WHAT has been two years of milestone feats for Joel Selwood will have another accomplishment added to it on Saturday night when the Geelong skipper becomes the longest-serving captain in VFL/AFL history.
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Bendigo's Selwood will lead Geelong into battle as captain for the 227th time at the MCG against Collingwood.
In doing so, Selwood will break the league record that had previously been held by Carlton forward Stephen Kernahan, who captained the Blues in 226 games.
Selwood's record-setting game as captain comes on the back of what has been several milestone accomplishments over the past two seasons:
July 4, 2020 - played 300th game for Geelong in win over Gold Coast Suns;
June 10, 2021 - played the game that took the Selwood family (along with brothers Troy, Adam and Scott) to No.1 on the list of most games played by a set of brothers with 753, surpassing the Daniher record of 752; and
September 3, 2021 - broke the Geelong games record with 333rd match in semi-final win over GWS Giants.
READ MORE: Love of game drives Selwood to AFL record
Selwood, 33, has captained the Cats since 2012, taking the reins from the retired Cameron Ling.
"It's one of those things (breaking the record) that is something you don't set out to do," Selwood said on Wednesday.
"As a young captain I probably didn't understand the position I was holding at the time, but looking back on it this week you understand that you are supported so well along the way to allow that to happen early days.
"The captaincy role has changed a bit over the journey, but so has the league. I'll enjoy it for what it is."
Geelong coach Chris Scott lauded Selwood for the impact he has had both on the field and off it at Geelong - the club Selwood had supported growing up in Bendigo before being drafted with pick No.7 in 2006.
"As a coach you couldn't ask for a better on-field lead-by-example captain and then off-field to help build the culture and support the environment we're trying to create person than Joel," Scott said.
"This is a genuine record that is going to be very hard to break in the future.
This is a genuine record that is going to be very hard to break in the future
- Chris Scott
"We've had a couple of years where we've had milestones as a footy club that we haven't been able to share with our supporters.
"This week at the MCG and next week for our first game back at GMHBA Stadium, I'd encourage people to get along and help us celebrate what has been one of the players of his generation."
Since taking over as captain Selwood has won two best and fairests (2013, 2014), made the All-Australian Team four times, including three as skipper (2013, 2014 and 2016), and in 2013 was named the AFL Players Association's best captain.
All that's left to accomplish now for Selwood - who first played football with St Therese's under-12s - is captaining the Cats to a premiership having earlier won three flags in teams skippered by Tom Harley (2007 and 2009) and Ling (2011).
While Selwood will break the captaincy record on Saturday night, he still needs 11 more victories to surpass Essendon's Dick Reynolds (159) for the most wins as skipper.
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