Why Collingwood legend Joffa is leaving the Magpie nest
Cheer squad icon Joffa Corfe is often a familiar sight in his gold jacket among the Magpie army. But the superfan is packing his bags and will not be sighted at the MCG — or in Melbourne — this footy season.
Fiona Byrne
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Collingwood cheer squad icon Joffa Corfe is flying the Magpies’ nest and moving to a remote village in Fiji.
Corfe is packing up his home and stocking up on supplies such as Vegemite, tropical shirts and his Collingwood scarves as he prepares to leave Melbourne next month for his new life in a village in the Namuavoivoi area of northern Fiji.
“I went to the village last year and I fell in love with the place,” Corfe said. “I thought this is paradise, this is the real Fiji.
“It is a remote village two hours away from the closest town. To get there, you have to fly to Nadi and then take another flight to Labasa and from there it is a two-hour truck ride to the village.”
Keeping up with his beloved Pies will require considerable effort: using the internet will require a two-hour drive to Labasa.
“When I go into town (Labasa) I can get on the internet and see how things are going back here with mighty pies,” he said.
“There are no big screens in Labasa, they would not know what AFL football was, and there are no pubs there with live football.
“But I will manage to keep up to date and if Collingwood makes the grand final I will certainly be back here to be a part of that.
“I am still Collingwood. I am keeping my membership. No matter where you are on this planet if you are Collingwood you will always be Collingwood.
“And I have to come back to Melbourne every so often as part of my visa.”
Corfe, who has worked with the Salvation Army for 20 years, 15 of those on night shift, said he was ready for a change of lifestyle.
“When you get older, I just think that quality of life is better than quantity,” he said.
“It is time to sit back and relax and do other things. There are a few things we want to get done in the village, poverty is pretty extreme in some places there.
“I won’t be idle. But the weather, the people, they are friendly, they are happy, there is a river there that on a hot day you can jump in, it is just a complete turn around to the lifestyle I live now.”
Corfe revealed he has long had a personal connection to Fiji.
“I had a relationship with a Fijian lady many years ago and we had a daughter, Ema, who is here in Melbourne,” he said.
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“We remained best of mates and in their culture I remain part of their family. So that is the Fijian link.”
His trademark gold jacket is staying in Melbourne to be used to raise money for charity.
Fortunately, a new generation is ensuring his sartorial legacy at Collingwood will continue.
“There are kids in the cheer squad that have their own gold jackets now and that is really exciting for me to know that kids will carry this tradition on,” Corfe said.