Troy Selwood's passion for Australian rules football was reflected in the way he played the game.
Throughout his career, Brisbane Lions's tagger never took a backward step. It was brave, showed an elite football intelligence and competed for each challenge that was presented.
Outside the field, he was seen by many as an outstanding individual, who was compassionate, kind and loved the game.
The world of Footy was shaken on Tuesday after the heartbreaking news of his tragic death, 40, with the Selwood family by launching a statement paying tribute to the former Lions midfielder.
'We are disconsolate for the loss of our son, brother and father, Troy this morning. We will miss Troy more than words can express, 'they wrote.
He was the twin brother of the star of the West Coast Adam, and the brother of the four -time winner of Prime Minister Joel and his teammate of the Cats, Scott.
'Troy was a very dear and loving member of our family. In the course of his life, Troy brought joy and light to all who met him, “the statement said.
Troy Selwood is photographed playing for the Lions Brisbane, where he starred 75 games from 2003 to 2010
The Selwood family revealed its devastation in a statement on Tuesday. Photo from left to right: Scott, Bryce, Brit, Joel, Maree, Troy and Adam Selwood
Selwood (left front) would leave Brisbane in 2010 before retiring completely from football in 2013 after a spell that plays cats in the VFL
'He was a loving son of Maree and Bryce, a support and affectionate brother of Adam, Joel and Scott, and a affectionate father of beautiful children Tom and Sadie.
'We will miss Troy's courage, his humor, his deep thought, his love and compassion. Troy had a generosity of spirit, he cared deeply about people and struggled to improve the lives of others. We are grateful to all those who have supported Troy throughout his life, and we know that his many friends, teammates and colleagues will miss him greatly.
After making 75 appearances in the AFL with the lions, Selwood would use his knowledge of the game of the game to help achieve the next talent of young stars.
He made his way from the management of the program of Geelong's Club Academy and Reerves to work under the recruitment wing under the legendary Stephen Wells recruiter.
It was here that he perfected his skills in the world of talent identification under Wells and developed a special ability to identify some of the most unique young talents of the game.
Some of them have included people like WA Country Kid Shannon Neale, who won the Rising Star South Fremantle award before being collected by the CATS in the 2020 draft and last season he settled as the successor of Tom Hawkins in the first line of Geelong.
Selwood was also fundamental in Geelong's exchanges for Brad Close, identifying the small striker in 2019, far ahead of any other recruitment manager.
He would move to Collingwood in 2021 and then joined Geelong Grammar as his football and sport chief, which was where he met Richmond's exciting star Sam Lalor, who was recruited to the Tigers as the selection No. 1 in 2024 Draft AFL .
Troy (right) is photographic with his younger brother Joel (center) and former Geelong Harry Taylor star in 2014
Selwood would take the VFL team to a Premier League title in 2012, surpassing Port Melbourne in the final
But in one of his final interviews, Selwood again showed his commitment and passion to the game, talking about Lalor's skills not only as a Cricket player but also as a footballer.
“The boys used to leave when Sammy reached the fold and saw him hit,” Selwood told age, speaking in Lalor's Cricket companies, playing for Geelong's grammar.
His classmates would go to the Oval Cricket to see him open the batting with Selwood adding that the pension windows near the oval were not safe when Lalor was in the fold.
“Absolutely, those pension windows approached them several times.”
While the young Richmond midfielder could have followed a race with the bat, instead he chose to play football and has won comparisons with the great Dustin Martin de los Tigres. However, Selwood believed that Lalor was more similar to Jordan de Goey or Christian Petracca in his style of play.
“It is super explosive, hence comparisons with 'dusty' or with Petracca or with these type players,” said Selwood.
'I feel that this is more the type of player. Look, everyone is quite similar, but I feel like Petracca and Goey, when I see him play, I think of those first boys … It is a bright brand high.
'And he did it all over the ground, especially as a year 11, it was simply sensational.
“He showed some of that this year in the national championships, taking a couple of fantastic brands … it will be very harmful if he advances.”
Selwood later revealed where he felt that Lalor was better positioned on the ground, saying: “I imagine that if you are playing any football, any AFL football, next year for Richmond, would be a striker.”
The innovative work of the former talents of Geelong as a players recruiter also almost saw him convince the Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers to change his togs for a couple of soccer shorts.
He also almost took out the movement, with Chalmers being tempted by the movement, but he would adhere to swim and win money in Paris.
“I think he made the right decision, but it was worth trying,” Selwood joked after his meeting came to light last year.
Troy moved to Geelong after ending the lions, winning a prime minister with the club's VFL side before moving to the Talented Department
But his passion for helping the youngest stars to increase their talents was really commendable, and Selwood recently also talked about Ollie Peak's participation in Australia's tour of Sri Lanka.
Speaking in 2022 in his movement to join Geelong Grammar, Selwood said: 'I love working with children who really want to get the best of themselves.
“It is very good for me and, hopefully, for school, what excites me.”
Meanwhile, the taxes have flooded for the former Footy star, with Carlton coach Michael Voss, who had previously trained Selwood in the lions in 2009, reflecting on his courage when he and Alex Rance of Richmond were demolished during a brutal collision.
“Occasionally, as a coach, you put chicken skin on different things, and I wear chicken skin when I saw that,” Voss said.
“I thought” about teamwork, “when one of your classmates puts his body on the line and is willing to hurt himself for the major cause.
'When you see all the boys go to him after the game and recognize that effort, it is a concrete. And when you see a commitment like that of one of your teammates, you cannot help not wanting to disappoint it.
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