RIP Troy Selwood
I'm devastated to hear that Troy Selwood has died, aged only 40. My heart goes out to Bryce and Maree and all the Selwoods.
Troy Selwood, as a 75 gamer, was the least decorated player from Australian football’s most decorated quartet of brothers. That still makes him an excellent player, an absolute junior gun drafted #19 to all the conquering Brisbane Lions in 2002, a player who had a more than respectable AFL career, and enough of a leader to be captaining Geelong’s VFL side in their dominant years around 2011-12.
I started writing The Selwood Boys ten years ago in 2015. The first of the four books ‘Battle Royale’ came out in 2016. Scott and Joel were both still playing, and Adam was in Perth, so it was Troy who I most relied upon to gather the stories to write the books. I thought they were just a wondeful family. Undoubtedly Joel’s burgeoning status as an all-time great was the reason this book series was happening, but once I met them all, including visiting Maree and Bryce and the old family home in Bendigo where photos of all the boys were pinned up on the walls of the garage, I understood why Joel wanted to share equal billing with his brothers. They were Team Selwood, one for all and all for one, and the miracle of four AFL senior footballers in one family was worth celebrating.
Troy was funny and forthcoming, self deprecating and generous with his time. I remember writing a scene for book three ‘Hit the Road’ where the boys fell into a highly intense scratch game of full tackle rugby league against some supersized islander kids. Maybe it’s the rival Hawthorn supporter in me, but I thought it would be funny if there was a moment in that game where Joel ‘invents’ the drop of the knees and lift of the elbow at the moment of tackling, the move that would win him more free kicks than any other person in the history of the game. I called Troy to ask if Joel would mind. ‘You’ve got to do it’ he laughed. ‘Absolutely put that in!’
He also told me about an annual tradition he’d instituted. ‘There’s a hurdler in Bendigo that’s breaking every one of Joel’s long standing junior hurdling records. Every time it happens we cut the news story out of the local Bendigo paper and post it to Joel, every year, just so he knows.’ It was details like this that helped the book so much, and endeared me to the whole family, Troy especially.
He also played in one of the great Victorian junior football teams of all time, the Victorian Primary School Sports Association team of 1996 that included Luke Hodge, Gary Ablett Jnr, Luke Ball and both Selwood twins.
He was a respected AFL recruiter at Geelong, and a mentor to many of the best players at Geelong Grammar going through the pressures of a draft year. He was a true footy person, and the footy world is in mourning today.
I had a look at my Selwood Boys notes, written in 2015, and this is a one pager I had for Troy. I didn’t know him well and he’s lived a life of family footy and friends since meeting me and talking about being a teenager in Bendigo, but his warmth and spirit come through — the stuff that was the lifeblood of our The Selwood Boys series.
TROY SELWOOD
Nickname Sel or Troy
Adam on Troy - Funny / competitive and loyal. We would always have a good laugh together but then be rivals the next. He was my best mate and someone that always had my back.
Troy the older twin.
Baby Troy dressed as the blue twin, Adam the red twin. Mum stopped dressing them matching by five or six years old.
Boys super similar.
Growing up, Troy slightly more talented at footy (says Joel) . Both big kids for their age. Both brilliant at tennis. The competed in and won country tennis tournaments around central Vic. People would jokingly call them ‘the Woodies’.
Troy played centre half forward, Adam centre half back.
Look after each other, fought with each other,
Had a big posse around of friends them, elite players in Bendigo, looked to kick to each other in games.
Twin nouse - People asked if they had sensation of being a twin, magic understanding.... no ... but we lived out of each other’s pockets.
Didn’t share the same class at primary school ... back together at recess and lunch ... gravitate towards one another.
Troy buddied up with Nick dal Santo ... future St Kilda star.
They went to different schools … Troy decided to go to state high ... Adam, Catholic high. Almost like they prepared for independence after draft time ... where they’d be on different sides of the country.
Troy more the funny one ... Adam a little more serious.
Trouble?
Remember Troy wagged a day of school to watch Wrestlemaina ...
Twins threatened to swap class, but never did it. Different schools. Troy was open to idea, Adam hesitant but afraid of the state high! Life at Catholic high cosier.
Adam and Troy paid attention at school. Needed the backup. Made it a competition. Challenge each other. Who can get assignment in first.
Teenage Job - pamphlet round
Adam and Troy did a paper round.Newspaper in bundles, folded up, placed in the bundles, Joel & Scott laugh that all the family did job, but they got money!
JB Hi Fi pamphlets. 250 houses each. Adam to the left, Troy to the right. Both had own hills, both had own dogs hassling them. Once you finished last house, there was a bike ride home. Used to drop the pedals, wouldn’t be far from home! Mad rush to get home. Play footy on tennis court. Eat barbecue shapes.
Who did you barrack for?
Fitzroy supporter ... Dad Bryce a Fitzroy supporter ...
Girls
First girlfriend, Julia, highschool sweetheart ...
Kept it real secretive - had to call Julia after hours, please don’t let Greg answer the phone (her dad) … also secret from brothers who teased him
Clothes
Dressed in sporting clothes.
Music /arts
Remember talent compition. Do it as a group to minimise embarrassment. Didn’t delve into music or the arts.
Troy was in the odd school play (Scott - ‘nothing major I think he was a tree!’)
RIP Troy Selwood. May I join the chorus of people in the football world who are paying respects. My deepest condolences to all his loved ones.
We have a national cinematic release of Ange & The Boss. Night hosted by Francis Leach with Paul Trimboli at Nova on 14th March will sell out.
Also filmmaker Q & A at: 13/3 Pentridge, 15/3 Classic, 16/3 Lido & Westgarth, 17/3 Norton Street & Ritz, 22/3 Cameo, 23/3 Pivotonian & Thornbury Picture House. 25/3 Thornbury, 29/3 The Picadilly SA
Lovely work Tony. Love the Sellwoods' all of them. Have had the pleasure of sitting at games with Bryce and Maree. Their passion for the game and their boys is second to none. Heartful love to all the family.