GEELONG skipper Joel Selwood has spoken about the duress he was playing under towards the end of 2015, the first season the Cats missed the finals in his time at the club.
He told the Geelong Advertiser that his "whole body" was pretty much shot by the end of the year and that he battled through to play the final game of the season, the farewell game for Steve Johnson, Mathew Stokes and James Kelly.
“We ... didn’t really play for points in that last game but it was also important to get out there for the last game for a few mates who are no longer with us," he said.
"I had little niggles throughout the whole season and then they just got gradually bigger and bigger. (But) I was able to finish out the season. That was important."
Selwood is on a modified program as the Cats start their pre-season campaign. The arrival of Patrick Dangerfield at the club should spare Selwood from some of the battering of seasons past.
He said he expects to return to full training in the next week or so, coinciding with the return to the club of coach Chris Scott who has been travelling overseas.
Joel Selwood's 2015 numbers dip
- Lowest Brownlow votes tallied (13) since 2007 debut year (2)
- Lowest disposal count (491) since 2007 (404)
- Lowest games tally (20) since 2011 (20)
- First season since 2007 without All Australian squad nomination
- Highest free kicks against (37). Previous highest was in 2009 (36)
- Lowest AFL Fantasy average (97.8) since 2008 (91.0)
