However, in a career that is already highlighted by three premierships, six All-Australian honours and three club best and fairest awards, Selwood has one itch left to scratch - captaining his beloved Geelong Cats to an AFL premiership.

Fittingly, Saturday night's clash with Richmond will be the 200th time the Sandhurst and Bendigo Pioneers product has led the Cats into battle.

Watching on proudly from the Gabba grandstand will be Joel's parents Bryce and Maree.

"This would be his crowning,'' Bryce Selwood said of Joel.

"He's created many records along the way for a kid who supposedly had a bung knee (when he was drafted).

"To win a grand final was fantastic, but now to go through the hard yards of restructuring the team, and to get to this point, he's busted his guts the whole way.

"He's very excited to lead the team out in a grand final.

"If they get a win then I'm sure he'd say it would be the ultimate."

Bryce and Maree quarantined in Darwin for 14 days before arriving in Brisbane to watch the Cats defeat Brisbane in the preliminary final.

The proud parents decided about eight weeks ago that Maree would make the trip north for the finals.

Bryce didn't make the decision to go until he received some timely advice from youngest son, Scott, who is development coach and runner at Collingwood.

"Scotty rang me Father's Day and he said 'Dad, I haven't seen Geelong play this well for ages, you'll be disappointed if Geelong makes the grand final and wins it and you're not here to celebrate it',''Bryce said.

"A couple of staff members at worked juggled their holidays with me and I got the time off which was just great."

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Bryce said their quarantine period in Darwin wasn't as daunting as some of the stories heard from other parts of Australia.

"It (the facility in Darwin) used to be a gas works and it facilitates about 1300 people in quarantine,'' Bryce said.

"We had our own room which had a TV, an electric jug and a mini fridge. Breakfast, lunch and tea was provided and the food was pretty good.

"The Dangerfields, three members of the Guthrie family and Sam Menegola's mum, Di, came up as well.

"We were all in the same block of eight which made it easier for us. To be honest, it really didn't feel like two weeks.

"It was run really well. It was strict with police patrolling it and security guards around the perimeter, but we could exercise through the day and the accommodation was very acceptable."

To qualify for the preliminary final the Cats had to defeat Collingwood in a cut-throat semi-final.

With Joel captaining the Cats and Scott the runner for the Pies, the Selwoods had a foot in each camp.

"While we barrack for Joel we also barrack for Scott,'' Bryce said.

"No matter what the result was we knew we were going to be represented in the preliminary final.

"Our heart probably bleeds a bit more blue and white compared to black and white, but either way we were going to have a son involved which was great."

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The strict COVID-19 regulations means Bryce and Maree haven't been allowed to see Joel in person since arriving in Brisbane.

They've seen him from a distance and exchanged waves, while on Wednesday night they were invited to travel to Southport to watch the team train from behind a glass window in the stand.

Saturday night marks the seventh time since 2005 that the Selwood family have been involved in an AFL grand final.

Adam played for West Coast in 2005 and 2006, while Joel played for the Cats in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011.

"We've had four wins and two seconds and we'd love to increase the win section this week,'' Bryce said.

"It's been an incredible run. We've been involved in the AFL for 18 or 19 years, so to be involved in seven grand finals in that time...we're very lucky.

"I think there's only been one year in that time where we didn't have someone involved in the finals series.

"It's been a terrific run, we're very proud."

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