In 2012, Travis Cloke re-signed with Collingwood. A lucrative five-year deal worth $800,000 a year, the contract came with strict performance-based clauses for the final year.
Firstly, there were conditions within the first few years that would (or would not) activate that fifth year.
Secondly, his form, or lack thereof, would set a pay scale for the final year. Despite being horribly out of form, which meant being dropped to the VFL last week, Cloke has still satisfied the contractual conditions to get his fifth year with Collingwood activated.
However, his worth has severely decreased. Even if Cloke stays with Collingwood for 2017, he will be paid significantly less money, possibly even as much as half the $800,000 he’s currently pulling in.
It wouldn’t be a stretch to think that Collingwood have already discussed Cloke as trade bait at the end of the year. Given his form funk and how open and free-flowing Collingwood played against Essendon (Round 5) without him as their forward focus, it may well be a triple positive – Collingwood, Cloke and the club he ends up at could all benefit greatly from him moving on.
So, where could he end up?
At 29, Cloke’s best playing years are probably behind him. That said, he’s not suffering from any long-nagging injury. He’s relatively fit. He’s definitely tradeable. A re-birth of sorts, a new club, new environment, new coach, could see him play his best years somewhere else.
Sure, he has his faults, most notably inaccurate kicking, inconsistent marking and contested possessions, which is all notably linked to a lack of confidence.
No doubt, and not many would argue the fact, when Travis Cloke gets it right, when he’s “on,” he’s as good as any key-forward in the competition. The switch just has to be flicked. Right now, he’s disconnected!
Logically, a non-Victorian club would be the best fit for him. There’d be less pressure than playing with a Victorian side, and far, far less pressure than playing for Collingwood.
With Fremantle’s injury woes continuing, and with thirty-four-year-old Matthew Pavlich now their only Cloke-like forward, it’s not a bad assumption to think that Fremantle might be interested in getting Cloke in purple!
Prior to re-signing with Collingwood, Fremantle were very interested in Cloke, reportedly offering him a million dollars a year to go west. He preferred to stay where he was, with Collingwood, in Victoria, with family, with mates.
Fast forward four years, the Dockers are zero wins from five games and Travis Cloke is playing in the VFL. Fremantle’s 2016 season is in tatters and their own star-forward (Pavlich) will more than likely hang up his boots at the end of the year.
Change is all in the timing, and the timing now seems right. Cloke as a Pavlich replacement doesn’t look like a bad fit – for everyone involved.
Will Travis Cloke play out his career with Collingwood?
Tricky
Guest
Everyone seems to be forgetting a couple of things about Cloke. A/ since the midfield of that Collingwood side has deteriorated so badly since 2011 the skills have dropped considerably and therefore the delivery. In short it is not totally his fault his mates further up the park are just as responsible, even when Cloke was "good" his conversion was poor or in other words he kicked goals by weight of numbers which was helped by bulk silver service. B/ In 3 of the last 4 years to this season he has led the comp in contested marks, so where did he get a lot of those? He pushed up to the wing / half forward to get to the contest by way of necessity because of game style evolution, personnel change etc. C/ A combination of a & b is to do with the succession plan, Eddie and the board were convinced that even with a "regeneration" after 2011 that they'd still be flag heavyweights and obviously Cloke bought in and that's why he didn't go to Freo then - he was still chasing a flag. As history shows that succession plan has failed miserably and the regeneration (read rebuild) caused different structures and game style (hence B/) because of minor personnel (at the time) and the obvious coach change - result - no more bulk silver service. In my view I think the footy world including the media (the bulk of) are not taking these points into consideration and therefore I believe Cloke has been treated a little harshly, however his best is behind him because he needs that "team" to get him to the heady heights. He wouldn't fit in with Freo because they're a (atm) a stoppage team, Cloke only looks good with bulk silver service.
Samantha
Roar Rookie
Essendon retain no rights to top up players beyond Oct 31st (don't quote me on that date, going by memory).
Michelle Vogel
Roar Pro
Not a bad game last night either, Chris. He's equal leader in the Coleman on 22 for the season - already!
Michelle Vogel
Roar Pro
Hmmm..."potential to be" a great player is probably more like it, Glenn. True enough.
mds1970
Roar Guru
What's the status of current Essendon top-up players in regards to the trade period at the end of this season? Would they qualify to be signed by any club as delisted free agents?
Glenn Mitchell
Expert
I think it is too early Michelle to label Harley Bennell "a great player" even though that description is seemingly applied to every second player nowadays in the media.
Don Freo
Guest
Grimly is not as good as Freo's existing young talls.
Don Freo
Guest
Please no, folk. Taberner is already better than Travis Cloke. So is Tanner Smith. So is Shane Yarran. We don't want to recruit players when they can no longer play. All Freo needs is some of its players to get over their injuries. Let Cloke replace Liam Jones at Carlton.
Sanjay Poojar
Guest
India Number one !!!
Chris Vincent
Roar Pro
Good numbers Michelle.. seemed he wasn't doing THAT well at Carlton. However his total games in those last 4 years at Carlton were: 12, 11, 14, 16... so those goal kicking numbers still stack up pretty well. Funnily enough in his first year at North he played 23 games.. he hadn't played over 20 games since 2008. Maybe he's being asked to do less running at North and his body is liking it..
Damian
Guest
A lot of ridiculous comments on here to the point I actually wonder what you are looking at when you "watch" football. Best & Fairest winner, Premiership player, dual All-Australian & 4 time leading goalkicker. He was the dominant marking forward in the comp for 5 or 6 years & since 2010 only a handful of players have kicked more goals. He has been down on form this year & most of 2015 but is only 29 years of age, at 30 Jarrod Waite was playing VFL for the Northern Blues.
Samantha
Roar Rookie
Waite's also playing in a much better team that generates a lot of scores and scoring attempts. Any forwards output should> improve when you go from a wooden spoon side to a top of the table side. Betts has been far better at Adelaide then he was at Carlton. So too has Jeff Garlett at Melbourne since he left Carlton.
Michelle Vogel
Roar Pro
How did Freo suddenly become a development team after being minor premiers last year? Bennell is a great player, agreed, but he's a loose cannon. Those provisions of "providing he's fit and in form" are valid concerns and not something I'd hang my hat on, least of all being the saviour for Freo's forward line woes. Certainly, Cloke isn't exactly consistent or reliable either, but he's not injury ridden, which many Freo players seem to be.
Michelle Vogel
Roar Pro
Waite has kicked 18 goals already this season. He kicked a total of 16 in 2011, 27 in 2012, 27 in 2013 and 29 in 2014, his last year with Carlton. He tallied 42 last year, his first season with North, and he's already kicked 18 goals to date. Safe to say he's greatly improved at the Roos and he's on track for his best year in a long, long time, Chris Vincent. Certainly in Coleman contention at the moment.
Michelle Vogel
Roar Pro
Pavlich is 34, so based on his age, Cloke "maybe" has four more years to support their younger players coming up. That said, I can't see him getting a contract of more than a year or two at any club. His roots are firmly planted in Victoria. Would he get home sick? If so, his performance would be once again affected. If not Collingwood, Richmond would be the next likely Victorian club to go to, but I still see Freo as a good fit, IF Cloke could handle that interstate transition.
mds1970
Roar Guru
The bottom line is McCarthy will get his trade if the price is right. Tom Boyd got his trade because Ryan Griffen wanted to go the other way and the Bulldogs threw in a first-round pick and continued to pay Griffen. Last year the Giants already had enough draft points to get the players they wanted and had no need to trade. And Freo didn't give them an offer too good to refuse. The Giants won't trade him for a set of steak knives out of the goodness of their hearts. That's not how this business works. He's a contracted player, and Freo will have to offer substantial overs to get the trade done.
Chris Vincent
Roar Pro
Hmmm not so much... Waite was still in good form right until his last games with Carlton. I'd be willing to bet a large sum against Cloke ending up at Freo.
Winston
Guest
Michelle, I'm less optimistic than you. I think GWS only needs to "do the right thing" for reputational reasons. In a rational world, why should they actually care about an individual? The concept that "there is more to life than football" is simply not true. It's a business. And people's livelihood depends on it succeeding, so I would rather say "there is more to the issue than Cam McCarthy." And that's only from a rational perspective. If I was to be emotional about it, I think GWS should totally shaft him for not cooperating.
anon
Guest
Freo have to play young guys now. See if they sink or swim. Even if Cloke turns into a superstar at Freo were does that leave them in 3 years? Freo must be the worst team in the competition at making deals happen. They can never pull the trigger, then when they do they get Gumbleton, Sylvia, Danyle Pearce. Always dudded. So they'll probably get Cloke based on their history.
Samantha
Roar Rookie