Footy great Adam Selwood relives the horrific moment he learned his twin brother and fellow AFL star had died tragically aged just 40

Footy great Adam Selwood has opened up on the pain of losing his brother, Troy, who died in February at the age of 40 – and revealed the shattering moment he found out about the tragedy.

Troy’s tragic passing rocked the AFL community, with many current players and former stars of the game left grieving the former Brisbane Lions star.

Adam got the news in a life-changing phone call with his other sibling, Geelong Cats legend Joel.

‘It was the worst phone call that you could ever imagine,’ he told Channel Nine.

‘We were asleep over here in Perth so to know that Joel was calling at that time in the morning, you knew something was wrong.

‘You always had a bit of a worry that the day could occur. 

Footy great Adam Selwood has opened up on the ‘pain’ of losing his twin brother Troy to suicide earlier this year

Troy (pictured playing for Brisbane in 2005) tragically died in February, and his brother has now been spurred into action 

‘Troy was very proud with the way that he, as he was getting older, just consistently spoke up in times of real need and where he needed to be, and what type of care and support he required.

‘I’m so lucky to be a twin and to have a twin brother I was able to share on this earth for 40 years.’

Troy Selwood enjoyed a distinguished career in the game, being signed to the Lions as the 19th pick in the 2002 AFL draft.

He’d go on to make 75 appearances across seven seasons in the AFL, before being delisted by the club at the end of the 2010 season.

Adam is now raising funds in memory of his brother and will be running the HBF Run For A Reason half-marathon.

‘The pain is same as for anyone who loses a sibling, a son or a daughter in a similar way, but the publicity has been incredibly intense,’ Adam told The Age. 

Selwood is hoping to raise $10,000 by running a half-marathon for the zero2hero charity, which provides support to young people dealing with mental health issues

He is aiming to raise $10,000 to support zero2hero, a charity with the purpose of educating and empowering young people to deal with mental health issues. The charity aims to do this by creating safe environments and empowering young leaders to ‘decrease stigma surrounding mental illness.’

‘I know through his passing that he’s already saved the lives of many that probably during that period needed to speak up to get the care they required,’ Adam said.

‘To know that has occurred warms my heart and it does provide me with the strength to keep moving through.’

The 40-year-old added that he learned of his twin’s passing after his younger brother, Joel, had called him early one morning. He called it the ‘worst phone call that you could ever imagine’.

‘You always had a bit of a worry that the day could occur… I was so lucky to be a twin and to have a twin brother I was able to share on this earth for 40 years,’ he said.

Adam, a 2006 premiership winner with the West Coast, revealed that he and Troy were connected through running, stating he was running the half-marathon in his memory.

‘Troy and I loved running together growing up… they were some of our real happy memories,’ Selwood said.

‘I’ve been able to put the runners back on and been able to connect with him each day by just being out doing something he loved, and we loved doing together.

Adam and Troy connected through running, with Adam explaining that he had many ‘happy memories’ jogging with his twin (pictured left to right, Scott, Bryce, Brit, Joel, Maree, Troy and Adam Selwood) 

Adam explained that Troy (pictured playing for Brisbane in 2010) was there for him when he needed support and ‘wisdom’  

‘He had this will and determination that whenever we went for runs, we’d be running together but then in that last kilometre or two he would push ahead a bit just to let me know who the older brother was.’

Adam said he was lucky to have lived with his brother, who he called his best mate.

‘Not only were there great times but also moments where you needed that counsel and support,’ he added.

‘You’d be in the car, and you weren’t selected for the West Coast Eagles, and you’re the emergency for the seventh time, and you’re frustrated. He’d be the first person you’d call.

‘We had that connection where we just needed to hear each other’s voice, wisdom and experience.’

The former West Coast star had revealed that Troy had been struggling with some mental health issues but reflected on spending their 40th birthdays together last year in Bali, surfing and enjoying a good catch-up.

‘He was meant to get to 40, we were meant to have another Christmas together and that’s something those last 12 months that I’ll really hold on to,’ he added.

The HBF Run For a Reason is due to be held on Sunday, May 25.

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