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Joel Selwood

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Joel Selwood
File:Joel Selwood
Personal information
Original team(s) Bendigo Pioneers
Debut Round 1, 2007, Geelong vs. Bulldogs, at Docklands
Height / weight 182 centimetres / 82 kilograms
Position(s) Midfielder
Playing career1
Geelong (2007-)
21 games, 7 goals
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2007.
Career highlights

AFL

Geelong Football Club

TAC Cup

Other

Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Joel Selwood (born May 26, 1988 in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia)[1] is an Australian professional Australian Rules footballer for the Geelong Cats in the Australian Football League (AFL). A midfielder at 1.82 metres and 82 kilograms, he has received widespread recognition as one of the most successful first-year players to have entered the league in recent times.[2][3] He is the only player to have been awarded the AFL Rising Star Award and a AFL Premiership medallion in the same year, and is currently the youngest premiership player of all time.[4]

Although a knee injury forced him to sit out most of his final year of junior football, Selwood was drafted by Geelong with the seventh overall pick in the 2006 AFL Draft. His composure and consistency, considered rare for his age and experience, once prompted his Geelong coach Mark Thompson to label him the best youngster to had come under his tutelage during his time at the club.[1][5]

Off the field, he has acted as an ambassador for the SEDA organization alongside his elder twin brothers, Adam and Troy, who both play in the AFL for West Coast and Brisbane respectively.


Early life

Born in Bendigo, Victoria, to Bryce and Maree Selwood, Joel Selwood grew up in the country town alongside his twin older brothers, Adam and Troy, and younger sibling Scott.[6] Although raised in a sports-gifted family—mother Maree was a top runner and tennis player, whilst elder twins Adam and Troy were both identified as talented footballers right from their junior days[7]—Selwood faced physical hurdles from a young age; forced to wear splints on his leg to help overcome a walking disability.[6] Nonetheless, the additional hurdle toward joining his brothers in sports only built Selwood's determination to achieve greater things.[6]

Unlike his brothers, Joel displayed gifts as an athlete from an early age. Selwood excelled as the state hurdling champion from his under 10's days right through to the under 15's; in one year holding every running and jumping record the Bendigo Sports Centre had, bar the 100 metres sprint.[6] Growing up alongside his elder brothers, Joel found familiarity in playing alongside older, bigger children.[8] By the time he was eight-years old, he had played his first competitive game of football, against children four years his senior, and proceeded to boot three goals from a half forward flank.[6]

Selwood continued through the junior Bendigo ranks to the elite under 18's TAC Cup competition level, where he made his debut for the Bendigo Pioneers as a seventeen-year old in 2005. Although his age deemed him ineligible for the 2005 AFL Draft, Selwood established himself as one of the brightest young prospects in the country by garnering an impressive array of accolades and honours as a bottom-aged player. Selwood held a scholarship within the prestigious AIS-AFL Academy, won mid-year State honours for Victoria Country, end-of-year All-Australian honours, was named in the TAC Cup Team of the Year, and captained his elder teammates in the annual under 18's International Rules Series in Ireland, winning the Ron Barassi Medal as MVP of the tour.[9]

Returning in 2006 for his final year of junior football with the Pioneers, Selwood was rewarded with the captaincy of Bendigo and again won mid-year State honours for Victoria Country. However, a knee injury pertained only six rounds into the season forced him to undergo surgery, prematurely ending his year.[10]

Career

A successful debut year

Selwood was drafted from Bendigo by the Geelong Football Club with the seventh overall pick in the 2006 AFL Draft.[11] Although many talent evaluators viewed him as "the finest pure footballer in the draft"[10] and a potential top pick, concern surrounding his surgically cleaned-up knee saw him pushed down prospective draft lists.[10][12] As the equal-highest ever draft pick for the Cats, Selwood made his debut in the opening round of the 2007 AFL Premiership Season, and went on to miss only four games during the home and away period. His 27 disposal effort against the Kangaroos in Round 5 earned him an AFL Rising Star Nomination along the way.[9]

Joel Selwood laps up a dream debut year in the 2007 AFL Grand Final Parade.

Selwood's seamless transition to the rigours of AFL football drew rave reviews throughout the footballing community, where he was praised for his consistent physical approach to contests—highlighted by a nomination for the AFL Army Award—leadership, and ability to find time and space out on the field.[1] His impact on the game as a first-year player prompted numerous comparisons to Chris Judd, whose instant success as an eighteen-year old was previously considered to had been the greatest in the history of the game.[2] Footballing legend and current Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews was moved to describe Selwood as "really special"[3], "a marvelous first-year player",[3] and "already the best wet-weather player in the game",[1] whilst Selwood's own coach, Mark Thompson, labelled an eighteen-year old Selwood the best youngster to had come under his tutelage during his time at the club.[1]

As the season progressed, Selwood cemented his spot within the team and received several individual accolades. On September 5th, 2007, Selwood was awarded the inaugural Ron Evans Medal as the winner of the AFL Rising Star Award, polling 44 out of a possible 45 votes to defeat Collingwood's Scott Pendlebury by seven votes. Selwood earned maximum votes from all bar one of the judges, who nonetheless awarded him four out of a possible five.[13] Selwood was also nominated for, and later awarded, the prestigious AFLPA Best First Year Player Award by his peers, winning with over 70% of all votes,[14] and becoming only the fourth player to complete a sweep of both the major awards for first-year players.[15]

There are very few that play like Joel Selwood plays and have such a dominant year...to have that type of year, I think that's a bit of a rarity.

Kevin Sheehan[16]

Selwood's successful debut year continued when, on September 9th, 2007, he impressed in his finals debut in front of nearly 80,000 fans against the Kangaroos at the MCG, amassing 22 disposals, 5 marks, 5 clearances, 6 inside 50's, 5 tackles, and 5 goal assists in Geelong's 106 point victory.[17] On September 29th, 2007, Selwood won his first premiership medallion, helping the Cats record a 119 point win in the Grand Final against Port Adelaide. Collecting 18 disposals, 5 marks, 5 clearances—the most of any Geelong player—7 inside 50's, 4 tackles, and 4 goal assists along the way,[17] Selwood became the youngest premiership player of all time at nineteen-years of age. H also became the first player to win the AFL Rising Star Award and play in a Premiership side within the same season, making him one of the most accomplished first year players in the league's history to date.[16][4]

Having finished ranked first among all first-year players in several major statistical categories;[17] including total possessions (405), disposals per game (19.3), total kicks (216), total handpasses (189), total tackles (94), tackles per game (4.5), and total marks (109), Selwood added to his growing list of first-year honours at season's end with the Geelong Best First Year Player Award, a top 20 placing in the Club Champion award,[18] and nominations among several media end-of-year sporting awards.[19]

Statistics

Statistics are correct as of 29 September, 2007 (Grand Final)[17]
Season Team No. Games Disposals Kicks Handballs Marks Tackles Goals Behinds
2007 Geelong 14 21 19.3 10.3 9.0 5.2 4.5 0.3 0.4
Averages 19.3 10.3 9.0 5.2 4.5 0.3 0.4


Season Team No. Games Disposals Kicks Handballs Marks Tackles Goals Behinds
2007 Geelong 14 21 405 216 189 109 94 7 8
Totals 21 405 216 189 109 94 7 8

Honours

File:Selwood77.JPG
Selwood celebrates with the crowd after Geelong's premiership victory in 2007.
  • AFL Premiership Player with Geelong: 2007
  • AFL McClelland Trophy with Geelong: 2007
  • AFL Rising Star Award: 2007
  • Ron Evans Medallist: 2007
  • AFLPA Best First Year Player Award:2007
  • Geelong F.C. Best First Year Player Award: 2007


Other achievements

  • Youngest ever AFL Premiership player (19 years, 127 days)[4]
  • Only player to win AFL Rising Star Award and play in an AFL Premiership in the same year[4]
  • First Geelong player to win AFL Rising Star Award[20]
  • Most tackles in a season ever by a first year player (95)[17]

Personal life

Selwood is the third of four children born to Bryce and Maree Selwood. He has two older twin brothers, Adam Selwood and Troy Selwood, who also play in the AFL for West Coast and Brisbane respectively, and one younger brother, Scott. Selwood's mother, Maree, was awarded the 2005 AFLPA Mother of the Year Award for her contribution to football through each of her sons.[21]

Along with his parents and brothers, Joel is an ambassador for the Seeing Eye Dogs Association (SEDA) Organisation. Together with his ambassadorial role, Joel and his family sponsor pups, one named 'Selwood' in their family's honour, being trained as a Seeing Eye Dogs.

SEDA have claimed that the far-flung nature of the family around Australia, a result of the AFL draft which has seen Adam make his way west, Troy up north, and Joel remain south in Victoria, helps reflect their organisation's national spread.[22]

A life-long supporter of the Cats growing up in Bendigo,[23] Selwood currently houses with a host family in Geelong, along with teammate Tom Hawkins.[24]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Gullan, S, "Rising Star award down to two", heraldsun.news.com.au, 14 July 2007, accessed 19 September 2007
  2. ^ a b Niall, J, "Joel Selwood follows Judd", realfooty.com.au, 13 August 2007, accessed 19 September 2007
  3. ^ a b c Stafford, A, "Lethal praise for 'special Selwood'", realfooty.com.au, 14 August 2007, accessed 19 September 2007
  4. ^ a b c d Williams, R, "Selwood wanted premiership ride", foxsports.com.au, 1 October 2007, accessed 1 October 2007
  5. ^ Witham, J, "Selwood reminiscent of Bartel", gfc.com.au, 5 September 2007, accessed 19 September 2007
  6. ^ a b c d e Gleeson, M, "Hard Selwood", realfooty.com.au, 1 September 2007, accessed 19 September 2007
  7. ^ McClure, G, "Selwoods take it one son at a time", realfooty.com.au, 5 July 2005, accessed 4 October 2007
  8. ^ Auciello, M, "Joel breaks from his big brothers", The Geelong Advertiser, 19 January 2007, accessed 19 September 2007
  9. ^ a b Witham, J, "Joel Selwood wins NAB AFL Rising Star nomination", afl.com.au, 1 May 2007, accessed 19 September 2007
  10. ^ a b c Gleeson, M, "Geelong captures a Selwood and calms a mother's heart", realfooty.com.au, 26 November 2007, accessed 19 September 2007
  11. ^ Walls, R, "The next generation of superstars", realfooty.com.au, 23 June 2007, accessed 3 October 2007
  12. ^ Niall, J, "Impressive Selwood tipped for Cats' opener", realfooty.com.au, 27 March 2007, accessed 19 September 2007
  13. ^ AFL BigPond Network, "Joel Selwood wins the NAB AFL Rising Star award", afl.com.au, 5 September 2007, accessed 19 September 2007
  14. ^ "Joel Selwood wins AFLPA Best First Year Player Award, stridesports.com.au, 28 September 2007, accessed 26 October 2007
  15. ^ Herald Sun, "Ablett wins AFLPA MVP award", heraldsun.com.au, 29 September 2007, accessed 29 September 2007
  16. ^ a b Sherwood, M, "Selwood's season rare for a rookie: Sheehan"The Canberra Times, 3 October 2007, accessed 8 November 2007
  17. ^ a b c d e "Joel Selwood Statistics", footywire.com, accessed 19 September 2007
  18. ^ "Profile at Geelong's official website", gfc.com.au, accessed 4 November 2007
  19. ^ "Young guns keep firing", The Advertiser, 13 October 2007, accessed 4 November 2007
  20. ^ "For Selwood, only the flag really counts", AAP.com, 5 September 2007, accessed 4 November 2007
  21. ^ [1] 6 May 2007, accessed 8 November 2007
  22. ^ AAP, "Brotherly love put aside at Geelong", The Age, 16 June 2007, accessed 19 September 2007
  23. ^ "Rookies have lots to do"The Advertiser, 28 December 2007, accessed 8 November 2007
  24. ^ Gullan, S, "Dad's jumper fits Hawkins fine"heraldsun.com.au, 16 December 2007, accessed 8 November 2007


Template:S-awards
Preceded by AFL Rising Star
2007 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
None
 Ron Evans Medal
2007 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by AFLPA Best First Year Player Award
2007 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by Geelong FC Best First Year Player Award
2007 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Records
Youngest Ever AFL Premiership Player[1]
19 years, 127 days
AFL Premiership / Rising Star Award Double[1]
Only player to win AFL Rising Star Award and play in an AFL Premiership in the same year


  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference young was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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