DO IT FOR MAGGIE
DAD URGES EX-CAT TO TRIUMPH OVER HEARTACHE
TRAVIS Varcoe’s father has told him to “play for Maggie” in tomorrow’s Grand Final as coaches and teammates of the Collingwood star laud his courage just weeks after his sister’s tragic passing.
Brian Varcoe won’t be at the MCG tomorrow, but will watch on TV at home as his son tries to win the third and most emotional premiership of his career.
Varcoe’s sister Margaret died in hospital last month after sustaining a head injury while playing a grand final for Angle Vale in South Australia.
The entire football community has rallied around Varcoe, with every team wearing black armbands in the first week of finals.
Now Varcoe and Collingwood are just one game away from the most remarkable of flags.
“I won’t be at the game because I have trouble with my eyes, but I spoke to him last night and I just said, ‘Play for Maggie, play for her’,” Brian said.
“The conversation didn’t go too long, but he’s coping well. He’s got a lovely little girl (a daughter, aged three) and he said, ‘OK Dad’, and he’ll focus on the game.
“Maggie loved him dearly. She idolised Trav and she went over to Melbourne for his 200th game (in Round 22). So hopefully Trav plays a good game.”
Tomorrow will be the latest chapter in Varcoe’s incredible football journey from Central District, in Adelaide’s northern suburbs, to the biggest stage of all.
Since being drafted with pick No. 15 in 2005, Varcoe has played 204 AFL games, 20 finals and three grand finals for two premierships — both with Geelong, in 2009 and 2011.
Former teammate Mathew Stokes arrived at Geelong at the same time as Varcoe and they quickly became friends.
“But it was like we were from two different worlds. He was 17 from Central District and I was 21 and had grown up in Darwin,” Stokes said.
“I was quite comfortable in myself, but he was a shy kid and he had issues staying awake in meetings. He used to fall asleep when Bomber (Mark Thompson) used to talk.
“I think we were the only two indigenous boys at the club at that time, so we used to kick about together and it was really good to be able to support him early on because there was a fair bit of pressure wearing the No. 5 (Gary Ablett Sr’s old number) and being a high draft pick.
“But he brought something different to the club and always stayed true to himself.
“He’s very similar to Shaun Burgoyne in a lot of ways, in that he doesn’t get a heap of the footy or do the really amazing things all the time, but he always does the right things at the right time.
“In high-pressure situations like grand finals, he really shows his worth. In finals, you just need everyone to play their role and he does that and that’s why his
“Maggie loved him dearly. She idolised Trav and she went over to Melbourne for his 200th game. So hopefully Trav plays a good game.” BRIAN VARCOE (LEFT)
teammates at Geelong and Collingwood love him so much.”
The pair played in two premierships together and remain good friends. Stokes, who was in Adelaide three weeks ago for Maggie’s funeral, has marvelled at Varcoe’s inner strength this month.
“I’ll be watching the grand final at home and barracking for Collingwood because of Travvy and Sando (former Geelong player Brenton Sanderson, now an assistant coach at Collingwood),” Stokes said.
“Watching him (Varcoe) this finals campaign has been really inspiring, to be honest. To go through what he has and still produce (in AFL finals), it’s a credit to him and his support network.
“Hopefully, he plays well on the weekend and with Maggie watching down, he can get another premiership, because he deserves it.”
Cameron Ling, Varcoe’s 2011 premiership captain at Geelong, described him as a “quality bloke and quality teammate who seems to love the big moments”.
“And he executes nine times out of 10,” Ling said. “I can still remember the start of the 2011 granny, when he kicked the first two goals, but that last goal (in the fourth quarter), and I know I’m biased, but that was one of the greatest grand final goals ever.
“He won possession up the other end of the ground, was involved in the whole passage of play and still had the class and composure to finish on his left foot.
“There’s a big part of me that wonders why he’s not still at Geelong, but I’m absolutely rapt for him, and I feel so great for him that he has another shot at it, especially after all his family are going through.”
Sanderson worked with Varcoe at Geelong and they’ve been reunited at Collingwood. He says he is in awe of the 30-year-old.
“Travis has been through so much this year — the emotions of playing in his 200th game, overcoming injuries, getting back in shape, forcing his way back into the side and losing his sister was a tragedy in which we tried to support him as best we could,” Sanderson said. “He’s playing some unbelievable footy on the back of what he’s had to endure.
“I don’t know how he’s doing it, to be honest.
“He quietly goes about his business, he’s a classic role player, not high possession, but his defensive qualities are right up there and when he gets the footy, he can be really dangerous as well.
“He’s experienced, been to grand final day a couple of times before, so it’s a great opportunity for him to provide some leadership for the younger players as well.
“Quietly, he would be really hopeful he could finish the year off with a win and he’s going to be a pretty emotional guy after the game, no matter what the result.”
Varcoe will have plenty of support in Adelaide, including from his former coach at Central District, Robert Polito.
Polito, who coached Varcoe in the Dogs’ under-17 premiership in 2004, admitted he would have divided loyalties tomorrow.
“I was lucky enough to coach Shannon Hurn for a brief period as well, so I’m a bit torn because I know both lads really well and one of them will be disappointed,” Polito said.
“But I’ve been cheering for Trav in the finals so far. Against West Coast, when he chased that bloke down in the middle of the ground, the memories came flooding back.
“When people ask me what was the best thing about him, obviously he always had good foot skills, but his defensive pursuit and ability to chase blokes down and tackle them was what set him apart.”
Polito’s 15-year-old son has been invited to train with Central District and he uses Varcoe’s story to inspire him to work hard.
“Trav came and did a pre-season with us in 2003 and at the end said he just wanted to go back and play with Smithfield and that was fine,” Polito said. “But the next year he came back and was super-fit. He was like a different person.”