Survivor Game Changers Cast Assessment: Jeff Varner

Jeff Varner is the oldest of old-school players on Survivor: Game Changers, but he’s also shown an ability to play the faster-paced modern game.

More often than not, Survivor picks reasonably recent players for its returnee seasons. However, the Second Chance voting rewarded players like Kelly Wiglesworth, the original runner-up, Andrew Savage of Pearl Islands fame, and one Jeff Varner, the Australia alum voted out because of a now-defunct tiebreaker rule and the social powers of Tina Wesson. Just three seasons after his Second Chance return, he’s back again. Let’s break his game down.

His Second Chance game ended early as well. However, it did come with some drama:

Notably, Varner actually had a foot injury at the time, and he still campaigned to get Woo Hwang out of the game. When Jeff Probst sends everyone out to start the game, we know Varner will start playing as soon as he possibly can. That’s simultaneously a strength and a weakness.

However, it sounds like he has analyzed his game from Second Chance and found where it may b wanting. Here’s his cast video for this season:

Flexibility is never a bad choice in a game like Survivor, and his willingness to work with anyone will mean he’s an attractive number or partner for others in the game. Additionally, it sounds like he may have learned that his social game could use a little work as well. Likability won’t necessarily save him every single time, though. He’ll still need some strategic chops to survive (pun intended) and make the jury for the first time or go even further.

Furthermore, just because he won’t focus on an alliance doesn’t mean he shouldn’t have one. Likability goes far. Loyalty goes further sometimes. If he plays too freely, it may make other players perceive him as a floater and take him out as soon as they possibly can.

Looking at the cast list, Varner will begin on the Mana Tribe. A good fit for him may very well be Sandra Diaz-Twine, who knows all about playing a game where she’ll work with anyone so long as she isn’t their target. That sounds like the game that he wants to play. Why not work with a master? The two could easily form a loose bloc or alliance with each other and serve as numbers for the early power players before taking over later if they can.

Someone on Mana will almost certainly emerge as an early player trying to make moves as soon as possible, as Varner did on Second Chance. His goal should be to avoid getting wrapped up in that drama until it’s right for him. Fortunately, there are a few easy targets on Mana to begin with, like Tony Vlachos and perhaps Ciera Eastin. Although Varner and Ciera shared a season in Second Chance, they don’t have any experience playing together, and Ciera’s a known maker of big moves.

Although he mentions Cirie Fields in the above video, the two of them won’t get a chance to play together until the already-confirmed third tribe addition at the earliest. Cirie will start on the Nuku tribe, after all.

So far, it seems like Varner has a good plan going into the game. It’s just a matter of finding the right balance — and avoiding any injuries (and peanut butter … and crabs).

Next: Game Changers Cast Assessment: Andrea Boehlke

Survivor: Game Changers premieres on March 8.