Recently retired Geelong premiership hero Joel Selwood says he has a 'new footy locker room' for one very heartwarming reason.
The four-time premiership player got the fairytale ending so many wished for when the Cats won the 2022 flag, and is now moving on with the next stage of his life in a way that doesn't involve Aussie Rules footy.
Selwood told Daily Mail Australia life has not slowed down in the slightest since he finished his storied 355-game career, which included almost every team and individual honour in the sport.
Joel Selwood, pictured with wife Brit, may have retired from the AFL, but the Cats premiership hero told Daily Mail Australia he is just as busy as ever
Glamorous wife Brit is preparing to have the couple's first child, while Selwood is continuing to work with a variety of his partners in addition to a new role at NRL powerhouse the Melbourne Storm.
'It's been a really it has been a busy, really unbelievable period,' he told Daily Mail Australia.
'The Geelong Cats story has been very interesting for many to find out about how we've been able to do it (win premierships), and I feel fortunate to be able to tell it.
'(But) there'll be a sort of little quiet period now, which I'm looking forward to - we are hanging around home.
'Brit is obviously 30 weeks pregnant at the moment, so it's more me slowing her down than her wanting to slow down,' he laughed.
Joel and Brit Selwood took time to enjoy Derby Day at Flemington last month as the 355-gamer adjusts to life after footy
It's more of a do as I say, not as I do as I do, agreed Selwood, who is famously one of footy's most ferocious players of all time despite his kind, measured nature off the field.
Selwood lives in the Victorian coastal town of Barwon Heads, 20km south of Geelong, and is part of a campaign to improve awareness of water safety ahead of the busy summer holiday period.
Sadly, Australia has had a record poor year when it comes to coastal drowning deaths; 141 people have already lost their lives in 2022 at the country's beaches.
The one-time pool lifeguard and Storm star Harry Grant are part of a campaign to help prevent drownings over the busy summer holiday period - something that is close to his heart.
Joel Selwood is fronting up a campaign for Nutri-grain to improve water safety around Australia after 141 people have already died from coastal drownings this year
'It's the time of year where the surf is probably at its most dangerous,' Selwood said.
'Firstly, it's busier than usual, and two, people and families are swimming at beaches they that are unfamiliar with it.
'I'm now a coastie. I'm in Barwon Heads, I've got Thirteenth Beach over the back and Ocean Grove surf beach is within a stone's throw,' the born-and-raised Bendigo boy said.
Not only are drowning deaths tragically at an all-time high, men are nine times more likely to drown during summer public holidays, so Selwood is keen to be a part of the solution.
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Share 111 shares'The campaign is to bring awareness that is can be really dangerous out there, and it's a message more to males in particular to make sure that you're checking everything off,' he said.
'(It's about) not thinking you're a hero and can swim against everything, because the sea can be a really harsh
'It can be scary. We had four teenagers just get swept across the (Port Phillip) bay the last couple of days.
'They just got lucky that everything was going the right way more than anything else,' explained Selwood of the miracle that saw two girls and two boys rescued 20km away on an island after disappearing in waters of Rosebud, south-east of Melbourne.
One of the defining scenes of the Cats' 82-point grand final win over the Swans in September wasn't when he flushed a goal from 50m out on the side of his boot.
It wasn't even the touching moment where he gifted his playing boots to the Auskicker tasked with giving him his premiership medal.
Or when he carried ex-teammate Gary Ablett Junior's son Levi, who has a degenerative disorder, through the banner at the start of the game.
It was when he helped long-time friend and Geelong water boy Sam Morfoot over the MCG fence to celebrate with the team.
Players lingered on the hallowed MCG turf to soak up the atmosphere for some time after the final siren, before Selwood spotted an ecstatic Moorfoot on the boundary fence.
Selwood, who the water boy describes as his 'best friend', insisted Moorfoot join in the celebrations.
The 29-year-old, who has Down syndrome, was then given Cameron's medal and continued to party with the Cats well into the night - even joining in on their iconic Mad Monday celebrations.
Moorfoot has been involved with the club since 2015, originally as a volunteer at Kardinia Park's bistro.
Now the club's water boy, he can often be seen around the team during the week and on game days, and Selwood said their special relationship has certainly not ended like his AFL career.
Joel Selwood and Sam Moorfoot embrace after the Cats won the 2022 grand final over Sydney
Sam Moorfoot was ecstatic when Joel Selwood and Jeremy Cameron pulled him over the fence after their grand final win, with the latter giving him the premiership medal
Sam Moorfoot joined in the Geelong Cats Mad Monday celebrations after their grand final win
'I've got close friend Sam Morfoot, who came over the fence on grand final day, he's in a WhatsApp group, that's my busiest WhatsApp group with Tom Hawkins and my little brother Scott (Selwood, former AFL player),' he said.
'And it just buzzes away, and we smile and kind of banter, though Sam is the kindest of all.
'So that's my footy locker room now,' Selwood laughed.
Selwood has done a mountain of work with people and children living with disabilities, winning the esteemed Jim Stynes Award for all his work in the community.
But its clear working with people with disabilities is not just a passion of his, and Special Needs teacher wife Brit, but something that brings him immense joy.
Joel Selwood has done a power of work in the community with people that have a disability, as has wife Brit, who is a Special Needs teacher
'More than anything, the personalities within their disabilities are just amazing, to be honest,' he said.
'Sometimes people put barriers on them and kids that we've dealt with, you sort of let those barriers down and let them go - and they keep surprising you with how clever they can be.
'You probably get a little bit more love from them, too. They do have a great affection about them,' Selwood said.
Despite being one of Geelong's greatest-ever players, Selwood hasn't followed the typical path many legends follow in retirement and taking up a major broadcasting role or coaching job with the club.
No - he is now at the Storm as their leadership coach.
Joel Selwood is now the Melbourne Storm's leadership coach, and said he just couldn't say no to well-respected general manager of football Frank Ponissi
'NRL was probably a never a sport that I thought that I would be mixing too much with,' he laughed.
'I've followed them to a degree, mainly when the big three (Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk) were there and they put Melbourne Storm on the map down here in a Melbourne market is, of course, saturated by AFL.
'When I caught up with a couple of people there, one being Frank Ponissi (general manager of football); and of course I couldn't say no to a really impressive guy.
'They've just been an organisation that's been well ran for a number of years, so that was the thing about it,' said Selwood.
Selwood holds the Premiership Cup aloft to the crowd after the Cats smashed the Swans by 82 points
After going down in an elimination final to Canberra to end their season, the Storm are still well poised to continue on their long history of success.
And if their players have even a fifth of the leadership Selwood did, the club will be in brilliant stead.
'They (Storm) drive high standards and then also allow people to be the best version of themselves, but don't put barriers on people,' he said of the famed culture at the AAMI Park-based club.
'You do love working with talents, and players like Ryan Papenhuyzen, Cameron Munster, Jahrome Hughes, and Harry Grant, they aren't just superstars, they are really impressive, well-mannered and they will be leaders at the club for years to come.'
Joel Selwood (left) is working alongside NRL star Harry Grant (right) on a water safety initiative, and will also be coaching the Storm hooker in his new role
Selwood said it wasn't about escaping the AFL bubble he has been in so long, it was just about a new, intriguing challenge.
'There was no fatigue (being in the AFL industry so long),' he said.
'It was mainly just to have a look at something else, which may sound really simple, but I've always been intrigued with other sports and how they do it.
'Craig's obviously been a great coach for many, many years. So to learn off him, to learn off Frank (Polissi) and then a different playing group, is really appealing.
'The one really appealing thing as well, was how do you bring all these boys together from other states, the Pacific Islanders and Maori boys working together so well,' Selwood explained.
For more information on water safety this summer holiday period, head to Surf Life Saving Australia.
Every packet of Nutri-grain will also have a QR code that links to a site identifying the closest patrolled beach.
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