Travis Cloke

[Redlight]

Better still, ban yourself when he does sign. Wanker!

When he does? I thought, according to you, that he already had?

Are you amusing yourself with all this trolling Hiss?

[Beast]

Many were saying the same about Dale Thomas last year. Cloke's a high profile player, and our most valuable. The media will talk about his contract, he can't help that. This will be his last long-term deal and the only one where he has the kind of drawing power he has now. It's important to get it right. There are reasons on both sides for the final signing to be delayed (the club needs to know how much money it has to know the most it can offer, for one - with other unsigned players, that's impossible), there's no reason to think it's all Cloke's doing.

Say Cloke would ideally prefer a 5 year deal. What is wrong with taking the time to see if the club will come around, rather than accepting the first deal put to him? A 5 year deal does not place extra pressure on our salary cap (it actually eases the pressure on the crucial next few years). If in the end he doesn't get the 5 years, he may accept a lesser offer.

I don't see any sense in hating on a player for negotiating a contract. The details of which we simply don't know. Booing that player would be Richmond level pathetic.

Daisy said once he's looking at offers and than we haven't heard a word from him until he signed while Trav is creating a circus, completely different circumstances.
Who said anything about hating on him for negotiations?
Its the way its being played out in public every time when it comes to him is a worry. Him dragging his arse like this surely isn't helping our playing group's harmony and as history shows you need a lot of things to go right to win the flag and this definitely isn't helping. He knows quite well our salary cap is stretched to the limit so trying to milk the Club for every penny without intention of leaving is worse than selling yourself to the highest bidder IMO.
The bottom line is the only people that have benefited from his appearance on TFS tonight are Clokes.

You're making too many assumptions. Who's dragging it out? Is it even being dragged out? Or is this just what it takes? Cloke has not yet accepted the club's offer, just as they have not yet accepted his desired deal. Beams, Harry, Reid, Sidebottom etc have not signed either (nor have numerous players at other clubs), are they dragging out their negotiations?

If we are squeezed, our biggest contract was always going to take time. Difficult to sign a player when you don't know how much money you have to sign him with.

So really, the only issue you have is that Cloke's talked about his contract more than others. The interest from the media has had a big part in this. What he has said is he wants to stay at Collingwood, but would prefer a 5 year deal, which has not yet been offered him. I see no issue with any of that.

lets not kid ourselves, Cloke not signing is the main reason we haven't been able to direct our attention to Reid, Beams etc etc

And my main issue with him is that I'm 100% sure he will stay but at the same time he's holding the Club to ransom and doesn't seem to care someone else might be a victim of these negotiations taking an eternity.

[Beast]

If he has been given our best & last offer then we should insist on a deadline to sign or decline the offer. We have others still to be signed who are just as important. I'm over it to be honest. If he goes then so be it. But I don't like leaving Reid, Beams, wellingham etc unsigned if it's the Cloke deal holding things up. Time the club brought this to a head.

Why is his deal holding up them and not the other way around?

Because his deal right now is the cornerstone of our salary cap issues. As in his contact is the one that will cost us the most out of all the names mentioned.
Pretty elementary I would have thought.

[eddiesmith]

If he has been given our best & last offer then we should insist on a deadline to sign or decline the offer. We have others still to be signed who are just as important. I'm over it to be honest. If he goes then so be it. But I don't like leaving Reid, Beams, wellingham etc unsigned if it's the Cloke deal holding things up. Time the club brought this to a head.

Why is his deal holding up them and not the other way around?

Because his deal right now is the cornerstone of our salary cap issues. As in his contact is the one that will cost us the most out of all the names mentioned.
Pretty elementary I would have thought.

Yet if the others just agreed to a deal, Collingwood could give Trav a final offer of what they can actually afford. Wellingham might settle for less than they think he would freeing up money for others...

For all the ragging on Cloke, he signed a contract too early, too often to make the same mistake. He could accept a lesser contract then suddenly someone walks anyway or suddenly retires and a bit of money is freed up for him, works both ways.

But of course on here, Cloke = Evil and the problem in everything

[Scotch]

How's Cloke's contract holding anyone up?

If I'm correct, and I'm fairly sure I am, THREE players signed last week which makes it pretty clear to me there is no embargo on other players signing until Cloke is done.

It's fairly simple really, the Club might be offering, say, $700k/year, and might be prepared to go to say, $800k at the very highest (without obviously telling Cloke that). They know how high they're willing/can go and will know how to fit that in over the four or five years of the contract. They simply deduct that from the amount available in those years and using common sense, still know how much they can afford to pay the rest of the players.

The other four (I believe?) uncontracted players are bargaining exactly the same way Cloke is - through their manager. Just because of his high profile the media are forcing him into the picture but at the end of the day, whatever the media says isn't going to force the clubs' hand or force their price higher. They're far more stoic that some of you seem to believe.

So what does this mean? Well, people are treating Cloke differently to the other players, because he's better than the rest of them. Is that his fault? Maybe, he could certainly be worse if he tried, but that's not in anyone's interest... except maybe Jack Spains so his beloved Hawks could win.

So what's the fuss over? Is it that Cloke is treating the supporters badly, or the supporters are beginning to treat Cloke badly? If I had to pick one, I know which one I'd choose.

[watt price tully]

Too much media, too little footy "news" so they manufacture a sense of it has tone now or else...SEN went into a frenzy tonight.

They are negotiating a contract, each party to the contract is also cognizant of current & future effects & consequences on not just Trav but also other players.

The media creates, distorts & then amplifies sensationalism - not for the first time.

My main in issue over this in terms of apportioning blame is David Cloke & his use of the media.

Cloke said he wants to be a Collingwood player, they are in negotiations, no real issue apart from the anxiety that is a consequence of the media's role here.

[Beast]

Why is his deal holding up them and not the other way around?

Because his deal right now is the cornerstone of our salary cap issues. As in his contact is the one that will cost us the most out of all the names mentioned.
Pretty elementary I would have thought.

Yet if the others just agreed to a deal, Collingwood could give Trav a final offer of what they can actually afford. Wellingham might settle for less than they think he would freeing up money for others...

For all the ragging on Cloke, he signed a contract too early, too often to make the same mistake. He could accept a lesser contract then suddenly someone walks anyway or suddenly retires and a bit of money is freed up for him, works both ways.

But of course on here, Cloke = Evil and the problem in everything

Cloke is our priority and thats why we're concentrating our efforts on signing him first and seeing whats left for everyone else, those who aren't asking for much Bally Blairy and Rusty for example sign regardless, those who's contracts are a bit trickier are forced to wait till the Cloke deal is done.
Thats the way I see it anyway.

[Mossi]

We really should concentrate our efforts on signing Beamsy, Chopper and Wellers and get back to Cloke with whatever is left.

+1
there are people in the club like Walshy trying to piece together an equitable salary plan over multiple years to keep the side toghethor. Naturally there will be some that value their service more than what has been planned by this.Walsh is in a better position to equally distribute this money so if the Clokes don't see it I would not sacrifice other players and Cloke can walk for my liking in a few years time we will have some players that can fill that key forward post. Just look at the Hawks when some of the midfield group go missing or the back half have a few passengers Franklin can't get them over the line.

[E]

Hmmm.......

cameron cloke‏@cameroncloke

the media should get there story right if there going to say something, again got it wrong like always

How would Cameron Know?

i think cameron might be his brother?

[E]

We really should concentrate our efforts on signing Beamsy, Chopper and Wellers and get back to Cloke with whatever is left.

+1 t
here are people in the club like Walshy trying to piece together an equitable salary plan over multiple years to keep the side toghethor. Naturally there will be some that value their service more than what has been planned by this.Walsh is in a better position to equally distribute this money so if the Clokes don't see it I would not sacrifice other players and Cloke can walk for my liking in a few years time we will have some players that can fill that key forward post. Just look at the Hawks when some of the midfield group go missing or the back half have a few passengers Franklin can't get them over the line.

Very nice point. It might surprise you to learn that the most important job in the NFL is the salary cap expert. In the US it is more complicated becasue you can manipulate long term contracts to spread salary over multiple years (which is an issue because the NFL have sought to avoid the front loading or back loading that the AFL, for now tolerates - a hockey player recently got offered a 15 year deal in an effort to spread his salary over multiple years). Nonetheless, having someone who is responsible to make sure of the equitable distribution of money is KEY!

[HAL]

Can you tell me any gossip?

[Hiss]

No I dont work at the club.

I dont look at anyones membership.

This rubbish that NPM talks of is 3 week old BS

NPM did not get a refund.

I have know idea whether NPM got a refund or not. You seem absolute that he did not get a refund. Can you assure everyone on Nicks BB how you know this to be fact? How do you know NPM did not get a refund? Answer that !

Hiss lets just say that NPM wont be rushing to the phone or down to the club first thing in the morning , demanding to know how someone knows that he didnt get a $300.00 refund.

I can only presume you have a confidential source. I must respect your sources. Point taken.

[jack_spain]

i find it strange that they might,

but in less you work there, how would you know?

they would not tell you about someone elses membership deal

No I dont work at the club.

I dont look at anyones membership.

This rubbish that NPM talks of is 3 week old BS

NPM did not get a refund.

I have know idea whether NPM got a refund or not. You seem absolute that he did not get a refund. Can you assure everyone on Nicks BB how you know this to be fact? How do you know NPM did not get a refund? Answer that !

Club plant Hiss?

[think positive]

Not sure why he would sign with Collingwood this week anyway, after he kicks 10 on the weekend then they would realise he is worth what he wants...

5 against west coast more important and impressive than 10 against dockers

[think positive]

The longer this drags on, the longer the Clokes involve the media, the longer they smooch up to the camera & microphone with a smug care-free attitude, the longer they show a lack of care for the impact on other parties (club & players & fans), the longer all of that keeps going the less I give a shit if he goes and if he did go I would be almost completely desensitised to it.

The effect it is having on me personally (don't lambast me for sharing) is that when I go to the footy and watch him play I always have this contract crap on my mind. I would never boo him but I find myself not quite cheering as hard for him as I normally would and I hate that.

Yep exactly right.

Pendles is arguably the best thing in footy right now, yet he talked team, not me me me.

Maybe it's coming from David, but whatever, it's a distraction WE DO NOT NEED.

There is no doubt in my mind that distractions cost us the grand final last year. And I'm still pissed.

It's a business but it's still a sport, where is the I want to win Premierships quotes, let's keep the team together? I ant seen one yet.