Richmond and Collingwood have a problem; the only difference is Collingwood need to fix the problem now, while they have the most talented midfield in the league.
The problem is that they have a forward line that relies on two forwards who are not worth the money they are paid.
I have sat back and laughed over the last few months at the contract discussions that Travis Cloke is going through.
Freo offering $1million per year, Pies offering $700k and all the others in between. Travis Cloke is not worth the money!
Here is a guy that tries hard and occasionally has a good game where he kicks a bag, but he is not going to take the Pies to premiership glory again.
Why do clubs like Richmond and Collingwood offer enigmatic, average forwards such as Cloke and Riewoldt massive contracts at the expense of signing other, less glorified players?
Cloke and Riewoldt are ‘old school’ forwards, lead up the ground and work their opposition into the ground through gut running. This doesn’t work in the AFL any more. One trick ponies don’t survive in the modern game!
It is rare that in a game of football you will get a one on one match-up all day, or actually play on the one player for longer than a quarter to have the ability to ‘blow them up’.
These guys are holding their clubs back both with their limited talent and poor attitudes on field.
Travis Cloke should be kicking five goals week in, week out. He has the best delivery from the best midfield in the competition and still cannot get the job done, so how does anyone think he can go to Freo or Melbourne and have an impact?
This is a guy who has been maligned his whole career and managed to play one – yes one – good season! That season was also the breakout year of Jarryd Blair, Sharrod Wellingham and Chris Dawes who spread the Pies forward line to open up Cloke. This isn’t happening now and won’t in the future.
Guys like Matthew Richardson must sit back and despise Cloke. he gets the delivery and opportunity that ‘Richo’ could only dream about! Put Richo in the current Pies team and he kicks 100+ goals for the year.
Big Jack Riewoldt has been a disappointment and what is more disappointing is he actually has the talent, he just doesn’t have the mental aptitude to do anything with his talent.
He doesn’t find his own ball, he seems to want to try and take from-behind marks rather than working in front of his man and his on-field attitude is poor.
Jack has the chance to change his game – he has age, talent and an up and coming team around him that can take him out of his funk.
He needs to sit down over the summer, get all of his cousin Nick’s game tapes and take notes. Learn to work hard for your own benefit and your teammates. Learn that you can play like Buddy on the ground if you just stick your head over the ball. Learn from Cotchin, Martin and Deledio and look at their work rate and passion to play in the AFL.
Nick changed his career and will go down as one of the game’s best players, Jack needs to do the same and quickly!
Richmond have a good backline, great midfield but need Jack and co. to start performing up forward.
The Pies need to let Travis Cloke go. Cut their losses, not buy into the hype that surrounds Cloke and move on. All Cloke is going to give you is headaches and poor performances over the next contract and he is definitely not worth losing a Ben Reid, Wellingham or Goldsack over. All of these players will give you something Cloke does not have – heart!
The Pies are good, real good! But if they want to have any chance for more premierships during this premiership window they have to get rid of Cloke and trade for some good young kids like Rhys Stanley or Jack Gunston and build a multi-prong forward line.
All of these will provide a better option than Cloke.
Andrew A
Guest
Cloke is a vital player in Collingwood's team. Whilst his current form is below par, and scrutinised more since he hasn't re-signed yet, there is no doubt his running and marking abilities cause plenty of headaches for opponents, who often resort to double teaming him. Cloke is entitled to try and get the best possible deal in what will be his last and biggest contract. I hope he and Collingwood can reach an agreement at the end of the season. Cloke will become a Collingwood legend if he plays his entire career at the one club. I can't understand any supporters deriding their own players when they're below the best. It can't help a player's confidence. Supporters should be doing exactly that, supporting their club's players.
Adam Brett
Roar Rookie
Has the talent but does not seem to want to take the next step. he is definitely a 100+ goal kicker if he smartened up!
Stewie
Guest
Top article, I think it's strange how JRoo has been receiving so much criticism (and deservedly so), yet currently sits second on the Coleman. How did that happen???
Belgian Tiger Army
Guest
What utter tosh. You suggest that Cloke is nothing better than a one on one leading forward, and devalue their worth in the game. But then you use Nick Riewoldt as your poster boy as what a prototype AFL forward is? Errrr.... ask anyone what Nick Riewoldt is good at - it's the gut running leads up the ground, doubling back, heading up to the wing, coming back. Strangely - just like Cloke. Cloke has been the best CHF in the AFL for 2 of the previous three years. He kicks goals from 55 metres out - breaking zone defences apart from the corners. He runs to the exact spots the game plan dictates he should. He is a leading contested mark, and if he does't mark it the ball comes to predictable spots for his crumbing forwards to pick it up. What's not to like? Give Cloke a fresh start with a new contract away from the current issues (and yes, it clearly is a mental issue when contract talks affect performance) and he'll be the best CHF in the league again. Any team with the salary cap room would be mad not to chase him.
The Big Fish
Guest
Is it my imagination or is Cloke more attacking the ball for marks in 2 dimensions? front back, side to side, but I seem to see much less of a vertical component than before? I say that as I think Tom Hawkins seems to have that working well for him.
Adam
Guest
Winston, good key forward is the key point here...i am not sure Cloke is a good key forward as much as being just a able key forward. you are a bit harsh on the Swans Midfield, i wouldn't say Kennedy Jnr is a "average" midfielder and his supporting cast of jack, bolton, o'Keefe, Jetta and a guy by the name of goodes are pretty decent midfielders... after the past 2 years i would say Kennedy in particular has elevated himself into the top 5 midfielders in the AFL.
Winston
Guest
You point out that the issue is should they keep Cloke at the expense of others eg Reid, Wellingham and Goldsack. But I think there is a completely different issue which is how many great forwards are there out there and available? Good key forwards are rarer than good midfielders, and even if you don't have a Judd or Ablett in your team, you can always work out other ways for your midfield to function eg the Swans. I think that's why Cloke is worth the price. When assessing his $1m price tag, I think you have to compare him with other key forwards in the comp. And like Knoxy said, you can't just judge him based on the current form slump when he has had success in the past.
BigAl
Guest
Being ' the leading contested mark...' is as useful to Collingwood as Sandilands being the Leagues tallest player is to Freo ! Both these attributes are useless if they don't contribute to the team performance - especially considering the amount of salary cap they soak up.
davo
Guest
Best written article in ages! Straight to the truth. I have said exactly the same thing for ages! He had his one good year and the best is past him. Look at his brothers... they also had one good year and then nothing. I think Collingwood will be much better off letting him go and concentrate on the next kid. Even when he gets the ball he cant kick straight. Any club offering him more than 400k is mad! Go Pies!
Knoxy
Guest
You don't just sack a player like Cloke because he's in the middle of a form slump. As a Collingwood fan I agree that Cloke's form is worrying but remember he is still the leading contested mark in the competition. If we are going to win another flag in the next few years we need him in the side.
Docker from the hills
Guest
Just keep him away from freo!! -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Because a legitimate big man sucks defenders in to cover him, creating space for the little men to be effective. I give you as an example the Sydney Swans pre- and post-Barry Hall.