AFL news: Retired Geelong captain Joel Selwood joins Melbourne Storm in leadership role

Joel Selwood’s phone ran hot with offers from AFL clubs after his retirement. He reveals why he chose to head to the NRL and join Melbourne Storm instead.

Retired Geelong champion Joel Selwood will impart his wisdom at Melbourne Storm in preparation for next season after signing on as leadership coach.

News Corp can reveal, Selwood, 34, has agreed to a part-time role helping groom Storm’s senior and emerging leaders including last season’s co-captain Christian Welch and superstars Cameron Munster and Ryan Papenhuyzen.

It is a massive coup for the Storm which has beaten a host of rival sporting organisations and clubs to Selwood’s signature in what is his first official coaching role following a fairytale finish to his AFL career.

Selwood, who is regarded as one of the finest on-field leaders in Australian sport, steered Geelong to a fourth premiership in the Grand Final win over Sydney Swans in his last AFL game.

Joel Selwood in Melbourne Storm colours.

The champion Cat, who led Geelong for 11 seasons after taking over as skipper aged 23, said he looked forward to joining a club he had huge respect for.

“I’m really excited to be joining Storm. I’ve been watching them and been in envy of what the club has been able to achieve for a long time,” Selwood said.

“When the opportunity come up, I saw it as a great chance to get involved in something a bit different in an environment that is so well run.”

The Storm has utilised former Collingwood premiership captain Nick Maxwell in a similar leadership role and believe Selwood’s experience and expertise will be invaluable for its playing group.

Joel Selwood soaks up Geelong’s premiership celebrations.

Storm chief executive Justin Rodski and coach Craig Bellamy pulled off the deal with Selwood after recent talks with the hard nut about working with the club’s key on-field figures.

Storm football manager Frank Ponissi said Selwood would be an outstanding addition to the club, helping mentor its senior and emerging leaders for next season.

The club’s captain or co-captains will be appointed ahead of the new season next year.

“Joel is an impressive person and has shown he has outstanding leadership qualities as Captain of the Cats over a long period of time,” Ponissi said.

“We were particularly impressed with his humility and eagerness to learn, which was no surprise given what we knew about him and from the feedback we got from those we spoke to through the process, including Simon Lloyd (Geelong football manager) at the Cats.”

Joel Selwood and wife Brit after his retirement was announced. Jason Edwards

Selwood had expressed a desire to stay in sport after hanging up the boots on his playing career but said he would take time to decide the next steps, in conjunction with his manager Tom Petroro, from TLA.

There has been a long list of AFL clubs enquire about his plans, while Cricket Australia had also been linked to him for a similar position.

The Storm finished the home and away season in fifth place but bowed out of the premiership race after losing its first final to Canberra Raiders.

At Geelong, Patrick Dangerfield, Tom Stewart and Mark Blicavs are considered the frontrunners to replace Selwood as captain as the Cats shoot for back-to-back premierships.

Nick Maxwell joined the Storm in a leadership role after his AFL career.