West Coast Eagles pay tribute to 2006 premiership hero Adam Selwood

On an emotional day for the Eagles that began with remembering 2006 flag hero Adam Selwood, West Coast has its first win of 2025, in a fitting tribute to the premiership player’s legacy.

West Coast has paid an emotional tribute to premiership player Adam Selwood, securing its first win of the season against St Kilda in the wake of his tragic passing.

Selwood passed away on Saturday in Perth, aged 41. It comes just three months after the loss of twin brother Troy.

The football world has been in mourning after the news broke around 10am local time and nowhere was that more evident than at Optus Stadium on Sunday as two clubs and 42,860 fans paused pre-game to remember Selwood’s life and career.

West Coast players, including Selwood’s former teammate Jamie Cripps, were visibly emotional as the Eagles held a minute’s silence. Donning black armbands, the players stood arm in arm as a photo of the 187-game Eagle was projected on the big screen accompanied by the caption ‘Vale Adam Selwood.’

"I know it's great to win a game of footy, but..."

Absolutely beautiful words from Oscar Allen, speaking honestly about his own battles and paying tribute to Adam Selwood 💙💛

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Jamie Cripps kicks a brilliant goal, and pays tribute to the late Adam Selwood

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A moments silence is observed to pay tribute to Adam Selwood. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

“He leaves a lasting legacy at our football club and his loss is being felt deeply throughout the West Coast Eagles and football community,” ground announcer and former Eagle Karl Langdon told the somber crowd before the Eagles ended their second-longest losing streak with a 28-point win.

Friends of Adam Selwood believe the grief of brother Troy’s death had an effect on his mental health as he battled to find meaning after his brother’s loss.

Those friends and confidantes were shocked by the news of his death across the weekend.

They were aware of his deep grief over his twin brother’s death and struggles to come to grips with the circumstances of Troy’s passing.

His closest friends had long been aware that like Troy, he too had suffered some mental health concerns in recent years.

But they were rocked by the timing of his death so close to brother Troy’s passing and believed he could not get over his twin’s loss.

Adam Selwood had attempted to pay tribute to his brother with a charity run next weekend for charity Zero2hero as part of the HBF Run For A Reason. In the wake of his passing, Selwood’s campaign has been flooded with more than $13,000 of donations from the general public, making him the second-highest individual fundraiser.

Jamie Cripps paid tribute to Selwood. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Current assistant coach Luke Shuey and injured veteran Jeremy McGovern (concussion) also played alongside Selwood during the final year of his career in 2013.

As the only former teammate to take to the field, Cripps poignantly slapped his black armband in after kicking a goal in the first quarter. Jake Waterman also pointed to the sky after kicking the opening goal of the game.

Eerily, West Coast’s quarter time score of 4.2 (26) is the exact same tally the Eagles kicked in the first term of the 2006 grand final. Selwood was a key contributor to West Coast’s premiership, finishing with 26 disposals and 10 marks against Sydney.

The league said on Sunday it was open to any initiatives that helped spark the conversation about mental health as AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon urged those in football to check in on their friends and colleagues.

The AFLPA is also open to a discussion about a mental health round which would shine a greater light on mental health advocacy.

The league’s industry wide mental health strategy has been steered by a committee of club representatives and mental health experts.

Players can access an AFL mental health wellbeing team of 37 people employed to support talent pathways, respond to mental health teams and focus on root causes of mental health problems.

In the last five years the league has directed every club to employ a club psychologist who provides immediate access to all players in a club.

Clubs have soft cap concussions for mental health spend, the AFL has funded an indigenous psychologists network and has delivered the largest mental health program for young footballers.

A video tribute also played at half-time, celebrating some of Selwood’s finest moments as a footballer and his career as a development coach and head of AFLW, tasked with founding the club’s women’s team. It was met with a heartfelt applause.

Former West Coast coach and colleague Adam Simpson said he was shattered for the tight-knit Selwood family.

“It has been a really tough 24 hours obviously for the Selwood family,” the Fox Footy commentator said. “From a club point of view, he spent 17 years at the club and when you spend that much time there you really grow up there.

“I had the honour of knowing Adam for a number of years post football as a development coach and working in the community and (with the) women’s program.

“He was just a great clubman, a loyal husband and father. To go through this for anyone is really difficult and our heart just really breaks, it really does.”

Originally published as West Coast Eagles pay tribute to 2006 premiership hero Adam Selwood