Travis Varcoe Biography

Travis Varcoe retires after a 230-game career that includes two premierships with Geelong.

"I've run my race. I don't have another season left in the tank. I leave feeling very fortunate and thankful for all that two wonderful clubs, Geelong and Collingwood, did for me and my family," Varcoe said.

"I hope I was able to give something back to both of them in return for the support and care I received. As a footballer, you don't do it alone on or off the field."

Collingwood condemns a post on social media with racial vilification of Travis Varcoe and abuse of Mason Cox.

"The football community willingly accepts that we have an obligation to put a stop to abuse of our people. I do not understand how such comments continue to be made," Magpies chief executive Mark Anderson said.

"We stand with Travis and Mason and against vilification of this or any other variety and will do whatever we can to call these individuals to account."

Travis Varcoe faces a delayed start to the 2020 season after suffering a significant shoulder injury at training on Monday.

The 31-year-old needs a reconstruction on the injured joint and will miss at least the first few rounds of the 2020 premiership season.

Travis Varcoe and Ben Reid sign new deals to remain with the Magpies in 2020.

"Travis and Ben are stalwarts of the club, they’ll continue to bring their experience to our mix and we hope to see their form continue from 2019," Collingwood list manager Ned Guy said in a statement.

Jimmy Bartel praises his former Cats teammate Travis Varcoe for standing up for the Magpies in their finals campaign while dealing with the tragic death of his sister.

"To lose a sister at such a young age in a football incident is quite shocking, so to play with such composure with all that going on off the field has been exceptional," Bartel said.

"He's not going to have 20+ touches and kick five goals, but he'll get his 12-15 and lay some big tackles and kick a special goal.

"He keeps defenders on their toes because his closing speed is extraordinary, and he hurts people when he tackles and bumps them."

All players will wear two black armbands in the opening round of the AFL finals to support the Varcoe and Sloane families.

Varcoe has put his hand up to play in the Magpies' qualifying final against West Coast following the death of his sister from injuries sustained in an AFL game.

Rory Sloane and his wife Belinda are mourning the loss of their first-born son Leo.

"The football industry does an incredible job to unite behind people who are going through adversity," said AFLPA boss Paul Marsh.

"Rory and Travis are two very popular members of the playing group and this gesture, albeit small, shows the level of respect players from across the competition have for each other."

Travis Varcoe has indicated he wants to play in the Magpies' qualifying final against West Coast after the tragic passing of his sister in Adelaide last week.

Travis Varcoe has died four days after she sustained a head injury during a football game.

She was admitted to hospital on Sunday after she accidentally clashed heads with a teammate while playing for Angle Vale Football Club in an Adelaide Football League women's grand final.

She reportedly walked off the ground after the on-field collision but collapsed in the changerooms and was in a coma at the Royal Adelaide Hospital before dying on Thursday.

Travis Varcoe returned to Melbourne to address his teammates on Tuesday before flying back to Adelaide late on Wednesday to keep vigil by Maggie's bedside.

In a statement, Collingwood extended its sympathies to the Varcoe family.

"The thoughts and love of all at the club are with Travis in this most difficult time.

"Collingwood will continue to support Travis and his family in any way it can and allow him as much time as he, and they, require to decide upon a return to the club. We ask that the privacy of the Varcoe family be respected."

Travis Varcoe's sister is fighting for life in an Adelaide hospital after she collapsed as a result of a head knock in a suburban football game in South Australia.

His 27-year-old sister collided with a teammate and an opponent during the Grand Final between her Angle Vale Football Club and Mount Lofty on Sunday.

"It was an unfortunate accident in a football match at the weekend," Magpies football manager Geoff Walsh told Macquarie Sports Radio.

"His sister suffered an injury and right now she's in a pretty grave condition.

"Our thoughts are with Trav and his family, and we're hoping she pulls through."

Travis Varcoe signs a new one-year deal with Collingwood to remain at the club in 2018.

"Travis' value comes through a wealth of winning experience. We hope we’ll have him injury-free and sharing that experience on the field next year," Magpie list manager Derek Hine said.

Travis Varcoe is unlikely to play again this season after undergoing surgery for a dislocated elbow.

Varcoe's injury occurred at Etihad Stadium when he hit the ground heavily after spoiling West Coast's Jackson Nelson who was attempting to mark the ball.

Travis Varcoe's season looks to be over as he dislocated his elbow at the same time he was concussed when he hit the ground hard attempting to spoil the Eagles' Jackson Nelson bench at Etihad Stadium in the third quarter.

He was helped off the ground and taken to hospital with Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley saying post-game that the early prognosis was that Varcoe would miss the rest of the season.

Travis Varcoe accepts a one-match suspension after collecting Luke Dahlhaus high in Collingwood's match against the Western Bulldogs at the MCG.

Travis Varcoe will miss the start of the season with a hamstring injury.

Magpies football manager Neil Balme said the club was not sure how the injury happened.

"For some reason he does his hamstring. We're not sure why," Balme said.

"It's certainly not serious, but he'll miss some weeks. He certainly would be medium-term."

Mitch Clark will resume his AFL career in 2015 with Geelong after a three-way trade that sees Heritier Lumumba join Melbourne and Cats midfielder Travis Varcoe head to Collingwood.

Collingwood list manager Derek Hine says Travis Varcoe will be utilised in a slightly different manner at the Magpies than when he was a Cat.

"We will use Travis a bit more differently," Hine said.

"It will be more on the outside where he can use his wheels and give us some run."

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley is set to meet running Geelong defender Travis Varcoe in Bali while on holiday as the Pies contemplate recruiting the 26-year-old premiership player.

West Coast has emerged as the main suitor for Geelong midfielder Travis Varcoe.

Varcoe is contracted to the Cats next season but both player and club are exploring their options.

"Obviously Travis played 23 games this year for Geelong and he's contracted, so we're under no illusions if he is to move it's got to appease what Geelong wants and obviously what Travis wants," Varcoe's manager Tom Petroro said.

"He's considering West Coast. I've had some discussions with West Coast over the last week or so.

"It just depends. Trav's got a young family … whether the move will be too big a move for his family. But that's certainly an option."

Travis Varcoe says he has put behind him the missed shot on goal that failed to level scores in the final minute of the Cats' preliminary final against Hawthorn.

"I felt bad, because it would have made the scores level and you never know what could have happened after that," Varcoe said.

"But we've just got to suck it up. They were better than us on the night.

"We'll put it in the memory bank and get on with it. It's no good thinking too much about what could have happened."

Travis Varcoe will have surgery after injuring his shoulder against Carlton and is expected to miss three months of football.

"It was a flush bump to the side and he dislocated his shoulder," Geelong physio Mike Snelling said.

"It went back in while he was coming off."

Two of Geelong's fastest small forwards in Steven Motlop and Travis Varcoe have been earmarked for roles at half-back.

"They want to put me and Travvy at half-back, and we might also play a bit on the wing as well," Motlop said.

"It can be fun in the backline, not so much when you're chasing blokes, but it's good when you read the play and try to kick-start something. I like doing that."

James Kelly says Travis Varcoe is ready to return for Geelong's elimination final against Fremantle on Saturday night despite being in a moonboot.

"He only had that boot on for a little bit to settle it down, and given his history over the last year it was more a precautionary thing than anything," Kelly said.

"There was nothing overly wrong with his foot, but we just wanted to wrap him up in cotton wool and give him the best chance to play in finals."

Chris Scott says Travis Varcoe will wear a moon boot for the next two days before discovering the extent of his foot injury.

"We're going to be really cautious with it over the next couple of days," Scott said.

"He's had some preliminary scans that look quite good - certainly not a recurrence of an old injury.

"But we need to see the extent of the new injury, if there is anything significant there, and we don't think there is."

Travis Varcoe could be set for more time watching from the stands after spraining the same foot which has kept him out of action since last year's Grand Final in his return match.

Speedster Travis Varcoe's return to the AFL has been short-lived after injuring his ankle, but Geelong is confident the injury is not serious.

"Looks like he's just stretched the joint in his foot, near his ankle," Geelong coach Chris Scott said.

"They don't think it's too serious, but there was certainly no point risking it, given that we took a little bit of a risk to play him anyway."

Travis Varcoe plays his first AFL game since last year's grand final this Sunday after overcoming stress fractures in his foot but Cats coach Chris Scott says they will be realistic in their expectations of him.

"We're not putting pressure on him to come in and significantly change the way we play," Scott said.

"We think he's got the capacity to do that, but we want him coming in feeling pretty good about his body and feeling free about the way he plays and attacking the game.

"It's illogical to suggest he could miss the whole year and come back and be a fantastic player at the end of the season."

Travis Varcoe excites onlookers during his comeback game in the VFL against Coburg and says he never doubted himself despite having to overcome three separate surgeries on his foot.

"There's two ways you can go about it, you can bury your head and whinge about it. But, you've just got to deal with it and move on," Varcoe said.

"I've always tried to give myself the best chance to get back and this (Saturday's game) was another small step in the right direction.

"It's been a long road, but I'll be better for it."

Geelong coach Chris Scott says speculation forward Travis Varcoe won't play again this season is wrong.

"I guess the positive of this procedure is that the medical staff and the experts think this will mean that he can make that final step," Scott said.

"In terms of how good he's going to be when it really counts, that's just so far away and such an unknown that I won't comment any further on that."

Travis Varcoe has suffered a setback in his return from injury, needing more surgery on his injured foot.

"It's disappointing that Travis has had this setback but we are confident that this procedure will alleviate the problem," Geelong general manager of football Neil Balme said.

"The good news is that Travis should be back playing this season. He has a positive outlook and is pleased that this surgery should allow him to get back on the park this year."

Geelong has confirmed Travis Varcoe and Mitch Duncan have signed contract extensions with the club.

Cats forward Cameron Mooney, who was omitted from Geelong's 2011 premiership-winning team, says would not have been able to physically perform on that big day had he been selected.

"I knew my body was stuffed," Mooney said.

"If I'd got a chance to play, I probably would have embarrassed myself. I was that shot to bits."

Geelong midfielder Travis Varcoe will be sidelined for more than two months after suffering a stress fracture in his foot.

"Travis had discomfort in his foot and the scans showed the stress fracture," Geelong's general manager of football Neil Balme said.

"He was referred and the best course of action to correct the problem is for him to have surgery. It is unfortunate that he will miss around 10 weeks, but we will not rush his recovery."

Geelong star Travis Varcoe is sent by his club on a mid-season sabbatical to Perth.

"He's got a few things that he needs to work on and we felt it was a good opportunity to freshen him up," Cats football manager Neil Balme said.

Geelong midfielder Travis Varcoe is experiencing an awakening, both as a footballer and an indigenous role model.

"Being an AFL player, or a competitor in any high-profile sport, gives you the ability to get some really positive messages across," Varcoe said.

"Not everyone wants to leave the community, and neither should they. So we want those people, who are going to be the elders in the future, to have positive leadership qualities."

Classy Geelong speedster Travis Varcoe is set to return ahead of schedule after recovering from a serious shoulder injury.

"He's done a lot of running, and now his shoulder's in a pretty good position. He's done a fair bit of contact work, so we're pleased with him," Cats football manager Neil Balme said.

"He hasn't played [so far in the pre-season], so we'll see how he goes. Hopefully that will be enough for him to progress to round one, but there's no guarantee of that."

Geelong's Travis Varcoe is hoping he can earn a midfield berth from new coach Chris Scott now that Gary Ablett has left.

"I'd love to get into the midfield. I just need to get fit enough, like everyone else," Varcoe said.

"Obviously we'd love to have Gary Ablett back but it's done and dusted and it has opened up a few spots for the young boys. So the situation with Gary leaving has opened a lot of doors for the younger guys and it's pretty exciting."

Geelong forward Travis Varcoe hopes to return from shoulder surgery against St Kilda in Round 1 of the 2011 AFL season.

"At this time, I'm aiming for the start of the regular season," Varcoe said.

"I've always been told to plan for the worst case scenario and that would mean missing the first few (home-and-away) games. But if you have to get an injury then it's better off happening now than early in the season."

A shoulder problem picked up in Ireland by Geelong's Travis Varcoe will limit his pre-season training.

"Varcoe's not all that good," Geelong football manager Neil Balme said.

"He's got a bit of a shoulder problem. It was reported over there but hasn't had much coverage over here."

Geelong utility Travis Varcoe breaks a thumb while playing in the Cats' final practice match and will be out for six to eight weeks.

"Travis can't even recall it happening in the game. It was a bit sore on Monday so he got sent for a scan that showed the fracture and he went in for surgery last night," Cats football manager Neil Balme said.

"He will be in plaster for a month and then it will be 2-4 weeks after that until he can play."

Geelong's Travis Varcoe is looking to graduate to the midfield in a similar manner to teammate Paul Chapman.

"I got drafted as a midfielder and that's where I'm aiming to go, so hopefully I can follow the path of Chappy," Varcoe said.

"(Chapman) started in the forward line and worked his way up into the midfield, but with the midfield we've got I might have to wait my turn!

"I'm happy at the moment, if I can give somebody a bit of a spell and I can get a bit of a burst myself then I'll be rapt with that."