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Duff: Selwood would have loved the fight Eagles showed
Mark Duffield • May 19th, 2025 3:36 pm
- Adam Selwood has died aged 41
- His death comes just months after his twin brother Troy
- The AFL and clubs have paid tribute
- Adam won a flag with West Coast in 2006
Let us deal first with the saddest news of this weekend. The death of Adam Selwood at the age of 41.
It came on the heels of the death of his twin brother Troy. It is hard to find words that accurately reflect the magnitude of this or the tragedy that it represents for the Selwood family – although West Coast’s co-captain Oscar Allen spoke beautifully post match after the Eagles had upset the Saints yesterday and coach Andrew McQualter spoke eloquently post match.
Footy is big in this country, in this town and in many of our lives – but it is not life and death. This loss is a huge loss for a family that had already suffered a huge loss.
As a player – Selwood was a 187 game veteran – a premiership player in 2006 – a selfless team member and a player who got the most out of himself.
He was also a person of immense character – a young player who was prepared and had the courage of his convictions to speak his mind about the behaviour of some teammates when the Eagles off field culture crisis hit shortly after he arrived at the club.
He was, as I saw him described – a straight arrow.
It is a shame he couldn’t see how his previously winless club played yesterday – it was the sort of effort he expected of himself every game. He would have liked the way they went about it.
Our thoughts sit with his family and loved ones.
A BIG WEEKEND IN THE WEST
It hasn’t been the easiest two and a half seasons in WA footy. Fremantle haven’t played finals since 2022. West Coast won 10 games in three seasons after 2021.
And we hadn’t beaten South Australia in six meetings.
So WA footy fans – it was nice to see three wins against the odds this weekend.
A superb win by Fremantle, playing as Walyalup over GWS in Sydney. A big win by the Sandgropers over the Croweaters in a state league interstate clash at Adelaide Oval.
And then – in one of the upsets of the season, Andrew McQualter’s Eagles, playing as Waalitj Marawar – played all over St Kilda at Optus Stadium for their first win of the season – McQualter’s first win as Eagles coach
The state clash win was important. It felt like we were losing ground to the SANFL in second tier footy.
Two points to make on Fremantle’s win over the Giants – this is how well Fremantle can play. Now they must set themselves to show us how often they can play well. It was reassuring for coach Justin Longmuir – don’t breathe out now Dockers.
And the Eagles? Hats off to Andrew McQualter for a midfield overhaul that has them looking vibrant and exciting suddenly. Tyler Brockman, Brady Hough and Liam Ryan have been inspired additions to the midfield. McQualter got deserved reward for his coaching dare yesterday.
FOUR THOUGHTS
Thought one is on Fremantle ruckman Luke Jackson – he was impressive before he hurt his hamstring in the early rounds. He has rarely been more impressive than he was at the weekend leading the ruck against the Giants. He adds an extra dimension to the Dockers midfield – adding a bigger body hunting the ball at ground level. That is important especially in the absence of Hayden Young for at least the next two and a half months. Whatever the Dockers decide to do with Sean Darcy, if I am Justin Longmuir, I want Jackson leading my ruck at the moment.
Thought two is on the two young Eagles tall defenders Sandy Brock and Harry Edwards – I thought they were two of the unsung heroes of the win yesterday. They had to hold up in the absence of Jeremy McGovern. They had 19 intercept possessions between them and played with a real surety in defence. Brock is new on the scene but it is one of the better games I have seen Edwards play.
Thought three is on the GWS Giants – I have had them in my premiership reckoning since the start of the season- I am about to take them out now. I think they just don’t have the depth to cover key personnel losses and as good as Freo were against them on Saturday the Giants looked listless and either unable or unwilling to do the work that might have changed the course of a match that was swinging against them from the midway point of the first quarter. They were without Coniglio, Kelly, Daniels and Stringer but Hayden Young, Jaeger O’Meara and Nathan O’Driscoll would all play in Freo’s best 22 and Sean Darcy, Nat Fyfe and Michael Walters might.
Finally thought four: Right now if Collingwood are the best team in the AFL, the Western Bulldogs might be the second best. They did a number on Essendon on Saturday night at Marvel Stadium. The Bombers weren’t great but they were made to look a lot worse than not great. Out run, out muscled and outclassed. Is there a better midfield group than Bontempelli, Liberatore, Richards and Freijah. Throw in Tim English rucking and this might be the AFL’s best engine room.
IF YOU NEED TO TALK
Lifeline (24-hour crisis line): 131 114
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Headspace: 1800 650 890 or headspace.org.au
