Mark Robinson goes inside Geelong’s rooms after 2022 grand final triumph
Stephen Wells has plucked stars from nowhere with late draft picks. He spoke to Mark Robinson about where former pick 7 Joel Selwood sits on his all-time list.
AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
In the winning rooms, which is the most joyous of places, loveable Cat, Billy Brownless heaped his love on Joel Selwood.
“He’s the Pope,” Billy said.
They all did.
Players, brothers, dads, mums, grandparents and mates, they all spoke about the No.14 with a reverence reserved for the very special.
In all likelihood, that was Selwood’s final game.
Nothing is official, but there was a sense of finality, starting first on the ground when he kicked his banana goal from 45m in the final quarter and was swamped by teammates.
And again, when “No. 14, Joel Selwood’’ was announced to get to the podium and collect his medal and the premiership cup.
Growing up, that was called “stacks on’’, and not even the great Hawthorn leader, Luke Hodge, was besieged by teammates on grand final day like Selwood was on Saturday.
Hodge and Selwood are soul brothers: Inspiring, combative and respected by friend and foe.
But this – maybe – was Selwood’s finest hour.
His finest and his final.
No one was categoric about Selwood’s future in the rooms in the post-match, not even Selwood himself, but there were signs.
Like, when Patty Dangerfield’s eyes welled when asked about his great mate.
On Thursday, when fishing at Moggs Creek, Dangerfield said he wasn’t ready for Selwood’s retirement, that he couldn’t imagine not running out slightly behind the skipper, as he does on most game days.
“There’s nothing I could say to you, or articulate in any sort of great clarity or description, on what he means, to the club, but personally to me,’’ Dangerfield said.
“He’s selfless beyond words. I say selfless and people get described as being selfless all the time, but they’re not him, they are not that level.
“What he means to this place, honestly ...’’
Can you talk him around? “I’ll f---ing try and you can quote me on that.’’
Dangerfield’s pop, Bob, had another twist altogether. “Joel might retire,’’ he said.
“And if Patrick asked me, I’d tell him to retire now when he’s on top. They are special players.’’
Brownless was thereabouts near the front doors, standing beside recruiting guru Stephen Wells, and near former president Colin Carter, and in proximity of CEO Steve Hocking and footy boss Simon Lloyd, when the players began to stream through the doors, the treasured golden medal bouncing on their chests.
“In all honesty, Joel is the Pope,’’ Billy said, his voice already a fraction gravelly.
“I was watching him, he did everything right, going out on the ground with Levi, mate, he goes over to the Auskickers after the game, kisses everyone, he just does everything perfectly, and then kicks a banana goal.
“And you saw when he was named, when had to go up, everyone went berserk.
“I don’t know where he sits, he’s up there now, he’s gone a couple of steps. He’s the Pope, I’m telling you, he does nothing wrong ... oh, there’s Col, he set it all up.’’
Colin Carter: “Joel’s amazing. So thrilled for him. He’s an amazing footballer but an even more amazing person. He’s done so much for the club.
“Is it over for him? I don’t know. He’s a warrior. I‘m sure there’s a spot for him next year if he wants to have another run.”
Wells famously took Selwood with Pick 7 in the 2006 national draft.
He had an inkling, but not even Wellsy would’ve predicted the boy from Bendigo would define this footy club for a decade and a half by his words, his deeds, and his sheer will to compete.
Wellsy doesn’t like being quoted, but if we could paraphrase, it was something like Selwood being the best draft choice he made.
He did like 300-gamer Corey Enright at pick 47 in the 1999 national draft.
“Joel still might the greatest ever, and the biggest ‘punt’ pick, if not for a better word.’’
Pride bubbling in his voice, Wells said: “I’m feeling very excited, very proud, so relieved, and so happy for Chris and everyone involved.’’
Moments later, Chris Scott burst through the doors, hugged a bloke to his left, and then grabbed Wells in a ferocious bear hug. Former media man Kev Diggerson was next. And then Scott was gone, seeking solitude in one of the back rooms, to perhaps slow a racing heartbeat.
Selwood entered the rooms with his great mate Tom Hawkins, each of them clasping handles of the premiership cup.
The excited murmur among the waiting brigade of family, friends, staff and media, was lost to a guttural roar of appreciation, a noise unlike anything else in professional sport. It describes relief and achievement, a kind of William Wallace bellow after the battle.
Then a strange calm arrived. The players gathered in the middle of the room to sing the song, but not every player was there. Jeremy Cameron, the farmer who presented his medal to one of his calves near 4am on Sunday, was third to last. “I’m always late,’’ he said.
Mark Blicavs, whose sporting family surely deserves a documentary, was second to last. And the last? Tyson Stengle.
It was a terrible decision by the drug testers to drag Stengle off for a sample. Do they not have a sense of the occasion? It was weird.
Fifteen minutes later, Selwood eventually led the team song, one arm around Tom Hawkins and the other around Zach Tuohy. After the first version, Selwood demanded another. “One more, one more,” he said.
Right then and there, the atmosphere was at its most electric.
Post-song and with beers in hand, you could’ve been in any country footy clubrooms.
It was an epic hug-fest, amid epic storytelling.
A young fella, about six, ran to Selwood moments after the song was finished. Typically Selwood, he didn’t brush him off. “Johnny Ottens, how good brother? This is Brad Ottens’ boy, he’s going to be a big boy.’’
Asked to describe Selwood in two words, defender Jed Bews said: “Absolutely incredible.’’
Hawkins said he didn’t know Selwood’s plans. “I don’t need to know, either. He’s never made football about himself.
“What about Joel and Levi? For everything they’ve done in their lives, Gary as a player and Jordan as a person, the smiles on their faces were unbelievable. And that’s what Joel does.
“He’s the greatest Geelong player ever. Holistically what you get with Joel Selwood is unbelievable.
“I love him, f---ing oath I do.’’
Tom’s dad, Jack, a former Geelong great, said he couldn’t think of a player he played with or against that reminded him of Selwood.
“No, I can’t. The best player I played with was Sam Newman at Geelong. Against? I’d have to think about that. He was a different sort of player to Leigh Matthews. Leigh took his eyes off the footy a fair bit, but in saying that, that was the game in the ’70s. And he got cleaned up a few times himself.’’
Jarryn Geary grew up with Selwood in Bendigo. He went to primary school at St Liborius and Selwood at St Therese’s, but their paths kept crossing on the footy field.
“I said to him I would’ve liked to have seen more tears because it’s been a pretty special day,’’ Geary said.
Geary went to the Saints for his football career, but they remained great mates.
“I’ve known him for 35 years … he’s been a phenomenal player,’’ he said.
“I was thinking about this today, I haven’t seen many better careers. My wife messaged me and asked if I’m having a good day, I said I’m just in awe of his achievements.’’
Former Tiger Shaun Grigg was an opponent of Selwood’s and is now the midfield coach at the Cats. He said Selwood was the ultimate competitor.
“We’re the same age, and I was lucky enough to go through the junior ranks with him,’’ he said.
“I’m Ballarat and he’s Bendigo, so against each other, and then with each all through Vic Country, so I respected him from a young age,’’ Grigg said.
“He’s exactly the same now as was then, his will to win is like no other I’ve seen.’’
Here’s a toughie: Trent Cotchin or Joel Selwood?
“Come on, that’s like choosing one of your kids. I can’t split them.’’
Describe will to win? “For me, it’s turning up every day trying to get better and trying to help others. Joel continues to do it, I’m amazed by it.’’
Norm Smith medal winner Isaac Smith, a Hawk who became a Cat, couldn’t separate Hodge or Selwood, either.
Flanked by former Hawks teammates, Liam Shiels, Xavier Ellis, Ryan Shoemakers and Ben McEvoy, Smith said: “No, they’re on par, both are very good people, incredible people.”
Tom Stewart: “He’s my hero, mate. 100 per cent. I’ve said it to him more times than I count.
“Every time, every occasion, he’s picked me up off the dirt. Every time he’s given me advice.
“To walk out behind him as one of his vice-captains is something I will tell any person who will listen for the rest of my life, that’s it’s one of the proudest things I will ever achieve.’’
Rhys Stanley: “I’ve loved my time at this club. I can’t speak highly enough of him. Just the person he is. He’s an absolute gentleman. He’s all class, his family’s all class, and what he’s done for me is huge.
“He backed me to play my small piece of the puzzle and I’m forever grateful.’’
Players and their gang gathered in groups about the rooms. Bews, his dad Andrew, who was a former Cats champ, and a couple of sons of Gavin Exell, another former Cat, got in a circle and pounded out a song while thumping their chest with a fist.
Amusingly, Andrew Bews said it was a Billy Joel track. Jed Bews laughed and said it was from the Wolf of Wall St.
“What a freak,’’ Bews said of Selwood.
“Is he still playing? Has he said anything? He just keeps going, doesn’t he. When you think the batteries will run out, he keeps recharging.’’
Unquestionably, there’s quality or persona about champion footballers that others do not possess. Maybe in Selwood it’s the animal instinct, a willingness to compete, and a want to prove everyone wrong.
Too old, too slow, we said.
While shaking my hand, he said: “You didn’t even put us in the eight at the start of year.’’
Joel Selwood, always the competitor.
Originally published as Mark Robinson goes inside Geelong’s rooms after 2022 grand final triumph
How high-flying Warner is staying grounded
He might not look it on the field with his darting runs through the midfield, but on matchdays Chad Warner is the picture of calm. He’s staying grounded ahead of one of the biggest matches of his career.
‘Need to grow up’: Sad end to Ginnivan storm
Hawthorn forward Jack Ginnivan has closed the book on the fiery scenes that rocked the AFL last week with a sad confession.