Joel Selwood’s emotional tribute to brother Adam after his death
AFL great Joel Selwood has made his first heartbreaking public comments after the death of his brother Adam last Saturday.
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Geelong great Joel Selwood has made his first public comments after the death of his brother Adam last Saturday.
The Selwood family announced Adam’s death on the weekend, which came only three months after his twin brother Troy took his own life.
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Adam Selwood was just 41 and his death sparked a heartbreaking response across the footy world over the weekend.
One of four Selwood brothers to play in the AFL, Adam played 187 games for West Coast.
He was part of the Eagles’ premiership side that defeated the Sydney Swans in a classic grand final in 2006.
Joel Selwood, 36, appeared to reference both brothers when he posted a series of photos to Instagram late on Wednesday evening.
The four-time premiership winner also included the heartbreaking caption: “Rest up, love you brother. Look after each other.”
He finished it off with a love heart and two dove emojis.
A number of sporting figures quickly commented on the heartwrenching post.
Nick Riewoldt, Geelong forward Ollie Dempsey, Trent Cotchin and NRL star Ryan Papenhuyzen all responded with love heart emojis.
The news of Adam’s passing on Saturday was a hammer blow to the sport, with figures including Collingwood coach Craig McRae breaking down in a sideline interview and again in his press conference after their win over Adelaide.
Joel Selwood’s emotional post came on the same day former Hawthorn and West Coast midfielder Xavier Ellis gave an insight into the devastation gripping the Selwood family after Adam’s death.
Ellis, 37, won a flag with the Hawks in 2008 before spending the final three seasons of his career in Perth with the Eagles.
A regular in the Perth media scene after his playing career, Ellis grew up with the Selwood family. Adam and Scott Selwood were the only people he knew when he joined the Eagles from Hawthorn ahead of the 2014 AFL season.
Having taken a few days off after the news of Adam’s death, Ellis returned to his role on Triple M Breakfast with Xav and Katie on Wednesday to give his thoughts on the awful situation that has again devastated the Selwood family.
“Waking up on Saturday to some missed calls and learning about the mental health tragedy of a friend of mine, Adam Selwood,” Ellis said in part.
“(Parents) Bryce and Maree are family friends, we went to Ireland as kids, they’re beautiful people.
“You think of those Selwood boys, when they play footy they put a cape on those boys. They’re tough, they’re brave.
“Well Bryce and Maree are that as parents every day and night. They’re just wonderful people.”
Ellis also opened up on a conversation he had with Joel Selwood, the 355-game veteran with the Cats.
Renowned as one of the toughest players in the AFL during his glittering career, Joel was understandably emotional during the chat, according to Ellis.
The radio host was also desperate to use his platform to send a message about mental health in Australia.
“Calling Joel over the weekend, just hearing his voice break. You know that ‘bulletproof’ Joel Selwood, he’s not, and mental health doesn’t discriminate,” he said.
“Targeting men and young men, it’s a time now where (mental health charity) ‘R U OK DAY’, I think it’s deeper than that.
“It’s so easy to deflect a question ‘are you OK?’ It’s time to grab a scalpel and really dissect the person you’re asking. You’d rather be a persistent pain in the arse than a shallow arse who’s just moved on and you’ve ticked the box.
“So if you have got someone you’re concerned about, you’ve got to grab that life jacket and jump in the water with them because they’re drowning inside.
“I guarantee there’s someone in your friendship group that is in a way of struggle.”
Adam’s wife Fiona first confirmed the terrible news in a statement via the AFL on Saturday: “We are heartbroken by the passing of Adam earlier today. Words cannot express the grief and sadness we feel.
“Adam was a loving husband, and an incredible father to Lenny and Billie. We are devastated to lose such a wonderful husband, father, son and brother.
“We will miss Adam deeply — his spirit, his kindness, and the joy he brought to every room.
“His determination, the lessons he shared, and his infectious personality will stay with us always. Adam had a unique ability to make people feel special, and our family was lucky to experience that every day.
“We kindly ask for privacy as we navigate this difficult time.”
The youngest Selwood brother, Scott, was granted personal leave and relieved of his duties as Collingwood’s forwards coach ahead of the Magpies’ game against Adelaide at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.
“On behalf of everyone at Collingwood, we extend our deepest condolences to the Selwood family following the passing of Adam,” the Magpies said.
“We send strength & all of our love to Adam’s parents Maree & Bryce, his brothers Scott & Joel, his wife Fiona & their children Lenny & Billie.”
The shattering news comes just months after Adam’s twin brother Troy died in February.
Troy’s body was found at a Geelong home.
At a memorial service at Geelong’s GMHBA Stadium, Adam led the tributes for his twin brother, describing Troy as “full of life, full of love, full of wisdom beyond his years”.
“Having an identical twin is a both a rare privilege and wonderfully complex,” he said.
“A twin is more than a sibling. They are a constant presence, a built-in mate.
“He was my mirror, my fiercest competitor, my greatest ally and the one person who knew what I was always thinking.”
There have been a number of tributes to Adam since his death, including a minute’s silence prior to West Coast’s clash with St Kilda on Sunday.
Originally published as Joel Selwood’s emotional tribute to brother Adam after his death
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