‘She’ll be looking down’: Travis Varcoe says Magpies helping him work through sister’s death
Collingwood's Travis Varcoe says he will have some extra drive and motivation when he steps onto the famous hallowed turf of the MCG this afternoon for the biggest game of the 2018 season.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that the following story contains names and images of people who have died.
Key points:
- Travis Varcoe says family tragedy gives him extra motivation ahead of AFL grand final
- His sister, Margaret died after an accidental clash on the football field last month
- He said she will be "there in spirit" and he wants to achieve "something special"
Tragedy struck for the Varcoe family last month when Travis' sister, Margaret Varcoe, 27, died after an accidental clash with one of her teammates while playing for Angle Vale Football Club.
She was playing in a grand final in the SA Women's Football League when the incident occurred, she also previously played for North Adelaide in the SANFL women's competition.
Ahead of today's 2018 AFL grand final, Collingwood speedster Travis said while the past month had been tough, he knew his sister would be watching over him in front of the expected 100,000 fans at the MCG today.
"The circumstances leading up to it have been pretty tough but, you know, Maggie and I are pretty similar in personality and I know that she would be saying 'let's just calm down, enjoy what you need to enjoy," he told Fox Footy at the AFL Grand Final Parade.
"She'll be looking down smiling but she definitely knows, just get on with the job and do what you need to do, [you] can't be sad forever.
"I definitely know that she's there in spirit."
Varcoe has had a big influence for the Magpies so far in the AFL finals series, booting a goal against the GWS Giants in the second semi-final and booting another against Richmond last week in their preliminary final win.
Aiming for 'something special' with teammates
The 30-year-old said the Collingwood Football Club had been a big reason why he had been able to deal with the off-field tragedy and continue playing throughout the finals series.
"Sporting clubs are probably the best place you can be when a tragedy like that happens," he said.
"You can always lean on your family but they're grieving too, and then you come back here and you've got 45 other blokes that are willing to do anything and drop anything for you.
"They are one step removed, they hurt because I hurt, but I'm hurting because of my sibling."
Varcoe is one of the more experienced finals campaigners for the Magpies, lining up in his fourth grand final after appearing in three for Geelong in 2008, 2009 and 2011.
He said he hoped he could achieve success with his current playing group and he was sure to have some extra motivation out on the field.
"They've [the team] been first class and I'm super, super pumped for them because I want to share something special, for us as a group," he said.
"Everyone has their different motivations which will drive them to do what they need to do on the weekend and I guess for me, it's Maggie."
Varcoe was also given the opportunity to address the playing group during Collingwood's final training session before the AFL decider this week.
He said while he did feel like his sister was there with him during his speech, the message was really about putting in a solid effort during the last training session.
"I think it's been taken and run with a bit but it was just basically about training, it wasn't about the game or anything like that," he said.
"I was just saying to the boys, if someone was writing a script … it was like she was there I guess, speaking to me.
"[It was] our last training together as a group for this season, let's make it a good one, that was basically it in a nutshell really."
Collingwood will take on the West Coast Eagles in the AFL grand final at the MCG today from 2:30pm.
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