Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury says they’re nothing untoward about Travis Cloke’s exclusion from the AFL club’s leadership group.
He just wasn’t wanted.
As the Magpies set their sights on returning to the finals in 2016, the playing group has opted for a new team of on-field leaders.
Taylor Adams and Brent Macaffer have joined Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom and Nathan Brown in the five-strong leadership group under Pendlebury, with Cloke and Tyson Goldsack making way.
Cloke was the subject of the full tabloid treatment last month, with pictures of him posing naked published in Woman’s Day.
Pendlebury said the photos had nothing to do with his absence from a formal leadership role.
“It’s a player-voted thing … we voted on this a long time before that incident happened,” he said.
“The four (players) and myself were the clear-cut group that the players want to lead.
“What the players wanted, the players got.”
It’s not the first time Cloke has left Collingwood’s leadership group.
The power forward was first voted into a seven-man group in 2012 but was left out in 2013.
He returned in an enormous eight-man team in 2014, surviving a downsizing to five last season.
Pendlebury said the giant 28-year-old – one of the most talked about and criticised players in the league – had a frank assessment of his own shortcomings.
“He’s acknowledged himself he’s got a way to go with his leadership,” Pendlebury said.
“Not having the title doesn’t absolve him of his responsibilities.
“He’s had a great pre-season and we still expect high standards from Trav even though he’s not formally part of the group.”
Goldsack, a teammate of Pendlebury dating back to their under-18 club Gippsland Power, has inspired younger Magpies with his effort to recover from a second knee reconstruction.
Pendlebury said Adams, 22, had a “coming out party” last year with his form and was seen as a key link between younger and older groups of players.
The third-year skipper praised his two new lieutenants.
“It’s a credit to both boys with the role they’ve had at the football club for the last couple of years,” Pendlebury said.
“Off-field, they set really good standards.
“Caff is coming off two knee reconstructions … it’s great testament to his character that he just didn’t go into rehab and felt isolated – he spread his wings amongst the whole group.”
Goldsack, another former Gippsland boy, faces a race against time to be fit for the season with lingering knee troubles from 2015.
lyn
Guest
Contract runs out in 2017
Rob McLean
Guest
Try again. Dane Swan is to play more up forward this year.
Samantha
Roar Rookie
That's an issue for those who are in the relationship. No one else. All parties involved in sending and receiving the nude photos were old enough to consent and did so. This was a media beat up on a non-issue. Being a druken idiot is a major issue for Australian society however.
Gecko
Guest
I agree with BigAl. This reads to me as if Collingwood are preparing to offer Cloke a humbler contract and run the risk of losing him, which would free up salary cap so they can hang on to their young guns over the next few years. Darcy Moore to be the Pies main spearhead in 2017, whether Cloke stays or not.
Josh
Expert
The interesting part of this for me is that Collingwood now have no established leader in their forward line.
Josh
Expert
It's almost as if their club president has a huge amount of media pull.
David Williams
Guest
Cloke and Hawkins would have to be the most overrated forwards playing the game..big and burly with small hearts.
Kaks
Roar Guru
And how many more games can Coolingwood endure with a Key Forward who is as inaccurate and inconsistent in front of goal as an U15's player? The salary he is on is disproportionate to his actual value.
Tom M
Guest
Kaks do you follow AFL at all? Of course they will resign him. How many Big mobile forwards are their in the comp that have experience and that are not plagued by injuries?
Wilson
Roar Guru
will be intresting to see if he get the new contract he want. when does his contrct run out?
Kaks
Roar Guru
Im surprised that they would want to stick with him. Other than a good contested mark, what does he offer?
BigAl
Guest
The Age reports today that Cloke " ...is expected to open contract renegotiations mid-season... " ! Possibly a subtle hint not to set his expectations too high - as per the last round !
Kaks
Roar Guru
Fair enough if you feel that way, I feel that Cloke and Swann have been let off a lot easier than they should have.
Tom M
Guest
Im sorry Kaks but there's a massive difference in what the 2 Collingwood players did compared to Pearce. Physically intimidating a women and the assaulting her dog is a lot worse then sending a couple of nudes
Paul D
Roar Guru
Sorry, have to disagree on that one. Nudes fly around between phones all the time now. Agree they're a bit sleazy to be doing that while in relationships but meh, they can lie in that bed. Yes, Cloke was in the leadership team by default. MacAffer is a much better leader than Cloke anyway. Adams I'm not sure about, but they obviously rate him highly at Collingwood. He's got confidence and arrogance in spades, the challenge now is to back that up on the field.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Kaks, you have no idea about who the photos were sent to or why, so I don’t think you can proceed beyond that point without looking foolish. I get what you’re trying to say, but no-one is going to agree with you that Swan and Cloke are as bad as Pearce. No prior history, and they certainly weren’t in the ladies’ apartment covered in coke and piss when the photos were taken.
Kaks
Roar Guru
I dont know, IMO sending nudes to other women when in a relationship is worse than being a drunken idiot. I guess everyone will think of it differently - still surprised this story has gotten next to no press. Agreed with you about Cloke, seems like he was only in the 'leadership' team because he was one of a handful of players who has been at the club for longer than two years. Pendlebury is a stellar captain, a great person and a magnificent player. He is all that really matters at Collingwood.
Kaks
Roar Guru
They willingly sent photos of their genitalia to women, whether the women wanted it or not is anyones guess. However if they didnt want the photos then isnt that also harassing a women?
Paul D
Roar Guru
Bit of a difference between sending nudes and what Pearce did! Anyways, nothing to read into this, Cloke just isn’t a leader. He spends too much time ruminating between his own ears about his shortcomings, guys like that aren’t ever going to be natural leaders.
Bretto
Guest
How is it anything like what Pearce did? Swan and Cloke are no doubt foolish, but they weren't drunk and harassing women.