well mention Ling.
Just you stock standard good captain

Yeah Joel Selwood's first training session and his approach to footy year 1 was as big a turnaround as Harley as Captain.
Not enough of that praise gets given to Joel and a tad too much is given to Harley imo.

 

[MacStradbroke]

Yeah Joel Selwood's first training session and his approach to footy year 1 was as big a turnaround as Harley as Captain.
Not enough of that praise gets given to Joel and a tad too much is given to Harley imo.

Couldn’t agree more. Tom Harley was already there for 8 years prior, surely the title didn’t transform his leadership qualities overnight. He was very very good, but there was one noticeable change before the 2007 season, and he proved for the next 16 years what a wonderful person the club had drafted.

 

[Floki2011]

Couldn’t think of a more influential captain/player for a stand to be named after than SELLLLLWOOOOD !!!!

 

[Partridge]

Couldn’t agree more. Tom Harley was already there for 8 years prior, surely the title didn’t transform his leadership qualities overnight. He was very very good, but there was one noticeable change before the 2007 season, and he proved for the next 16 years what a wonderful person the club had drafted.

We'll never know. The massive change from the top down of the entire club had to have something to do with it.

From the minute he became captain everything changed. He was the first captain I've ever remembered at Geelong - before or since - who actually imposed a suspension on a senior player and enforced it. That turned Johnson from a talented player into a premiership-quality star.

There were a few other noticeable changes before (and during) 2007 that had monumental impact:

• Neil Balme being brought in to let Thompson coach, and only coach.
• Gary Ablett going from promising small forward to the best player in the competition.
• Brad Ottens finally being released to play as a ruckman and ruckman only.

Harley for me was the other huge factor. The recruitment of one 18-year-old did not do all those things. He wasn't even guaranteed in the starting 22 at first either. His best footy that year came in the last third of the season.

It might go contrary to the legend, but his impact was nowhere near as big as those other areas to me.

 

[canny30]

All adulation is temporary
Like so many great Geelong players, Selwood will eventually be consigned to the history books as nothing more than a name.
It's amazing how many people don't know who Dick Reynolds is, or Bill Hutchison, Gordon Coventry, Edward Greeves, Albert Thurgood, John Coleman etc.
Even recent legends and superstars like Bruce Doull, Wayne Johnston, Mark Ricciuto and Andrew McLeod, Simon Black, Jason Dunstall, Garry Hocking, John Platten etc. are unknown by so many. Footy supporters (and people) have a very short-term outlook and quickly forget the past. Very quickly.

Joel had an armchair ride during his career. The club was totally stable, never sacked a coach, board never challenged or spilled, no infighting, and massive on-field success. Geelong last sacked a coach in 1988. No other club comes close. Since 1989, Geelong has had 4 coaches. Faint Kilda in the same timeframe has had 11. Richmond has had 8, and Brisbane 9. People take it all for granted, but don't understand how or why.
I will say that Joel has been completely important in keeping the club on track and no doubt had a lot of buy-in as the club was developing, but I still think naming a stand after him is grossly premature.

As much as people may be in love with Joel, he didn't revolutionise the club as others did. Tom Harley as leader was important, and Cook-Costa are the most important duo in the history of the club. They're a major reason why Joel had such a successful career, along with so many others.

Without Cook and Costa, there may not have even been a club as a single entity with a new stadium and financially strong club and sadly, too many people will forget their contribution in making Geelong one of the best clubs in the AFL.

This is the worst take I have ever seen in my life.

Extraordinarily bad.

 

[volcboy]

I don't think anyone questions Joel's leadership or character.

However, I think a few people take for granted just how dominant Joel was as a midfielder from 2009 through to 2016, especially from 2012-2015 when he had little help and often carried the team to wins on sheer will and bloody-mindedness alone. Once Danger arrived he no longer needed to do that.

Glad he had the stand named after him.

 

[uranium_death]

This is the worst take I have ever seen in my life.

Extraordinarily bad.

That's fine. I just don't love Joel Selwood.
I'm clearly the minority, but I'd rather have an honest opinion that people are welcome to refute than follow the crowd or be afraid to voice anything.
You are welcome to reject my thoughts.
When you pray to Joel Selwood next Christmas, you can pray that his divine righteousness strikes me down

 

[tommy2011]

That's fine. I just don't love Joel Selwood.
I'm clearly the minority, but I'd rather have an honest opinion that people are welcome to refute than follow the crowd or be afraid to voice anything.
You are welcome to reject my thoughts.
When you pray to Joel Selwood next Christmas, you can pray that his divine righteousness strikes me down

Don't be ridiculous, UD. No-one's going to be praying to Selwood next Christmas. Most of us who have seen him up close, both on and off ground, recognise what an extraordinary footballer and leader he was, and just how much love he has for the club. I'll enjoy telling young fans about the bloke the stand is named after.

 

[uranium_death]

Don't be ridiculous, UD. No-one's going to be praying to Selwood next Christmas. Most of us who have seen him up close, both on and off ground, recognise what an extraordinary footballer and leader he was, and just how much love he has for the club. I'll enjoy telling young fans about the bloke the stand is named after.

That's fine. My comments were tongue in cheek. Please don't take it too seriously
I am just not a Joel fan. I might be wrong. I may not be. You're welcome to refute.
I just have players I prefer, and I never fell in love with the guy.

There are simply other players I enjoy talking about more - both Geelong players and players from other clubs.
Selwood was never my favourite.

I understand the reasons, but I'll exercise my freedom to disagree.