Brendan Fevola breaks down delivering heartfelt tribute to Troy Selwood

AFL great Brendan Fevola was left broken hearted and cut a dejected figure as he paid tribute to former teammate Troy Selwood.

AFL great Brendan Fevola has delivered an emotional tribute to Troy Selwood in the wake of his shock death on Tuesday.

The Selwood family announced the former Brisbane Lions star died at the age of 40. CODE Sports first reported Selwood’s body was found at a home in the Geelong suburb of Highton.

Troy was one of four brothers to play in the AFL, he was the twin brother of premiership Eagle Adam Selwood and the older brother of four-time premiership Cat Joel Selwood and former Eagle and Cat Scott Selwood.

News of his death left the football community heartbroken with Fevola delivering a heart-wrenching tribute on Wednesday.

“Yesterday was a bit of a tough day — and I apologise for this morning, I’ve been a little bit off, I haven’t been myself — because I had a really close friend pass away,” Fevola said on Fox FM’s Fifi, Fev & Nick.

“Troy is a ripper. I was going through a bit of a tough time when I was up in Brisbane, and he was sort of the bloke that was there for me, which meant a lot to me.

Brendan Fevola broke down delivering a tribute to Troy Selwood.

“It’s just a real shock. Obviously in the footy world, we can have this persona that we’re tough and we can handle anything. But we are human and we don’t really speak about our feelings often — and that’s not just in the footy world, but as men in general.

“Obviously he was going through a bit of a tough time and it ended yesterday. He’s got two young kids ... it’s just really upsetting and shattering that you just think: ‘What could you have done?’ But you can’t do anything. It’s so hard.

“He was only 40. You’ll hear stories about him and no one will say a bad word about him. He was just one of the really good ones.

“It’s just sad.”

Fevola also posted on Instagram: “Thanks for being there for me when I was going through a tuff (sic) time.”

“Best house mate I’ve ever had. Love you mate.”

Triple premiership forward Jonathan Brown, who was at the Lions for all eight seasons Selwood was on the club’s list for, said Selwood “had a beautiful soul about him”.

“He had a great smile, and was a very empathetic bloke as well. So that’s why teammates loved him, and why everyone in the footy club loved him, and everyone involved that he met loved him,” Brown told Nova 100.

“Really tough day. I knew he’d been going through some struggles, unfortunately, but it never quite prepares you for the shock of a mouthful like that.

“He had a beautiful soul about him and including at the wedding, I think he might have nearly got kicked out of our wedding along with (Lions defender) Dan Merrett, who was his great mate.

Jonathan Brown and Troy Selwood (#28) celebrate after a win.

“The boys were getting a bit carried away on the dancefloor. They thought they would put a trail of Crown lagers on the dancefloor to make a slip and slide, which the venue operator wasn’t too keen on.

“(I said) ‘You can’t kick some of my best mates out of my own wedding.’ He loved life, he had a great smile and he was a very empathetic bloke as well. That is why teammates loved him and everyone in the footy club loved him and everyone he met loved him.”

Troy Selwood retired from his playing career in 2013 before moving into coaching.

He stepped away from his role on Geelong’s coaching staff in 2021.

He was still working in a role as head of football for the prestigious Victorian Grammar school.

Selwood was selected by the Brisbane Lions with pick No. 19 in the 2002 AFL Draft.

He played 75 games for the club before he was de-listed in 2010.

Originally published as Brendan Fevola breaks down delivering heartfelt tribute to Troy Selwood