Tragedy sucks. It genuinely does.
Tragedy is a weird and usually awful concept. It’s not something that anybody likes to think about, but it’s something that everybody will go through at some stage in their lives. I’ve been fortunate enough to not endure any major tragedies yet in my 20 years, and I’m bloody thankful for that. But this isn’t about me. Late last week two players from two very different clubs in two different cities endured tragedy on the biggest stage.
Thursday’s announcements that Rory and Belinda Sloane lost their hours-old son Leo and that Travis Varcoe’s 28-year-old sister had died stunned many in the footballing world. On Saturday the Sloanes had a newborn child, if only briefly. Last Sunday afternoon Maggie Varcoe was playing in a grand final in South Australia.
It’s almost inconceivable to learn that neither is with us anymore, but here we are, and despite the immense, painful heartbreak that both families would be going through, early signs are that the footy fraternity have responded with the typical grace that we’ve come to expect whenever anything like this happens.
#weflyasone ❤️ pic.twitter.com/5mStWrkODK
— Adelaide Crows (@Adelaide_FC) August 30, 2018
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There’s no hesitation from the Crows to support one of their own, and absolutely no hesitation for their fierce rivals to jump in with a message of support from themselves. There’s no rivalry here. Just pure niceties. Pure humanity.
Unfortunately this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a tragedy like this unfold this season. Gary Rohan and his wife also lost one of their children in a similar case earlier in the year, and for Rohan this news would be no less sad for them as when they experienced it.
Of course it’s impossible and downright improper to compare tragedies, but this sadness invokes memories of 2015’s loss of Phil Walsh, which saw a similar outpouring of support between both the South Australian footy clubs and the wider league and public. Of note was Hawthorn and Collingwood’s sombre circle after their Friday night clash the day of Walsh’s death, which reminded me that this sport is awesome.
Sadly Collingwood themselves had to make another sombre circle at training this week as news of Varcoe’s horrific injury filtered through throughout the week. Injured on Sunday afternoon, passing on Thursday – it’s unfair how quickly she was taken from this world and from her family.
The club extends its deepest sympathies to the family of Travis Varcoe following the tragic passing of his sister, Margaret – https://t.co/7IPdlZs1LJ The thoughts + love of all at the club are with Travis in this most difficult time pic.twitter.com/Uoi1VR9tSg
— Collingwood FC (@CollingwoodFC) August 30, 2018
The scenes on Wednesday of the playing group embracing Varcoe made me smile. This is a team preparing for a return to finals, and one of their own has been struck by this. There will be discussions about whether, after his sister’s death in a footy incident, Varcoe will return to the field, but that’s for another time, far from now.
Say what you will about this sport and the wider community, but there’s no denying that it’s a damn good one to be supported by in times of tragedy. The clubs, the online commenters and the players themselves know two of their own are hurting and they’ll be doing everything in their power to comfort and remember.
Yes, tragedy sucks, but footy doesn’t.
Best wishes to the Varcoe and Sloane families.
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