Adam Selwood’s ‘lasting legacy’ and inseparable bond with twin brother Troy

Born less than 20 minutes apart, Adam Selwood tragically died on Saturday 102 days after losing twin brother Troy. As GLENN McFARLANE writes, it was an inseparable bond that was cut heartbreakingly short.

Adam and Troy Selwood, born less than 20 minutes apart, celebrated their 40th birthday adventures on a surfing holiday in Bali last year, toasting what they had already achieved and hopefully what was meant to come next.

A year on from one of the happiest times of their lives, both of the twins are gone.

Adam, who only turned 41 at the start of May, died on Saturday in heartbreaking circumstances in Perth, just 102 days after his older sibling Troy took his own life in early February.

The pair might have been drafted at the start of their AFL journeys from the Bendigo Pioneers to either side of the country back in 2002 – Adam to West Coast in Perth and Troy to Brisbane – but they remained inseparable in life.

Adam spoke of his devastation at losing his brother in February, saying: “Troy just wasn’t my brother, he was my mirror, my fiercest competitor, my greatest ally and the one person that knew what I was always thinking.”

He detailed at Troy’s funeral service how his brother’s mental demons had proven too much for him, and Adam was due to run a half marathon in Perth’s Run For A Reason to support youth mental health and suicide prevention.

That run was meant to be next Sunday.

Adam Selwood in his debut season of 2003.

And with brothers Joel and Scott at Troy’s funeral. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Now the grieving Selwood family are heartbreakingly planning a second funeral within four months as the football world and the wider community mourn a player who was much loved by his former West Coast teammates and deeply respected by all he had connected to.

Adam Selwood played in two grand finals for West Coast, including the 2006 premiership triumph over Sydney.

He had 26 touches and 10 marks as one of the Eagles’ best that day, helping steer the club to a classic victory.

It was just one of many great games Selwood played across his 187-game, 11-season career, all in blue and gold.

The Selwoods played an AFL siblings record of 786 games – with Adam playing 187 games with West Coast, Troy 75 with Brisbane, Joel 355 with Geelong, and Scott 169 with West Coast and Geelong.

Selwood was described as the heartbeat” of West Coast’s women’s program. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos

Even once Adam retired, he never walked away from the game or the club he loved, moving swiftly into a coaching role at the Eagles.

He became a development coach at West Coast before moving into the head of female football role as the club launched its AFLW program.

Inaugural West Coast AFLW best and fairest winner Dana Hooker called Selwood the “heartbeat” of the women’s program, while chief executive said his impact would be his “lasting legacy”.

“He had a significant impact on our football club across 18 years,” he said.

“(That) included working in our community and game development department and setting up our AFLW program, something he was incredibly proud of and will be a lasting legacy.”

The Selwood twins studied at separate high schools for a time in Bendigo until their VCE year, eager to get some independence.

And while they were always exceptionally close, they were each happy to go to different AFL clubs when they were drafted in 2002 – Troy to the Lions as selection 19 and Adam to West Coast at pick 53.

Their mum, Maree, said at the time: “I’ve had tears and all that, but that’s a mother’s reaction and one of the recruiting managers said to me ‘every mother in Australia who has had a son drafted would be feeling for you’.

“We’ve said all along we hoped they’d split (to different clubs), but we didn’t think it would be this far.

She added: “They are following their dreams, so I wouldn’t even stand in their way. It (the draft) has cut our family in half, so it is pretty quiet. I miss them dreadfully.”

Adam played his first game late in the 2003 season and his second AFL game came in a final, when the Eagles lost to Adelaide in an elimination final.

Joel, Troy, Adam and Scott after West Coast’s 2006 grand final triumph.

And together after Geelong’s 2011 flag.

He came of age in 2005 as he locked away a spot in the talented West Coast side, playing 20 games including the heartbreaking four-point grand final loss to Sydney.

A year later, he shone on the MCG stage, playing a pivotal role in the Eagles’ nail biting one-point victory over the Swans.

Adam had coffee with Troy as he settled the nerves on the morning of that 2006 grand final.

And as the victorious Eagles left the club’s official function at Crown Casino in the early morning, Adam was off celebrating with Troy, his parents Bryce and Maree, and his young brothers Joel and Scott, who were soon to embark on their own AFL journey.

The four siblings posed for a special photo in the rooms after the 2022 grand final as Adam, Troy and Scott went to celebrate Joel’s fourth premiership success in what turned out to be his final AFL game.

That image of the four boys together is even more poignant now.

Originally published as Adam Selwood’s ‘lasting legacy’ and inseparable bond with twin brother Troy