By Phil Skeggs

Ivanhoe Amateurs has enlisted former AFL midfielder Scott Selwood for season 2022.

Selwood, 31, accepted an invitation to Ivanhoe Park from his Collingwood workmate and Hoers playing coach Ash Close this week.

In the recruiting coup of the preseason in VAFA Division 2, Selwood will join this year’s competition B&F Wayne Schultz in the midfield.

Selwood said he was looking forward to playing alongside Close and Schultz and will start preseason training at Ivanhoe next week.

“I am nearly 32 and I am moving like an ox, but hopefully that will change,” he said.

“I haven’t finished scratching that itch (to play again).”

Selwood has his sights set on helping Close take the club to finals and a shot at breaking a 51-year senior premiership drought.

He is also happy to assist in mentoring younger teammates and juniors.

Selwood, aka ‘Scooter’, is the youngest of the four Selwood brothers.

He played 169 AFL games in 12 seasons – 135 for West Coast between 2008 and 2015, winning the John Worsfold Medal as B&F in 2012.

He played 34 games for Geelong between 2016-19.

Selwood joined the Magpies as development coach at the end of 2019 and was appointed midfield coach in mid-2021.

He remains under contract at Collingwood for next year and work commitments mean he won’t be available to play every round.

Ivanhoe’s Peter Rawley welcomed Selwood’s decision, saying the club was moving to a more professional approach to coaching in 2022.

“One of the strategic pillars we are implementing in 2022 is around elite coaching and development. As such, we want to implement a program that is best practice when it comes to the practical and theoretical elements of coaching and player development,” Rawley said.

“Across our senior men’s team we already have a great coaching line up – Ash Close (Collingwood development coach), Wayne Schultz (Carlton AFLW) and Nick Carlyon (successful coach at senior NFNL clubs).

“But having a person of Scott’s quality to support the ongoing growth of our players and coaches across not only our men’s teams, but also our women’s and juniors programs is a huge boost for the whole club.”

Photo: Ivanhoe AFC