SUNS TO PUT CATTERY ADVANTAGE TO THE TEST
IT seems the whole football world is making comparisons between Gold Coast young gun Matt Rowell and Geelong champion Joel Selwood — and with good reason.
Rowell, like midfield bull Selwood, has had an immediate impact on the Gold Coast Suns in the same manner the Cats’ skipper did way back in 2007.
So what does Selwood’s family make of those comparisons?
Older brother Troy has a more qualified perspective than most given he is a talent identification manager at Geelong and has seen both Selwood and Rowell grow up.
He was aware of the comparisons more than 12 months ago, and recalls an amusing conversation he shared with his mum, Maree, as interest in Rowell heated up ahead of last year’s NAB League grand final.
“I still remember 12 months ago my mum was asking me about Matt Rowell,” Selwood said.
“All of these articles were popping up in the Herald Sun and the AFL website, and the comparisons to Joel were being made and my mum is a very humble lady who doesn’t like to speak too much about how proud she is of Joel.
“But she said to me one day ‘Who is this Matt Rowell kid everyone keeps talking about and comparing to Joel? Is he as good as Joel?’ and I said ‘Mum, he is better’.
“Mum looked at me with raised eyebrows and said ‘Oh yeah, we’ll see’. Well, when the NAB League grand final was on I told mum to watch it and at quarter-time I got a text from her saying ‘Yeah, he might be better’.”
The elder Selwood, who played 75 games for Brisbane before moving into a role in administration and recruiting, has enjoyed seeing Rowell on the big stage for the Suns after a dominant junior career. He says while they are not flashy types, both he and his younger brother Joel are worth watching the footy for.
“Sometimes you turn the TV on to watch the remarkable and Matt Rowell and Joel are remarkable in their own right,” he said.
“Their games are built on an unwavering attack on the football and a never-say-die attitude. It is so enjoyable to watch players go about it the way they do.”