Troy West, or “Catman,” as his fellow AFL players have known him, has endured a crushing loss. Taken along with the devastation from recent bushfires in Victoria, this past year has hit him hard. As the wildfires raced over his property, they took everything. Sadly too, his beloved catcave as well as most of his extensive Geelong Cats themed memorabilia was totally destroyed.
From Friday afternoon into Saturday morning, a national nightmare came true. Then the easterly shifting winds changed direction again, pushing the flames directly toward West’s home. Confronted with direct threat, he relocated to ride it out with family members for the night. Upon returning to his property at 6:30 am on Saturday, he discovered the full extent of the damage.
Unfortunately, West lost about 75% of his Catman costume in the blaze. This gear represents over 30 years of his passion and commitment to AFL. It’s got a lovingly designed fan portfolio that showcases his commitment as a proud defender.
Clearly, West’s connection to the Geelong Cats runs deep. His collection contained irreplaceable paperwork signed by the club. It housed sentimental keepsakes belonging to his late father, who fought cancer like a lion. The artifacts dated back to the 1960s and represented everything in the world to West emotionally.
In an emotional statement in the wake of his defeat, West described what that devastation looked like.
“It was a very elaborate room, so I’ve lost all that.” – Troy West
He went on to describe the emotional impact of losing a space that had given him peace.
“I used to come here every day from 2pm to 6pm at night to get away from everything, it was my peace palace, where I keep calm, to deal with everything and deal with my anxieties.” – Troy West
West’s troubles were compounded by the ongoing aftermath of Geelong’s grand final loss to the Brisbane Lions in September, a match that had already put him in the spotlight when he claimed the game should be replayed. Rarely, but more than before, was the personal loss even worse for him, at a time when his father’s death made it perhaps the most trying period.
West travels this latest disaster with poise. He faces not just the tangible loss of his earthly possessions but the spiritual burden of valued memory now denied, crushed in the rubble of an earthquake.
“I’ve got no power, no wifi, no showers, because it’s all connected to the pump, so no water, we can’t make a phone call… it’s pretty bad.” – Troy West
