AFL grand final: Emotion running high as stunning Joel Selwood goal sparks retirement speculation

A final quarter goal as emotional as it was stunning has sparked speculation Geelong captain Joel Selwood could end his storied career in the wake of his fourth premiership.

Selwood was hoisted from the ground by teammates after putting the icing on Geelong’s remarkable grand final cake and was mobbed by Cats as he wiped tears from his eyes.

But the new finals games record-holder didn’t confirm his future, even during a moving grand final speech.

“To my teammates, and the club, everyone involved in it —not just this year but the years gone by, I hope you’re sitting back proud,” Selwood said.

“They are a hell of a group. To our 72,000 plus members, we can’t thank you enough and jump back on board, these boys are so special.

“It’s coming home, back where it belongs.”

Camera Icon Selwood’s fourth quarter goal sparked an emotional celebration. Credit: Robert Cianflone/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

The 34-year-old is out-of-contract with the club having become a premiership skipper for the first time. Geelong’s last two captains to lift the cup, Tom Harley and Cameron Ling, have retired in the immediate aftermath.

Selwood said Chris Scott’s second premiership, which came 11 years after his first, was the ultimate defence of the club’s ageing list.

“Every side says it but I think we deserve one,” he said.

“We’ve just been bashing away, we don’t apologise for being up there and having a crack at it each year.

Camera Icon Selwood and coach Chris Scott lift the premiership cup. Credit: Mark Kolbe/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

“We had a few miss out today too which you really feel sorry for.

“This has been built over five or six years, there has been a lot of good people come in and out of the program and I hope they’re sitting back smiling because it just hasn’t been 12 months in the making.”

Tom Hawkins, who Selwood has now won three premierships alongside, talked around questions over his great mate’s future.

“I told him he is a premiership captain. In football it’s such a wonderful sport, but you rarely get opportunities like that,” he said.

“When the curtain closes tonight and the lights go off it’ll be our 16th year together.

Camera Icon Hawkins and Selwood share in the emotion. Credit: JAMES ROSS/AAPIMAGE

“We have done a lot of things and achieved some wonderful things but to be able to do this after the year he’s had and just our time in the game — it’s just so special.”

The champion forward kicked three goals in the win and said the emotion around the captain’s final goal was for the club’s sustained period of hard work.

“You just work so hard to get moments and opportunities like this, I’m just so proud of everyone within our organisation and all those that sacrificed,” he said.

“This is really special.”

Emotional opposition captain Dane Rampe lauded the Cats great during his post-game speech, describing Selwood as a football “giant”.

“I just want to touch on Joel Selwood’s record as well,” the co-captain said to rapturous applause.

“Sometimes you have got to pinch yourself when you share the field with giants of the game mate, and you are an absolute giant. Congratulations.”

Selwood won his first premiership during his debut season and was a part of the Cats’ success in 2009 and 2011. Today was his sixth grand final.

Earlier, he carried Gary Ablett’s son Levi, who suffers from a rare degenerative disease, onto the ground with him.