Geelong champion Joel Selwood has been voted the 2013 Best Captain, presented L’Oreal Men Expert, at the AFL Players’ MVP Awards tonight.
Selwood collected the award in person, in front of 600 guests, who had gathered at the Peninsula Docklands in Melbourne for the annual AFL Players’ Be the Influence MVP Awards.
It was a big night for Selwood, who earlier had collected the Robert Rose Most Courageous Award earlier in the evening, and with this double had certainly earned the title of Captain Courageous.
Modest as always Selwood, expressed his surprise at being awarded the prestigious honour and said the fact that it was voted by his peers made it all the more special.
“You go out there and you try to play the right way for your side but to be recognised by everyone else in the league-its really special,” said Selwood
Selwood was nominated by his teammates and voted by his peers as the best captain for this season. He took on the role as captain in season 2012, taking over from retiring Cat Cameron Ling.
A fearless footballer, he leads by example, putting his head over the footy, always going hard as possible to win every contest. Tape around his head from a bump or knock has become a part of his footy uniform.
AFL Players’ Association CEO Matt Finnis said Selwood was a great role model for any young player entering the system, and was an exceptional leader not only on the field but off it as well.
“Selwood is a tremendous leader, we constantly marvel at his on-field courage, he has great skill and leads his team the only way he knows how” said Finnis.
Selwood was dubbed the next captain since his first season in 2007, from the beginning he has shown leadership on and off field. This has won him the respect of his teammates, his club and the wider football community.
“I have really good people around me, I had two captains before me who I loved to learn off and I have great leaders who have been at the footy club and who still are at the footy club that are giving me a huge hand. I feel a bit silly standing up here taking this award because they play a huge role in what I do.” said Selwood.
Selwood has had a dream start to his career at only 25 years old he had a premiership in his first season and two more since then in ’09 and ’11. These are followed by a long list of individual achievements including The NAB Rising Star Award, a Carji Greeves medal in 2010, a three-time All Australian in ’09, ’10 and ’13 and a three time AFL Players Robert Rose Most Courageous.
The voting for Best Captain was a competitive award, Joel Selwood got the nod with 172 votes just ahead of Gary Ablett on 115 votes, Jobe Watson (110 votes) and Luke Hodge (102 votes).