Toast Joel Selwood 250 games

[Cataholic]

Not necessarily. But my personal view is over the last few years a lot of people are far more concerned about the validation of individual players instead of team success.

Get that, and agree that there’s been a hint of ‘near enough, good enough’ that brought us undone in the 90’s, but this is a special guy / case.

 

[Partridge]

Get that, and agree that there’s been a hint of ‘near enough, good enough’ that brought us undone in the 90’s, but this is a special guy / case.

Hey I'd happily take a flag in game 299 too.

 

[Zouz Kitty]

Same here.

I always say the same thing when it comes to the skipper. For me, the die was cast extremely early.

Round 5 2007...Joel's fourth game, and a pitifully insipid loss to the Kangas at home. My sense of being infuriated as I (mistakenly) imagined another season disappearing into mediocrity was only tempered by witnessing the clear emergence of a young man who would shape the destiny of the GFC for many, many years to come.

Joel had 25 touches (12 contested), 9 clearances and 8 tackles. All this from an 18-year old in a team that was completely embarrassed for effort on the day. But even those numbers don't do justice to the imprint that was created on me of a player with the most serious will to win I have ever seen in footy.

And he's done pretty much nothing to change that view with everything that has come since. In fact, every year he just continues to (somehow) enhance his reputation as the fiercest competitor the GFC has ever seen.

Each to their own, I know, but the only joy in footy for me that compares to seeing our current skipper ply his trade was watching Senior in his pomp. To say that in an era when we have won three flags and seen a number of the GFC's greatest of all time don the hoops is a remarkable statement to be able to make.

All the fans of opposing clubs who lampoon 'Duckwood' clearly know nothing of what true courage and iron will actually look like on the footy field.

And the idea that sometimes gets an airing here that Selsy isn't a great captain because of the way his teammates perform (or don't perform) at times is anathema to me as well.

Anyone who conducts himself on and off the field as our captain has done should never be questioned regarding the failure of others to achieve (or even seemingly pursue) the same exemplary standards he sets.

I can't envisage a better leader for the club than this man. And, like so many others here, I sincerely hope that he adds the accolade of 'premiership captain' to his ridiculously long honour roll before he calls time on what may well be the most storied career in the history of the GFC.

Here's hoping game 250 proves to be quite a distant memory before the #14 wins his very last clearance in his beloved hoops.

Just. Too, Good.

goyoucatters, this is the best tribute to Joel Selwood so far!

While I've spent quite a bit of time recently, reading articles + watching videos to honour Joel, most included predictable accolades - still it was enjoyable to listen to messages from his peers + to watch highlights, but your post is brilliant!

You have encapsulated the 'essence' of Joel!

My spine is tingling, skin goosebump-ing + happy tears are flooding my eyes.

A most evocative tribute.

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

Joel's not the shapest knife in the drawer, at least according to his big brother Troy!

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/inside-the-star-what-makes-selwood-tick-20180323-p4z5w5.html

"[Troy says] The one thing, I guess, for Joel, he’s exceptional at everything he’s done since he was young but he’s the only one of us in the family that doesn’t have a university degree. We always get into him about that.

He’s got all the footy talent but not much brains.

The one story that I remember - in the 2010 grand final week after the Cats got eliminated in the prelim - we decided to go up to Mount Buller just to escape footy.

We’re driving up the mountain, Joel’s in the passenger seat and 'Scoot' [younger brother Scott] is in the back.

Anyway, Joel starts yelling out: 'There’s a baby bear! Look! A baby bear! There’s another!'

I'm looking around – there’s these wombats jumping up and down near then road – and he’s thinking they’re baby bears!

Scoot and I were shocked, we thought he was taking the piss.

And as we’re driving, there’s wombat warning signs every few metres.

'Mate,' I said. 'They’re f---ing wombats …'

'Oh yeah … nah … I knew that,' Joel said.

He’ll hate me telling that story."

 

[Art Vandelay_]