You would be hard pressed to wipe the smile of Scott Selwood’s face this week

The 26-year-old is set to pull on the blue and white hoops of Geelong for the first time this Saturday at Preston City Oval as he lines up for the VFL Cats in a game that has been some ten months or more in the making.

“I’m just looking forward to playing footy again. I haven’t for nearly 12 months now,” Selwood said.

“I’m just looking forward to going out there and trying to get a kick and enjoying it, and looking forward to getting some lactic in the body and feeling like a footy player again.”

The youngest Selwood has battled chronic ankle injuries across his 135-game AFL career, and undergone multiple surgeries more recently.

He arrived at the club via free agency at the end of 2015 and was immediately placed in the hands of the Cats’ medical staff. A cautious, long-term approach to Selwood’s recovery was adopted from the very beginning – noting the fact he has the potential to be a pivotal member of the Geelong side for many years to come.

“They’ve [medical staff] been really good. They’ve been patient – which I think is probably the most important thing,” Selwood said.

“I think we could’ve probably rushed it a couple of times and pushed to go a bit earlier – but they took their time.”

Vice captain of his former club West Coast and a club best and fairest winner in 2012, the decision to cross the Nullarbor and return home was not made lightly.

But on the eve of his first game for his new club Geelong, he could not be more certain of the opportunities that lay ahead at Simonds Stadium.

“I think just being close to the club through watching Joel [Selwood] and watching them be successful and things like that,” Selwood said.

“I think it was just a bit of a fresh opportunity and do something different and I’m just looking forward to playing in Geelong colours now.”

You can watch the full interview with Scott Selwood in the video player above.