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A young Geelong local came to Joel Selwood's rescue when the Cats skipper was unable to start his car on his way home after the AFL grand final win.

Joel Selwood has become known for helping others in the Geelong community but after his AFL grand final swansong, it was someone else's turn to come to the aid of the retiring Cats champion.

Selwood had been planning to drive his pregnant wife Brit home after Saturday's premiership celebrations but left his key in his locker, with Cats medical boss and former teammate Harry Taylor fetching it for him.

But Taylor took the key with him when Selwood dropped him off later that evening - something the Geelong skipper realised when he pulled into a local service station at Barwon Heads on Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula.

"When I put (the car) into gear it probably then dawned on us that we were in a bit of trouble and we had no keys," Selwood told reporters at his retirement press conference on Wednesday.

Thankfully, a young local who had been working at the Barwon Heads pub, was on hand to help.

"There was a young P-plater girl that had been at the pub, her name was Emily and I asked Emily if she could drop me home," Selwood said.

"I jumped in the car and I asked her how her day was. She wasn't in the best of moods, to be honest, it was a busy day at the Barwon Heads pub.

"She didn't really pick up who I was at the time. She asked me how my day was and I said, 'It was actually pretty good'. Then she said, 'What did you get up to?'.

"I said, 'I actually played in the game today' and she still hadn't picked up on who I was, which was a nice thing. She asked me my name and then she started swearing at herself.

"We picked up the key, we drove back to the car and I told Emily that I actually had the cup in the car and (asked) would she like a photo."

The 34-year-old, who won this year's AFL Jim Stynes community leadership award, could not have been more impressive during grand final week.

Before the match, Selwood carried Gary Ablett Jnr's son Levi, who has a rare degenerative disease, out onto the ground and through the banner.

During the post-match celebrations he gave his boots to the AusKicker who presented his medal.

And midway through the lap of honour Selwood spotted club water boy Sam Moorfoot - a lifelong Geelong supporter who has been working at the club for more than seven years - in the stands.

He brought Moorfoot, who has Down syndrome, onto the MCG surface to take part in the lap of honour, a moment that went viral on social media.