Collingwood speedster Travis Varcoe says his perception of coach Nathan Buckley has changed significantly during his time as a Magpie.

Varcoe, 30, joined the Pies at the end of 2014 and has shared a special bond with Buckley ever since, describing the champion Pie as a “great man” who others should aspire to be like.

“Coming from the outside I always thought he was a pretty grumpy man,” Varcoe told SEN Afternoons.

“Obviously getting to know the man he shares a lot of the same values as what I do.

"When you see someone who you really care about get slaughtered the way he does at times and to still front up and present himself the way he does – he’s a great man.

“If you wanted to be like someone, that’s where you want to head. You’re not going to be a Nathan Buckley but you can have those traits.

“It’s not all about footy which has been one of his biggest strengths the last year. He’s grown in a lot of ways but still has that core value.”

Varcoe has played a total of 205 AFL games, with 67 of them in the black and white of Collingwood.

The Pies suffered a narrow five-point defeat to West Coast in last season's Grand Final.

Listen to Travis Varcoe’s chat on SEN Afternoons with Andy Maher in the player below