Welcome to the Western Bulldogs: Travis Cloke

[Doc26]

Yesterday XMAS training:

Thanks so much for putting up these great pics chocomientay, very much appreciated. Trav's looking in great shape.

I'm dreaming of a moment where Trav kicks 5 straight in a Dogs trouncing against the Pies in our Round 1 encounter just to listen to the ferals unleash to Finey in the post match talk back.

[1eyedog]

Still a massive unit

[bulldogtragic]

Still a massive unit

And warranting a good defender who is tall, strong and a great runner. I'm sure most of the other forwards will love him for domino-ing a lesser defender to them.

[ratsmac]

For those who have seen him at training, I'd love to know but am a bit scared to ask but how's his kicking?

[LostDoggy]

He did a bit of goal kicking practice which was a bit better than 50/50.
It was funny hearing the crowd cheer every time one went through!

[ratsmac]

50 /50 is about standard for him I would think. I hope he can get better than that at training with zero pressure.

[1eyedog]

I don't think we need to play Cloke deep all the time. Do we?

[bulldogtragic]

I don't think we need to play Cloke deep all the time. Do we?

Not for me. He could play a variety of roles looking at his new playing weight/size. If Boyd has to ruck and Roughy is off, then Cloke can be the long target. When Boyd is forward, Cloke can roam and become a key link man in scoring chains, or as Hunter said, he can be the long bail out target coming out of defence. With Bevo's attitude to rucks, at his size and weight, Cloke could even play second or third ruck depending on match ups and what's happening within the game. He can also use his height, weight and experience to try to take out the Gibson/McGovern types and bring the ball to ground. He's a big wildcard for what we want in 2017 and he'll generate opportunities for him to have shots on goal, and we knew he's got some flaws in goal kicking. But it's the overall package for all the things above as well as taking a good defender and letting Crameri, Stringer, Dickson and anyone else having a lesser defender and a good match up to exploit. Plus his team mates rave about him already, he's got a great attitude, he's come to training slimmed and hitting the track hard, and he's going to be a very, very valuable and enthusiastic mentor to all the tall forwards we drafted. Training with a bloke whose played over 200 games, kicked over 400 goals, has great knowledge to impart about leading and using your body, and who knows pressure and scrutiny and how to deal with it, and has been AA, club leading goal kicker and has a premiership medallion will be great for all our young tall forwards. And he's on the record as coming to the club to reinvent himself, prove to everyone he's got great footy left in him, work hard and to help Tom Boyd with his forward craft and dealing with unfair media. All at the same time throwing hundreds of thousands of dollars away and turning his back on a big club just to be a Bulldog (for a draft pick we wouldn't have used anyway). There's just so much to like on so many different levels about Trav and what he's brining to the club. So to answer your question, I don't think he needs to play deep all the time.

[ledge]

CHF .. He gets it a bit when he runs around is given space and looked for . I think Collingwood didn't look for him in the end .. Hard to do anything if your teammates don't use you.

[1eyedog]

I'm very, very tempted to have a "Travis Cloke will kick more goals than Chris Mayne" bet with a good mate of mine who is a Collingwood supporter.

Definitely get on that.

[merantau]

I was skeptical at first but I'm now a believer. Recruiting Travis makes a lot of sense. Jack Redpath will not be available for some time. We could do with a big-bodied guy to draw some of the heat away from Stringer, Crameri and co. He's versatile and can kick goals from outside 50. And he has something to prove.

[LostDoggy]

Not for me. He could play a variety of roles looking at his new playing weight/size. If Boyd has to ruck and Roughy is off, then Cloke can be the long target. When Boyd is forward, Cloke can roam and become a key link man in scoring chains, or as Hunter said, he can be the long bail out target coming out of defence. With Bevo's attitude to rucks, at his size and weight, Cloke could even play second or third ruck depending on match ups and what's happening within the game. He can also use his height, weight and experience to try to take out the Gibson/McGovern types and bring the ball to ground. He's a big wildcard for what we want in 2017 and he'll generate opportunities for him to have shots on goal, and we knew he's got some flaws in goal kicking. But it's the overall package for all the things above as well as taking a good defender and letting Crameri, Stringer, Dickson and anyone else having a lesser defender and a good match up to exploit. Plus his team mates rave about him already, he's got a great attitude, he's come to training slimmed and hitting the track hard, and he's going to be a very, very valuable and enthusiastic mentor to all the tall forwards we drafted. Training with a bloke whose played over 200 games, kicked over 400 goals, has great knowledge to impart about leading and using your body, and who knows pressure and scrutiny and how to deal with it, and has been AA, club leading goal kicker and has a premiership medallion will be great for all our young tall forwards. And he's on the record as coming to the club to reinvent himself, prove to everyone he's got great footy left in him, work hard and to help Tom Boyd with his forward craft and dealing with unfair media. All at the same time throwing hundreds of thousands of dollars away and turning his back on a big club just to be a Bulldog (for a draft pick we wouldn't have used anyway). There's just so much to like on so many different levels about Trav and what he's brining to the club. So to answer your question, I don't think he needs to play deep all the time.

Nailed it .
Great post BT.

[choconmientay]

Foxsports 2017 prediction ...


and they have this to say:

TOM BOYD WILL HAVE A BREAKOUT SEASON, CLOKE WON’T SECURE A SPOT

THINK of this as a little bit of history repeating.

Back in 2011, Tom Hawkins arguably played the best game of his career in the Cats’ grand final victory over Collingwood, with a commanding three goal and 19 disposal performance. The next year he kicked 62 goals.

Expect a similar thing from grand final hero Tom Boyd next season. His near best on ground performance against the Swans signalled the No. 1 draft pick’s arrival.

And don’t expect Travis Cloke to find it easy to cement a spot in the Bulldogs’ best 22 with Boyd on fire. The return of the suspended Stewart Crameri will only add an extra layer of difficulty for the former Magpie.

Can't wait for the season to start and for Cloke to prove them wrong Certainly it won't be easy to establish a spot in the best 22 as there will be a lot of heat to compete for spots.

[Topdog]

Same people were saying Boyd would be traded 4 months ago. Hard to take these muppets seriously.

[bulldogtragic]

Same people were saying Boyd would be traded 4 months ago. Hard to take these muppets seriously.

Yep. Not to mention Boyd, Crameri & Cloke play different roles and are necessarily competing for the same spots up forward.