Ten months ago I was lucky enough to become a parent to a beautiful baby boy, and as soon as the umbilical cord was cut, the race was on to sign him up.
 
With my mother-in-law waiting at the hospital door with red and blue onesies ready to make him a little Demon, I knew I had to act fast.
 
Growing up on the Bellarine Peninsula my earliest memory is of sitting on my dad’s shoulders in the outer at Kardinia Park, decked out in blue and white, trying get a glimpse of Gary Ablett senior working his magic.
 
Two decades on I want the same lifetime bond with my son. So to find out how to turn my baby into a kitten, I went straight to the top, calling upon Geelong Captain Joel Selwood for advice. He’s also been a cat since birth.
 
“Blue and white my whole life, I was quite lucky my uncle got me into it, now forever blue and white,” Selwood said.
 
Joel’s awaiting the birth of his brother Troy’s (Geelong Cats VFL Academy Manager) first son or daughter in June and wants to make sure his other brothers don’t jump in and turn the new bub into a West Coast Eagle.
 
I explained my tactic of singing ‘We are Geelong’ to my son each night to settle him before bed, subconsciously turning him into a Cats fan.
 
Selwood’s keen to give it a try.
 
“Well I’m about to have my first niece or nephew on the scene so maybe I’ll have to do that, but I think I’ve already got that one across the line because they’re going to be in Geelong with me.”
 
“My best mate has just had a baby too so maybe I’ll trial it out on his child first,” Selwood said.
 
But when it comes to brainwashing kids, no one does it better than Collingwood.
 
One-eyed Magpie fans go to any lengths to convert rivals, even bribery. Last year my uncle said he’d write me into his will if I switched to his beloved Pies. Of course I said no.
 
But Cats fans are making inroads in the art of brainwashing: one Surf Coast primary school breaks into ‘We are Geelong’ straight after singing the Australian national anthem at assembly.
 
So according to Joel Selwood, get in early, buy a Cats jumper for the child, proudly sing the song, get along to the games and become a paid up member.
 
Because in the end, why wouldn’t they want to barrack for the ‘Greatest team of all’?
 
 
Sean Sowerby
Channel 7 Weekend Sports Presenter/Geelong Member