AFL Daily: Travis Varcoe says he’s ‘forever grateful’ to Collingwood for extending his career

COLLINGWOOD veteran Travis Varcoe says he’s “forever grateful” to the Magpies for extending his career as he prepares for game 200. Plus, re-cap all the day’s breaking news.

TRAVIS Varcoe says he’s indebted to Collingwood for keeping his AFL career alive.

Varcoe will play his 200th game against Port Adelaide on Saturday, adding 62 games for the Magpies to the 138 he played with Geelong. “(I was) fortunate enough to extend the career, I’m forever grateful,” Varcoe, who arrived at the Holden Centre in 2015, said. COX: HOW TO EXPLAIN AFL’S WEIRD TRADITIONS SINNERS: SAINTS DRAFT AND RECRUITING MISTAKES FORMGUIDE: ESSENTIAL SUPERCOACH PRELIM INTEL “I didn’t really give (playing 200 games) much thought, I’ve never really been about numbers. “I probably got to about 190 and I had a few people messaging me saying you’re closing in on it, it sort of snuck up on me, to be honest.” Varcoe played in 17 finals with the Cats, including two successful Grand Finals, and Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said his experience had proved invaluable as the Magpies gear up for their first finals appearance since 2013. “His immediate impact was huge, he came into the club and really took our training intensity to another level,” Buckley said. “His understanding of being a part of a multiple premiership program and being a multiple premiership player, it was no surprise of the impact that he did have. “Moving into the part of the year that we’re moving into, Trav’s perspective has been really important for me, as much as for the players. “We’ve benefited not just on-field, but off-field.” Meanwhile, Buckley has warned two unlikely losses could cost Collingwood its first finals campaign since 2013, saying the Magpies are preparing to hustle to keep the dream alive. Collingwood appears destined for a top-eight finish but if the Magpies trip up against Port Adelaide and Fremantle, its season is in disarray. Treloar gives injury update “We don’t want to leave anything in the tank, you don’t want to be looking back saying ‘what if?” Buckley said. “The challenge for us is to realise (that and) take that mentality into every week. “We’re coming up against a side who we know is fighting for their finals survival and we’re only one game ahead of them, so in many ways, we’re fighting for ours as well. “It’s been pretty tight, the last four or five weeks. Everyone’s had the ladder predictor out and been proven wrong, continually. “It just shows you how unpredictable it can be.” Buckley remains hopeful star midfielder Adam Treloar will play a role in a Magpies finals campaign, as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury. Treloar trained away from the main group yesterday but did sprints and running up a small hill at Olympic Park. “Ads has knocked on the door a couple of times this week, but I said mate you’ve come to the wrong bloke, you’ve still got to prove to the doctor that he’s right to go first,’ Buckley said. “But that time will come. He’s not going to die wondering.” Watch every match of every round of the 2018 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. SIGN UP NOW >

Originally published as AFL Daily: Travis Varcoe says he’s ‘forever grateful’ to Collingwood for extending his career