Toast The Joel Selwood Stand

[Kobe Gryant]

Even if this was true, and I'm not sure it is, it's an argument in favour of naming the stand after him. Even casual footy fans recognise the name John Coleman because there is something named after him.

Speaking of quickly forgetting the past: he entered a club that had had a disastrous season, nearly sacked the coach, and started the year 2-3. He was head and shoulders above everyone else in the loss to the Roos in Rd 5 and all the senior players in that team talk about the immediate impact he had in driving standards etc. Of course it's not fair to attribute anything in footy to one person, but to portray him as riding on what others built even in 07 is wrong.

I don't know if there's any NFL fans in here, but it reminds a lot me of the Brady/Belichick debate, and if anything, they're probably our closest comparison as a club in that sport.

For so long, the success of the Patriots and the 'Patriot way' where attributed to coach Bill Belichick, and the owner Robert Kraft.

Much like some posters have suggested in here, it was argued for over a decade that Brady had an armchair ride, and really wasn't that special.

It's funny how short memories are though. Prior to Brady's arrival, Belichick had been fired previously in Cleveland, and was on the hot seat again, and Kraft was just an okay owner.

They started the 2001 season 0-2, and then in came Brady....anyone seeing the parallels?

There was never a 'Patriot way' prior to Brady's arrival. It was the 'Brady way' the entire time, or at the very least, that was most of it.

The consummate professionalism, the leadership to not only get the best out of yourself, but the best out of your teamates...and most importantly, the success of the club over the success of any single player.

Now, this isn't to say that Belichick & Kraft where hopeless, and we know that Cook, Costa, Thompson, & Scott weren't either....quite the opposite.

They are all great, but there's one common denominator in each story. Tom Brady, and Joel Selwood.

These sort of things are full club efforts. That's absolutely true, but there's always one person who stands out head and shoulders above the others.

They are the centrepiece, and without them the whole thing comes crashing down.

I know we can't live in hypotheticals, but I can guess this: If Joel Selwood isn't at the Geelong Football club, we've at best only got 2 flags since the 60s, and might have 0.

That's a huge difference. We're either still a joke, or just a good side over a couple years that fades into obscurity.

Instead, this club is an Australian sporting powerhouse. One of the most successful clubs in this country over the 21st century, and one of the most regonised no matter where you go.

Joel Selwood helped build that as much, if not more, than anybody else. He's that good.

 

[D BRIDGE]

That's fine. My comments were tongue in cheek. Please don't take it too seriously
I am just not a Joel fan. I might be wrong. I may not be. You're welcome to refute.
I just have players I prefer, and I never fell in love with the guy.

Each to their own but you’re a Geelong supporter I assume and you are “not a fan” of JS14?

Harsh words… if I say I’m not a fan of something… I genuinely mean I do not like or rate it.

I’m probably interpreting it wrong on your behalf… if I’m not, well I gotta say that you are a hard person to please.

Which is fair enough.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Except that he was captain for a decade in which we failed to even reach a Grand final despite some absolutely golden opportunities. Including quite a number of horrendous finals performances. If you're being honest it has to be assessed in totality.

Scott Pendlebury went 5 years with a below average side at the peak of his powers, and well over a decade between flags.

Gary Ablett Senior lost 4 Grand Finals, and was a shadow of his prodigious self in 3 of them.

Lance Franklin has gone missing in 3 Grand Finals where his team has gotten done, and limped to the end with a poor final 4 or 5 years at best.

Dustin Martin took until 26 to really look like anything close to an elite footballer, and he was relatively done by those standards by 30.

Luke Hodge spent the first 7 years of his career as a tubby midfielder in and out of the medical room, leaving the Hawks in anguish that they didn't select Chris Judd.

Both he, and Sam Mitchell, topped that off by losing Hawthorn the 2012 GF by not performing when it mattered most, by their own admission.

Trent Cotchin took until 26 to even play an average final, let alone a good one.

I could keep going believe me, but the point is each and every one of these players are champions in their own right, and do, or will have stands, medals, & other accolades named after them in due time.

You can appreciate and agknowledge greatness without poking holes in the resùme, because every single great athlete has them.

Luckily, the great, (not good, great) heavily outweighs the bad.

You've said yourself off-field issues shouldn't matter when determining awards because we'd have nobody left. This is the same thing.

If we took points off for every bad moment, every flaw, every less than perfect period, then who's actually deserving of anything?

 

[uranium_death]

Each to their own but you’re a Geelong supporter I assume and you are “not a fan” of JS14?

Harsh words… if I say I’m not a fan of something… I genuinely mean I do not like or rate it.

I’m probably interpreting it wrong on your behalf… if I’m not, well I gotta say that you are a hard person to please.

Which is fair enough.

I am very grateful for Joel's contribution to the club. Yes, he is a great of the club.
I just never got on the love-in. I don't see him as the perfect being.
The problem is mine, and it won't change.
I just prefer other players.
Joel is not in my top 10 favourite. In terms of best, he's up there, yes. But not a favourite.

My favourites are the Abletts. I would rather they have a stand. I understand why others say not.
I understand why people want a Selwood stand.

I would rather others. Merely opinion.

I understand that I am the minority in this, and that's okay. I may even be wrong. Fine. But I still think others deserve the accolade.
"The Players Stand" was a pissweak move. To elevate one player above all others to me is inherently wrong while throwing everybody else in a big pool.
Names like Farmer, Ablett, Goggin, Davis, Hocking, Couch, etc. all miss out. Farmer is an absolute great who in 101 games is up there with Ablett. His effect on the club was instantaneous. The Hockings combined for the 3rd most in a family - with The Nankervis family being top, with the Ablett family second.

I completely understand people's view on Selwood, but I will respectfully say that to elevate one person above the rest when there are other people just as deserving is wrong, in my eyes.

Selwood is not JC. That accolade belongs to Jnr.

 

[goyoucatters]

I am very grateful for Joel's contribution to the club. Yes, he is a great of the club.
I just never got on the love-in. I don't see him as the perfect being.

Nobody here does. But if the stand was going to be named after just one player, I believe there's been plenty of compelling reasons presented in this thread for why it should be Joel.

I completely understand people's view on Selwood, but I will respectfully say that to elevate one person above the rest when there are other people just as deserving is wrong, in my eyes.

As has also been explained extensively in this thread, there are objectively no other players that are just as deserving. His career achievements and legacy to the club (when seen together) are a fair way ahead of every other player who's ever donned the hoops. It's not saying he's the best we've ever seen. But his overall contribution to the success of the GFC is clearly ahead of the rest of the Geelong honour roll over our entire history.

Selwood is not JC. That accolade belongs to Jnr.

I think you'll find the accolade of being JC rightly belongs to his 2022 premiership teammate. And Jez (like Joel) would surely be quick to say that he's in no way divine, either.

 

[Lana]

Don't be ridiculous, UD. No-one's going to be praying to Selwood next Christmas. Most of us who have seen him up close, both on and off ground, recognise what an extraordinary footballer and leader he was, and just how much love he has for the club. I'll enjoy telling young fans about the bloke the stand is named after.

I'm not going to wait until Selmas to pray. Now I call all the brothers and sisters to come together and join me as we ask the anointed one blessed be he to return to us to the realm of glory, the time of September except that one time when it was October, just as he travelled long ago from Bendigo upon a white Ford Falcon to Geelong to sojourn for 16 years we ask the that leave the purple calamity, a collection of cheaters and thieves whose lack of faith are underserving of his blessing and return as the multitude beckon him back to dwell in the home built and named in his honour.

 

[dangerwood]

I'm not going to wait until Selmas to pray. Now I call all the brothers and sisters to come together and join me as we ask the anointed one blessed be he to return to us to the realm of glory, the time of September except that one time when it was October, just as he travelled long ago from Bendigo upon a white Ford Falcon to Geelong to sojourn for 16 years we ask the that leave the purple calamity, a collection of cheaters and thieves whose lack of faith are underserving of his blessing and return as the multitude beckon him back to dwell in the home built and named in his honour.

The Selwood Stand will be our church. We will gather and pray every home game. Infidels will be punished.

 

[Partridge]

Nobody here does. But if the stand was going to be named after just one player, I believe there's been plenty of compelling reasons presented in this thread for why it should be Joel.

As has also been explained extensively in this thread, there are objectively no other players that are just as deserving. His career achievements and legacy to the club (when seen together) are a fair way ahead of every other player who's ever donned the hoops. It's not saying he's the best we've ever seen. But his overall contribution to the success of the GFC is clearly ahead of the rest of the Geelong honour roll over our entire history.

I think you'll find the accolade of being JC rightly belongs to his 2022 premiership teammate. And Jez (like Joel) would surely be quick to say that he's in no way divine, either.

I don't think his contributions are clearly ahead at all. Is it premierships? Reg Hickey contributed to just as many - as a player, captain-coach, and coach. If it isn't just premierships there's a slew of three time premiership players around.

Subjectively you might argue no one else is more deserving. Objectively I think it's impossible to prove.

 

[Partridge]

Even if this was true, and I'm not sure it is, it's an argument in favour of naming the stand after him. Even casual footy fans recognise the name John Coleman because there is something named after him.

Speaking of quickly forgetting the past: he entered a club that had had a disastrous season, nearly sacked the coach, and started the year 2-3. He was head and shoulders above everyone else in the loss to the Roos in Rd 5 and all the senior players in that team talk about the immediate impact he had in driving standards etc. Of course it's not fair to attribute anything in footy to one person, but to portray him as riding on what others built even in 07 is wrong.

No he wasn't. It's become part of the legend. He played a fantastic game for his 4th senior game, but once we lifted in the second half (and did), Chapman and Bartel were just as good or better.

Said it before, his best footy in 2007 came in the last part of the year. He earned his spot absolutely, and he didn't ride on anything, but equally, he wasn't a superstar that year. He had nowhere near the onfield impact that Bartel or Ottens had, and Ablett was miles above either.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Couldn’t agree more. Tom Harley was already there for 8 years prior, surely the title didn’t transform his leadership qualities overnight. He was very very good, but there was one noticeable change before the 2007 season, and he proved for the next 16 years what a wonderful person the club had drafted.

Unquestionably imo.
They talk about the leading teams getting Ablett out front and Scarlett and running through their failings.

Failings that Harley was around when they were occurring and said nothing.
But apparently becoming captain was the catalyst.

No way. It was the 18yo that showed that group wasn't going hard enough, wasn't desperate enough and didn't want it enough that was the catalyst for change.

Harley.... Pfft.
Brilliant defender, vastly overrated influence as captain IMO.

 

[goyoucatters]

I don't think his contributions are clearly ahead at all. Is it premierships? Reg Hickey contributed to just as many - as a player, captain-coach, and coach. If it isn't just premierships there's a slew of three time premiership players around.

Subjectively you might argue no one else is more deserving. Objectively I think it's impossible to prove.

Objectively he's still ahead for mine. Games record-holder at the club (for now), and with a captaincy career that stretches longer than anyone else in the history of the game. Only person to play in four flags for the club, and more finals played than any other player since the birth of Australian Rules. And Reg Hickey already has a stand named after him, anyway.

So I think the empirical evidence still clearly stacks in his favour. I entirely accept that some prefer other Geelong players, and that some other players were better footballers. But I don't see that it's possible to reasonably contend that another player has cast a longer shadow over the on-field success of the Cats than J. Selwood. Given premierships are the reason to play the game, his GFC legacy is simply greater than that of any other player we have seen.

 

[dangerwood]

Unquestionably imo.
They talk about the leading teams getting Ablett out front and Scarlett and running through their failings.

Failings that Harley was around when they were occurring and said nothing.
But apparently becoming captain was the catalyst.

No way. It was the 18yo that showed that group wasn't going hard enough, wasn't desperate enough and didn't want it enough that was the catalyst for change.

Harley.... Pfft.
Brilliant defender, vastly overrated influence as captain IMO.

I'm a massive fan of Harley too and I'm not questioning his leadership in preferencing how highly I rate Selwoods.

I think Harley had a huge influence on the playing group, but part of the reason he did was because Scarlett respected him. Scarlett (who I love but is as blunt as a hammer) had a huge influence over the playing group, he could led a large contingent astray if he didn't buy in but he respected Harley so then everyone else fell in line.

Noone questioned Selwood from the moment he walked in at 18. I'm not saying he lead the team but the senior players talk about how he trained when he walked in and it did set a standard. I always wondered if Selwood might be too harsh and too brutal to be a leader for all types but the more I learned have shown him to be a very caring person.

It can never be proven so will always be a debate but I view the years of contending post 2011 (and not saying he didn't contribute before hand) was a massive result of Selwood. I never viewed the talent of the team post 2011 very highly, and think a huge reason we stayed competitive was both Selwoods efforts as a player but also he's leadership holding the club together and not letting it fall apart. It could've mounted to nothing but the fact we never dropped and stayed competitive and then won in 2022....I think Selwood had a massive influence on it and I'm not sure that's something that's been managed by others. Look at Brisbane post 2004, Hawthorn post 2015, Richmond post 2020.

It depends how you view it, I respect the opinions of people who view it differently. I think I can present a case on evidence as to why he is deserving but my opinion is undoubtedly subjective.

 

[The_Koulouriotis_Fan]

Can’t believe anyone would question Joel getting a stand named after him. Bled blue and white, was there for the most successful run the club had, literally carried us to victory on numerous occasions, was the best leader the club ever had, longest serving AFL captain, club games record holder, our only 4 time premiership player, was also brilliant for the club and community off field.

I know we all love GAS and are misty eyed about other eras. But the reality is, the Joel Selwood era is the most successful period in GFC history and he was a huge part in changing the club, Hell the ground was fully transformed in his tenure.

Just celebrate it, you can’t begrudge the choice. I think it was a brave choices and I think he is rewarding of the accolade.

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

My favourites are the Abletts. I would rather they have a stand.

Whenever me and my mates used to go to Kardinia Park we'd always get a baked potato before the game, stand in the Gary Ablett Terrace (the 'city end') then go to the Barwon Club after the game win lose or draw.

The Terrace was grouse!

 

[uranium_death]

Whenever me and my mates used to go to Kardinia Park we'd always get a baked potato before the game, stand in the Gary Ablett Terrace (the 'city end') then go to the Barwon Club after the game win lose or draw.

The Terrace was grouse!

Yeah. There to watch the footy without being a pampered poodle
Mind you, I am glad they changed the stand. It was time to move on from the 1960s

"The Players Stand" and "The Premiership Stand" are two stands with pissweak names that I would like to see changed. They stand for nothing.
Even St Kilda could have a "Premiership Stand" at Moorabbin. That is how trivial a name like that is.
Farmer and Ablett(s) deserve a stand. Likewise Messrs Costa and Cook

 

[Tandy]

I am very grateful for Joel's contribution to the club. Yes, he is a great of the club.
I just never got on the love-in. I don't see him as the perfect being.
The problem is mine, and it won't change.
I just prefer other players.
Joel is not in my top 10 favourite. In terms of best, he's up there, yes. But not a favourite.

My favourites are the Abletts. I would rather they have a stand. I understand why others say not.
I understand why people want a Selwood stand.

I would rather others. Merely opinion.

I understand that I am the minority in this, and that's okay. I may even be wrong. Fine. But I still think others deserve the accolade.
"The Players Stand" was a pissweak move. To elevate one player above all others to me is inherently wrong while throwing everybody else in a big pool.
Names like Farmer, Ablett, Goggin, Davis, Hocking, Couch, etc. all miss out. Farmer is an absolute great who in 101 games is up there with Ablett. His effect on the club was instantaneous. The Hockings combined for the 3rd most in a family - with The Nankervis family being top, with the Ablett family second.

I completely understand people's view on Selwood, but I will respectfully say that to elevate one person above the rest when there are other people just as deserving is wrong, in my eyes.

Selwood is not JC. That accolade belongs to Jnr.

Not a problem, just an opinion. As unpopular as they are you're allowed to have them.

 

[cats_09]

Yeah. There to watch the footy without being a pampered poodle
Mind you, I am glad they changed the stand. It was time to move on from the 1960s

"The Players Stand" and "The Premiership Stand" are two stands with pissweak names that I would like to see changed. They stand for nothing.
Even St Kilda could have a "Premiership Stand" at Moorabbin. That is how trivial a name like that is.
Farmer and Ablett(s) deserve a stand. Likewise Messrs Costa and Cook

The Ablett's have a terrace

Farmer has a gate

Maybe the President's Room will get renamed after Costa

Doubt Cook gets something named after him while he's CEO elsewhere

 

[Sticksman]

The Ablett's have a terrace

Farmer has a gate

Maybe the President's Room will get renamed after Costa

Doubt Cook gets something named after him while he's CEO elsewhere

The kitchen has already been named the Cook House.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

The Ablett's have a terrace

Farmer has a gate

Maybe the President's Room will get renamed after Costa

Doubt Cook gets something named after him while he's CEO elsewhere

We'll see. There's a version of this where we beat the Blues in the GF and Cooky is apart of it regardless.

Curnow & Cripps mysteriously out with 'illness', and the Cats go on to win that sweet number 5, truly cementing themselves as the greatest side of the 21st century.