After failing to have his three-game suspension reduced to two, Joel Selwood will spend the next four weeks on the sidelines for a much-deserved rest, much to the dismay of the competition.
Yet to drop a game in his coaching career, Chris Scott now holds the record for most wins in a row for a debutant senior coach and Selwood has played a major role in the winning streak.
Losing a star player for a lengthy period commonly derails teams, especially when that player is as high of a calibre as Selwood. But as the luck at Geelong continues, it is the rest of the competition who should be worried about Selwood’s mid-season break.
What differs Selwood’s lay-off from that of Aaron Sandilands or Jobe Watson is that he has been suspended, not injured.
A proven leader at the club, Selwood will continue to train with the team and undoubtedly make up for missed match fitness in the gym.
Most pundits have Geelong finishing in the top two this season and with the capitulation of Hawthorn’s healthy playing-list, this has only been reinforced.
Selwood is literally having a mid-season break and getting his body right for a strong tilt at a third premiership in five years.
Gifted with the luxury of being able to rest key players, courtesy of the substitute rule and lack of injuries at Kardinia Park, Selwood will be returning in round 17 with games against Brisbane, Richmond, Melbourne, Gold Coast and Adelaide before a bye in round 22.
None of the aforementioned teams are top eight teams, which illustrates the fairly easy run into finals which Geelong looks to have once again, lucked out with.
Selwood will be given the luxury to ease his way back into AFL football on his way to finals.
Having set the tone early in the season, to see his team at the top of the ladder undefeated, we cannot blame him for enjoying a mid-week beer.
Entering his fifth season, Selwood has played more football since being drafted than anyone else in his draft class. Now in his fifth season, Selwood has missed only five games since being drafted!
In comparison, Scott Gumbleton has played 22, Lachlan Hanson played 60 and Mitch Thorp played 2 before being delisted. All were drafted before Selwood at pick seven.
After seeing the carnage Selwood has wreaked on finals series after playing entire seasons, it is scary to think that only now is his body entering maturity.
Selwood, being granted a mid-season rest, unforced by injury may be exactly what Geelong need, to surpass Collingwood.
Various media outlets have been quick to debate whether or not this suspension has cost Selwood a Brownlow medal. Of the previous four years, I cannot think of a better time for Selwood to be rubbed out.
Chris Judd is playing better football than he did in his medal-winning years and the previous few have been overshadowed by Ablett stealing votes off him.
For those who believe in karma, if Selwood has been ruining the game by repeatedly ducking his head and drawing free kicks, no better time exists for his fortunes to turn around.
Losing a star ball-winner for four weeks is unfortunate but is far from the end of the world. Geelong will finish in the top four, Selwood was not a serious Brownlow contender and he will return fresher than the rest of the competition to give Geelong an edge leading into the finals.
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