WORPEL ANNOUNCES DEVASTATING PASSING OF BELOVED UNCLE, 79, IN EMOTIONAL CLUB STATEMENT
Geelong’s new midfield recruit shares heartbreak just weeks after joining boyhood club
Geelong Cats new signing James Worpel has delivered devastating news that his beloved uncle, Bruce Worpel, has passed away peacefully at the age of 79, in a tearful statement released by the club on Thursday morning.
The 26-year-old, who joined the Cats as a restricted free agent at the end of the 2025 AFL season on a four-year deal to play for the team he cheered on as a child, described his uncle as “the heart and soul” of their family and the man who first introduced him to Australian rules football.
“Uncle Bruce was everything to me – he taught me how to kick a footy in his backyard in Bannockburn when I was just five years old, and he never missed a single one of my junior games,” Worpel said, his voice breaking as he spoke. “He was the one who used to drive me two hours to Hawthorn training when I was drafted, and he always told me that one day I’d wear the blue and white of Geelong. I’m so grateful he got to see me sign with the Cats last month.”
Worpel, who will wear jumper number 29 for the 2026 season, opened up about his uncle’s enduring influence on his career and character, recalling how Bruce – a former local footy coach – instilled in him the values of hard work, humility and loyalty.
“He was tough but kind, and he always reminded me that footy is just a game, but family is forever,” Worpel said. “We’d spend hours talking about Geelong’s glory days over Sunday roasts, and he had every single one of their premiership posters on his wall. He was my biggest supporter, my mentor and my best mate.”
The Geelong Football Club has pledged its full support to Worpel and his family, with general manager of football Andrew Mackie saying the entire Cattery community is “deeply saddened” by the loss.
“James has already made such a warm impression since arriving at the club, and we stand shoulder to shoulder with him and his loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” Mackie said. “We ask that the media and public respect their privacy as they grieve and celebrate Bruce’s remarkable life.”
Worpel, a former Peter Crimmins Medal winner at Hawthorn with 148 AFL games to his name, arrived at GMHBA Stadium last month with high hopes of bolstering the Cats’ midfield. While the news has cast a shadow over his new beginning, he says he will carry his uncle’s memory with him every time he steps onto the field.
“Uncle Bruce won’t be here to see me run out in number 29 next year, but I know he’ll be watching from above,” he said. “I’ll be playing for him every single game – that’s my promise to him.
