#32 Travis Cloke

[Mugwump]

Cloke's biggest problem is that there has always been one too many people in his head. His old man is a head job to end all head jobs and has been a thorn in the side of the club for years.

It's a sad truth that dad calls the tune and his son's dance to it.

I reckon Cloke has 2 problems. He's a crap set shot for goal and he has a crap coach. It will be interesting to see if fixing one will fix the other. If Beveridge can improve Clokes conversion rate by about 20% the Dogs will probably win next years flag.

Lol crap coach ?? - just who do you imagine was Cloke's coach for the majority of his career?? Go back and look at his conversion rate in the 2 GF's of '10.

Stop confusing the matter with facts, DD.

[Piesnchess]

I reckon Cloke has 2 problems. He's a crap set shot for goal and he has a crap coach. It will be interesting to see if fixing one will fix the other. If Beveridge can improve Clokes conversion rate by about 20% the Dogs will probably win next years flag.

Yeah right, shoot Buck's at any given opportunity.

Geez you white ants are the bloody pits...........

Yep, and if he misses heaps of goals with the doggies, I guess that means HE , Beveridge is a crap coach too, by the logic of DD.

[droversdog65]

Pies you need to reread my post, it was an ironic rebuttal of an attempted dig at the incumbent.

To be clear then

the only coaching problems Trav has is his old man.

[inxs88]

Now the Dogs get into a Grand Final our return draft pick for Cloke gets worse by the week. Makes me think we should pursue a player not an inferior draft pick.

Players on the Dogs periphery that may want an opportunity include:

* Bailey Dale
* Lukas Webb
* Mitch Honeychurch
* Lin Jong
* Nathan Hrovat

Think Dale has the most talent, Hrovat the most likely to want a trade and Webb the most positional upside for us. The other way Cloke may suit is if we can use him to come down a round in draft picks:

eg. swap a 3rd round to a second or as some have mooted packaged with Witts in a three way trade where if Witts commands a pick 25 approx., Cloke may buy us 7-10 spots higher in the draft into a pick 16 for example.

Either way a 3rd round and a "guilt trip from Dogs that they're going to absorb his salary" etc... is just crap. So crap that he is only going to make that "former $500,000 approx." over 2 years now not 1, so Hine DON'T FALL FOR THAT OLD CHESTNUT FROM McCartney AND DALRYMPLE during trade week.

[Piesnchess]

Dogs into the grannie, makes cloke yesterdays news, I reckon they will now go cold on him bigtime, he wont help them one iota, cant see this working out for him now.

[Tannin]

I don't think the dogs will be wanting Cloke after all. There in a qualifying final one step from the big dance so why add a player who
1 - Is 32
2 - Is a average shot of goal
3 - Has been mentally fragile the majority of his career

If Cloke really was an "average" shot at goal, he would:

1 - have been an All-Australian two years out of three
2 - boot 70+ year in and year out
3 - be worth every penny we have paid him and
4 - be a required player not for trade at any price.

I used to dream about Cloke learning to kick goals like an average key forward. You probably did too. But it's never going to happen, and Cloke will go down in history as a spectacularly talented player who never quite made it into the A Grade class because he wouldn't or couldn't address the key weakness in his game.

If Cloke had been an average kick for goal, he'd have been one of the club greats.

If Cloke had been a good kick for goal, he'd have been one of the all-time great AFL/VFL forwards to be listed alongside players like Hart, Carey, Brereton, and Pavlich.

[WarrenerraW]

Watching the dogs, I can't see where or how he would fit into their structure. He would basically get in the way if anything. Their sling shot style game play doesn't need a big lumbering forward like him unless they were going to put him in the square one out but that's not what they do.

I'm disappointed he's not willing to address his deficiencies at Collingwood and work hard to fix them, so walking out is the easier option. I remember reading about him telling Bucks that he didn't want to play vfl. Well f-me, what afl listed would WANT to play vfl.

[Mossi]

Yep, if the dogs take home the flag, he won't be at the dogs next year!
They wont need a big bodied forward who can mark and provide a contest, they most likely go for a more mobile medium height forward line as is.

[stoliboy]

From what I've read from Doggies fans they feel they are getting him on the cheap.

So no real risk if he doesn't turn out good for them.

[themonk]

The result on Saturday will have little impact on the Doggies chasing Cloke.

If Bevo believes he can turn him around then that's what he'll attempt to do.

Still hopeful we will land pick 35 or 36 for him.

[RudeBoy]

The result on Saturday will have little impact on the Doggies chasing Cloke.

If Bevo believes he can turn him around then that's what he'll attempt to do.

Still hopeful we will land pick 35 or 36 for him.

A third round pick if we're lucky is my guess.

[mooretreloar]

Don't worry about a draft pick, swap him for one of their good young players that played in the VFL GF today. Jong, Stevens or Honeychurch to name a few.

[The Boy Who Cried Wolf]

I agree, I'd only exchange him for a known young player as opposed to a mid-latish draft pick.

[Lazza]

I don't think the dogs will be wanting Cloke after all. There in a qualifying final one step from the big dance so why add a player who
1 - Is 32
2 - Is a average shot of goal
3 - Has been mentally fragile the majority of his career

If Cloke really was an "average" shot at goal, he would:

1 - have been an All-Australian two years out of three
2 - boot 70+ year in and year out
3 - be worth every penny we have paid him and
4 - be a required player not for trade at any price.

I used to dream about Cloke learning to kick goals like an average key forward. You probably did too. But it's never going to happen, and Cloke will go down in history as a spectacularly talented player who never quite made it into the A Grade class because he wouldn't or couldn't address the key weakness in his game.

Tend to agree. To oldies like me, he reminds me of Sam Kekovich who had heaps of talent but refused to do the hard work required to expand on that great talent.
As I have said, I loved Clokey but his refusal to work hard and better his kicking for goal over the past two seasons (based on facts) has disappointed me no end. Almost a trace of arrogance involved in not doing this.

[Lazza]

Don't worry about a draft pick, swap him for one of their good young players that played in the VFL GF today. Jong, Stevens or Honeychurch to name a few.

Or Dale plus a third/fourth rounder.