The Brisbane Lions Football Club is saddened to hear that former Brisbane Lions utility player Troy Selwood, one quarter of football’s most prolific AFL family, has passed away aged 40.

Originally from Sandhurst and the Bendigo Pioneers, Selwood played 75 games with the Lions from 2003-10 before a distinguished career in AFL recruiting and development.

Drafted with pick #19 in the 2002 National Draft, he joined the Lions during the golden era of the 2001-02-03 premiership hat-trick and debuted in Round 1 2005.

Brisbane Lions CEO, Greg Swann said:
“On behalf of the Brisbane Lions, we extend our deepest condolences to the entire Selwood family at this very difficult time.

“Troy was much loved amongst his teammates and respected across the industry for his work in multiple football roles.” 

He wore jumper #28, he played 17-16-14-13-10-5 games year by year from 2005-10, and played his last game in Jonathan Brown’s 200th game at Marvel Stadium in Round 21 2010, when the Lions beat Essendon by 27 points.

He had a career-best of 35 possessions in his 34th game in 2007, when the Lions were beaten by 64 points, and polled his one and only Brownlow Medal vote in his 47th game in Joel’s first season.

The ultimate team player and hugely popular with his teammates, he was a fearless competitor remembered for a sickening head-on collision with Richmond’s Alex Rance in Round 7 2009 at the MCG, when both players were knocked out.

Club legend Michael Voss, Lions coach at the time, reflected on a moment which typified the Selwood approach and sparked a memorable comeback win after they’d conceded the first four goals.

"Every now again as a coach you get goose bumps about different things, and I got goose bumps when I saw that," Voss said. "I thought 'that's what teamwork is all about' - when one of your mates puts his body on the line for you and is willing to hurt himself for the greater cause.

"When you see all the guys go over to him after the game and acknowledge that effort, it is spine tingling. And when you see a commitment like that from one of your teammates you can't help but not want to let him down."

After his time in Brisbane Selwood was Talent Identification Manager at Geelong from 2010-21, and after a short stint in recruiting and list management at Collingwood in 2021 he joined Geelong Grammar as head of the football program.

He also played in the Geelong VFL side from 2011-13, captaining the Cats to the 2012 premiership, and was a member of the K-Rock AFL radio commentary team from 2012-16.