TRAVIS Varcoe is used to winning.
He has played in 114 wins in his 138 games since making his debut with Geelong against Carlton in 2007.
In contrast, Varcoe's new coach Nathan Buckley only played in three more wins across a decorated career spanning 280 games.
That remarkable record of success has seen Varcoe reach 26 years of age, having played in two flags and 17 finals.
One of those flags was won against Collingwood in 2011, with his memorable goal in the opening seconds of that Grand Final still sending a shudder down the spine of most Magpie fans.
Now he has joined the club in a trade that has effectively seen the Magpies exchange Varcoe for Heritier Lumumba (who joined Melbourne in a three-way trade that sent Mitch Clark to Geelong).
Before the deal was done, Buckley met the potential recruit during the trade period while both were holidaying in Bali.
Buckley had admired his talents from the other side of the fence so he was interested in what he might offer.
In the tropical sun over fruit, the two men discussed where the then-Cat's future might lie.
"[It was a] casual chit-chat, to get a feel for each other, where I was at, what I could offer the club," Varcoe told AFL.com.au. "It was the same for me; I wanted to scope out what they had on offer."
What they had on offer was a possible spot in the midfield as well as the opportunity to push forward into spots where he had shown he could be very dangerous, having kicked 84 goals in three seasons from 2009-2011.
Other insiders at the Westpac Centre had watched him play International Rules and knew he carried a good football brain.
Outsiders carried doubts. A foot injury had written off 2012, allowing him to play just one game. In 2013 a shoulder injury restricted him and he played 14 games.
Finally, in 2014, he had a consistent run with a solid pre-season and 23 out of 24 games.
In round three, he played against the Magpies for the first time since the 2011 Grand Final, an indication of how big an interruption his football had suffered.
He did not excel across half-back but he became better as the season went on, although he was probably at his best in only five games.
"My form fluctuated a bit," Varcoe said.
Varcoe thinks, however, that 2014 built a foundation for the next phase of his career. He knows he will get better with each completed pre-season and was grateful to get one behind him.
Whether the external assessment of his recent form is fair doesn't worry him.
He has been around football for long enough to know his coach's opinion is the only one that matters.
And his coach – who, in contrast to Varcoe, had a winning percentage of 38 per cent after his first 138 games – thinks his outside run and versatility is a good addition to the list.
"As our team develops and he develops with us I think he can play a vital role," Buckley said.
If Varcoe can maintain a winning record anywhere near the 82 per cent he enjoyed at the Cats, Magpie fans will be very happy with the club's acquisition.
