#32 Travis Cloke

[Carro]

Dear David and Travis Cloke.

You and your family are absolute POISON. You held the club to ransom in 2012 by doing a 'go slow' until you got your handsome deal of $850,000 per season. Since that time you have produced one decent season and has your coach defend you to the hilt, not dropping you from the side until 2016 and succumbing to your demands when in hindsight it would have always been a good option to cut our losses in 2012.

You now say you are going to a coach who respects you and believes in you. Bucks always believed in you and you did not repay the faith. You cannot comprehend no matter who you are if you do not perform you will be replaced in the starting 22.

I wish you nothing but misery playing for the Footscray reserves.

[Johnno75]

I was at the MCG open day on Sunday having shots from 15m out on various angles but no wider than the point posts. It's actually harder to miss than to kick the goal.

That's even with having to worry about being clocked in the head with 1 of the 100 footballs flying around the place by others.

Still cant work out how he misses so many sodas.

[thompsoc]

Dear David and Travis Cloke.

You and your family are absolute POISON. You held the club to ransom in 2012 by doing a 'go slow' until you got your handsome deal of $850,000 per season. Since that time you have produced one decent season and has your coach defend you to the hilt, not dropping you from the side until 2016 and succumbing to your demands when in hindsight it would have always been a good option to cut our losses in 2012.

You now say you are going to a coach who respects you and believes in you. Bucks always believed in you and you did not repay the faith. You cannot comprehend no matter who you are if you do not perform you will be replaced in the starting 22.

I wish you nothing but misery playing for the Footscray reserves.

And yes Trav even the Dogs reserves won the flag.
Can't lose either way Trav.

[jackcass]

WTF ??? do you read what YOU write, you said, GF Performances aside, hes ahead of BOYD, that means hes better than boyd, and redpath etc, I can only believe what you yourself said in print. And even above, you say on this years results hes ahead of boyd, So, hes ahead of a guy who basically won the flag for the dogs off his own boot ?? Yet he spent nearly the whole season in our seconds, and was basically disinterested, yet hes somehow now ahead of boyd ? If you truly believe that , then that is why we need decent compensation for him, and if we get shafted on this I can just hear the laughter from the likes of caro and robbo.

Your complete lack of comprehension actually astounds me. Read it again.

I have read it four times, you think cloke is equal or better than Boyd and other forwards there, at present time, your lack of honesty in comprehension astounds me, of what you actually pen, you have your opinion I have mine, lest leave it there, I'm over it.

I said he'd be competing with Redpath, Cordy and Campbell and he's ahead of all 3 of them for 2017.

I said GF aside, Cloke's 2016 season is even better than Boyd's.

Apart from just dribbling shit and telling me what you think I wrote make your case that I'm wrong.

[Dark Beanie]

If it's not costing us anything, (and it shouldn't) play hard ball. He really wants out, shop him around. Let's face it, who wouldn't want to join a team that just won a premiership. if they get him that cheap I guess they figure he's worth the gamble. Or they are smarter than us and know he is.

I'd still like someone to explain to me as simply as they line why we, in 12th don't have a spot for him, and the premiers do.

True TP
but lots of posters love throwing plenty of players under the bus.
it seems to be some kind of pagan ceremony.
As for The Dogs.
Their forward line isn't the greatest.
They score a lot of scrappy goals.
I imagine they will play him as a very high forward.
But if they are getting him for pick 79 and a low salary then they would just be dancing in the street.

And to think that if Cloke had made half of the effort that Reid made to get fit , stay fit and improve his core strength so that he would be more competitive and effective as a player in the modern game, Cloke would have played the season at AFL level.

I just don't get this victim garbage. Cloke is a grown man who demands very high remuneration for his services. At the same time he behaves as a child and either is incapable or not willing to make the hard decisions and make the effort to gain peak fitness.

It looks like the Dogs will to pay what he is worth based upon his recent history. Time to cut our losses and move on.

Travis had problems with his back early in the season, had to have injections to get through some games. Club recommended losing some weight and looking at different training (similar to Ben Reid) but for whatever reason he didn't want to do it. being dropped to the VFL and being replaced by a 2nd year player (Darcy) and a Yank with no background in the game in the pecking order, was very deflating to his ego & confidence. But sometimes you just have to suck it up and get on with things - both club & player.

As many posters have said he has been a good servant to the club but time to look forwards.

[think positive]

True TP
but lots of posters love throwing plenty of players under the bus.
it seems to be some kind of pagan ceremony.
As for The Dogs.
Their forward line isn't the greatest.
They score a lot of scrappy goals.
I imagine they will play him as a very high forward.
But if they are getting him for pick 79 and a low salary then they would just be dancing in the street.

And to think that if Cloke had made half of the effort that Reid made to get fit , stay fit and improve his core strength so that he would be more competitive and effective as a player in the modern game, Cloke would have played the season at AFL level.

I just don't get this victim garbage. Cloke is a grown man who demands very high remuneration for his services. At the same time he behaves as a child and either is incapable or not willing to make the hard decisions and make the effort to gain peak fitness.

It looks like the Dogs will to pay what he is worth based upon his recent history. Time to cut our losses and move on.

Travis had problems with his back early in the season, had to have injections to get through some games. Club recommended losing some weight and looking at different training (similar to Ben Reid) but for whatever reason he didn't want to do it. being dropped to the VFL and being replaced by a 2nd year player (Darcy) and a Yank with no background in the game in the pecking order, was very deflating to his ego & confidence. But sometimes you just have to suck it up and get on with things - both club & player.

As many posters have said he has been a good servant to the club but time to look forwards.

thats actually a really nice take on it cheers

[Culprit]

The dogs simply may just want an excuse to get out of taking him after the Premiership win.

[Piesnchess]

Your complete lack of comprehension actually astounds me. Read it again.

I have read it four times, you think cloke is equal or better than Boyd and other forwards there, at present time, your lack of honesty in comprehension astounds me, of what you actually pen, you have your opinion I have mine, lest leave it there, I'm over it.

You are correct Pnc.

Thankyou Thommo. FWIW, when its all said and done, I really kinda wish hed see out his career with us, a one team player, as an emergency for Moore if he gets injured or rested. He may well only get VFL games at the Dogs too, as I still cannot see him in their very best team. I know he thinks VFL is beneath his dignity with us, but he could be going from the frying pan into the pot, the Dogs are the Kingpins now, its going to be damn hard for even anyone in ther VFL to break in, and I really cant see his kicking improving at all. But, its his choice, shame it had to end this way, but that's life I guess.

[5 from the wing on debut]

He has walked out on the contract he had with us, so it is null and void.

Connors said he would have been on $450k with us, but is taking a 50% pay cut to play with the Dogs. We won't be paying any of his salary, he will be getting his money over 2 years at the Dogs, rather than 1 year at the Pies.

If it's not costing us anything, (and it shouldn't) play hard ball. He really wants out, shop him around. Let's face it, who wouldn't want to join a team that just won a premiership. if they get him that cheap I guess they figure he's worth the gamble. Or they are smarter than us and know he is.

I'd still like someone to explain to me as simply as they line why we, in 12th don't have a spot for him, and the premiers do.

True TP
but lots of posters love throwing plenty of players under the bus.
it seems to be some kind of pagan ceremony.
As for The Dogs.
Their forward line isn't the greatest.
They score a lot of scrappy goals.
I imagine they will play him as a very high forward.
But if they are getting him for pick 79 and a low salary then they would just be dancing in the street.

Have you ever posted a comment about Blair whilst you were visiting Stonehenge?

[Piesnchess]

I was at the MCG open day on Sunday having shots from 15m out on various angles but no wider than the point posts. It's actually harder to miss than to kick the goal.

That's even with having to worry about being clocked in the head with 1 of the 100 footballs flying around the place by others.

Still cant work out how he misses so many sodas.

Yes, I watched that Drawn GF doco last night on youtube. Had Cloke kicked those two absolute soda goals just prior to halftime, we would have gone in seven goals up, with the saints broken. His inane misses nearly cost us a flag, a hairs breath away from utter despair, sure he got a late one and saved it then, but his very costly misses nearly destroyed our winning chances. It would have been over at half time, but for his incredible inaccuracy.

[mooretreloar]

79. Tell em they're dreamin'!

Whilst that is probably the beginning of the bidding process, its insulting to both the club and Travis' worth.

The pick Jay Clark mentioned was 71. Not sure how they can give us 71 when they don't have it, it belongs to Gelelong.

Bulldogs 1st 4th round pick is 59 (received from Carlton for Liam Jones, they also have 67 and 69 (received from Sydney for Michael Talia) in the 4th round.

Their 5th round pick is 85.

We can argue whether Cloke has good football left in him or not. My view is he is done, as is the view of a lot of experts.

The facts are that he played 50% of his time in the VFL in 2016, whether you believe he should have played there or not, whether you believed he was treated well or not. Thus, taking opinions out of the equation if you take on face value that the reason he played VFL that is form wasn't good enough, then his starting value is not high.

The Bulldogs are only picking him up for coverage. Jason McCartney their list manager confirmed the reason that they are looking at Cloke is that they lack coverage in that area. This is because Redpath did his ACL and will be out until mid season 2017. I would very much doubt any other club is interested, yes Richmond was mentioned, but given the state of their list and their need to rebuild, I believe this is only media speculation.

The other factors to consider are that Collingwood doesn't want him, nor want his salary as part of its salary cap and Cloke doesn't want to play for Collingwood.

Putting this all together, you have a player that played 50% VFL in 2016, who most experts consider is done, who doesn't want to play with us and there isn't much interest in. We do not want him or his salary. If the shoe was on the other foot, would you expect Collingwood to use a 2nd or 3rd pick for such a deal?

Consequently, if we get pick 59 we are doing well, but I would suggest it is likely to be 67 or 69.

[watt price tully]

79. Tell em they're dreamin'!

Whilst that is probably the beginning of the bidding process, its insulting to both the club and Travis' worth.

........

We can argue whether Cloke has good football left in him or not. My view is he is done, as is the view of a lot of experts.

.

Who are so called "experts" who say he is "done".

[think positive]

79. Tell em they're dreamin'!

Whilst that is probably the beginning of the bidding process, its insulting to both the club and Travis' worth.

The pick Jay Clark mentioned was 71. Not sure how they can give us 71 when they don't have it, it belongs to Gelelong.

Bulldogs 1st 4th round pick is 59 (received from Carlton for Liam Jones, they also have 67 and 69 (received from Sydney for Michael Talia) in the 4th round.

Their 5th round pick is 85.

We can argue whether Cloke has good football left in him or not. My view is he is done, as is the view of a lot of experts.

The facts are that he played 50% of his time in the VFL in 2016, whether you believe he should have played there or not, whether you believed he was treated well or not. Thus, taking opinions out of the equation if you take on face value that the reason he played VFL that is form wasn't good enough, then his starting value is not high.

The Bulldogs are only picking him up for coverage. Jason McCartney their list manager confirmed the reason that they are looking at Cloke is that they lack coverage in that area. This is because Redpath did his ACL and will be out until mid season 2017. I would very much doubt any other club is interested, yes Richmond was mentioned, but given the state of their list and their need to rebuild, I believe this is only media speculation.

The other factors to consider are that Collingwood doesn't want him, nor want his salary as part of its salary cap and Cloke doesn't want to play for Collingwood.

Putting this all together, you have a player that played 50% VFL in 2016, who most experts consider is done, who doesn't want to play with us and there isn't much interest in. We do not want him or his salary. If the shoe was on the other foot, would you expect Collingwood to use a 2nd or 3rd pick for such a deal?

Consequently, if we get pick 59 we are doing well, but I would suggest it is likely to be 67 or 69.

If the deal isn't done, eitherthe dogs pull out or we balk at the price, why don't you think Richmond would take him at $250,000? Or do you think he will only agree to that to play for a top 8 side?

[BBHS]

The more I read about him going the sadder I get. I know he has under performed recently but I still love the guy. Every out on the full, 20m out miss hurt, but I think this is going to hurt more.

[mooretreloar]

79. Tell em they're dreamin'!

Whilst that is probably the beginning of the bidding process, its insulting to both the club and Travis' worth.

........

We can argue whether Cloke has good football left in him or not. My view is he is done, as is the view of a lot of experts.

.

Who are so called "experts" who say he is "done".

Robert Walls said he was done 2 years ago.
David King says the same.
Jason Dunstall said at the end of 2015 we should have traded him at the end of 2015.
Leigh Matthews said after the GF that he couldn't see a spot for Cloke at Footscray, unless he could play the forward/ruck role.
Nathan Buckley said in early 2016 that Cloke's form slump was oot a new thing, it had been apparent for 18 months.