Travis Cloke - What role will he play in our team?

[Bulldog4life]

Can’t see Redpath getting too many games.

Hope he does. Underated by a lot on Woof. Personally I am a fan.

[always right]

Would like to see Crameri retained.....we don't have many natural forwards.

[macca]

If he is fit and mentally fired up to play , it would be crazy not to pick Him up as a DFA. Carlton , GCS or Fremantle would be crying out for someone with his attributes.

I have him ahead of Redpath. HE is more mobile, better contested mark, better tank , kick and can play further up the ground

Real shame that he is going, as I Believe he had a lot more to offer.

All the best Cloke and have loved watching every game you have played with us. I Guess were are expecting Schache to play more games next year.

[S Coast Simon]

Good luck Trav hope someone picks you up or we have you mentoring our young pups. I too have him ahead of Redpath but all good they know what they are doing.

[Axe Man]

Gutless keyboard warriors have a lot to answer for.

Travis Cloke announces retirement from AFL

TRAVIS Cloke has laid bare the savage toll persistent social media attacks took on his mental health in recent years.

As revealed this morning by the Herald Sun, Cloke has been forced into retirement after honest conversations with Dogs coach Luke Beveridge in recent days.

Cloke would have been forced to play VFL all next year but instead will consider playing with his brothers Jason and Cameron, and will be paid out by the Dogs.

Cloke took time away from the club this year to deal with a mental health battle that in part was brought on by persistent social media abuse.

He said today those dark days left him broken, as he attempted to work through his issues.

Cloke paid tribute to retiring former Dogs captain Matthew Boyd, who he said was one of the best people he had met in football.

But he feels for younger players coming into the game who struggle to stay off social media.

“The last couple of years have been tough. Footy has changed a lot, social media has brought a whole new element of pressure,’’ he said.

“The social media scrutiny will be different (in retirement). I don’t have to wake up on a weekend and see the hate and abuse you do get that way.

“But I have learnt to filter my use of the phone, I have learnt to talk to people instead of reading what some Joe Blow behind a keyboard has got to say.

“I feel sorry for the kids coming through now. It’s part of the industry, we are here now because the media drives it.

“You can pick up your phone and they are amazing devices but they are bloody shit for what they can do.

“Hopefully the footy club has pretty good systems to educate young fellas on what is right and wrong. I wish that was around five years ago.”

Cloke returned to football after a break to work through his issues, but says for a time he hit rock bottom.

“It is 24 hours I mull over in my head many times. Not many people know or saw the state I got in. Mentally and physically I was a wreck.

“It was a shock for my family and (wife) Becky to see me, having stood up to a lot of stuff and be quite robust, to break down and show my true colours.”

Cloke says he and former coach Nathan Buckley do not need to mend fences despite the perception they fell out in his last year at the Pies.

“I don’t think there is anything to mend. Bucks and I are fine. I received numerous texts from Bucks during the year,’’ he said.

“Obviously even palying Round 1 against the Pies I received a text and the same from Ed (Eddie McGuire).

“My relationships with the two of them is fantastic.

“We as mates never had an issue, as player and coach we butted heads a few times and I guess that’s the industry.”

Bulldogs’ list manager Jason McCartney said the retirement decision was mutual between club and player.

“The list management committee has had a number of discussions since the completion of the free agency and trade period about the profile of our playing list for the 2018 season,” McCartney said.

“We had a discussion with Travis and his management about the opportunities for him to play senior football in 2018, based on the make-up of the list and the players we have brought into the football club since the end of the season.

“A mutual decision was made based on those discussions, that Travis would retire from the game.

“We’d like to congratulate Travis on an outstanding career, for his contribution to the Western Bulldogs in 2017, and wish him and his family the best for the future.”

Cloke has been one of the AFL’s best contested marking players but, as a poor set-shot kick, he has also been a maligned player.

The 30-year-old booted 452 goals from 256 matches but often struggled for accuracy.

The big man fell out of favour with Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley in 2016 and was dropped for Anzac Day.

He was traded to the Western Bulldogs last October, but his struggles continued.

Cloke managed 10 games for the Dogs, kicking 11.9.

Bulldog forwards Mitch Honeychurch and Stewart Crameri are without contracts with their futures in limbo.

[KT31]

Do we stil have to pay for Cloke next season ?

[bornadog]

Thanks Travis and all the best - who can forget your opening game:

[Axe Man]

Do we stil have to pay for Cloke next season ?

As per the article we will be paying him. Had he retired of his own volition I assume we wouldn't have had to but this was a mutual decision. If we didn't offer to pay him out he would have been within his rights to stay, play VFL and collect his money anyway.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Thanks Travis - the unfortunate injury sustained when Ziebell cannoned into you didnt help you get up and running with us

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I'm actually a bit saddened by Cloke having to hang them up. Despite what a lot of people out there have said about his role with us, I thought he was doing really well up until Ziebells illegal hit on him. He played his role perfectly. Not sure why people were expecting him to kick bags each week. He was there to provide a contested target up the ground and he did that well. But for Ziebells hit and our shocking form I think he could have played a big part in season. Shame it didn't work out but I wish him all the best

[AndrewP6]

Cloke and Crameri gone. Great shame IMO. Would have liked Cloke to finish on his own terms, and personally would have kept Crammers and let HC go.

Best of luck to both.

[Mantis]

Hope he does. Underated by a lot on Woof. Personally I am a fan.

What do you see that others, including me miss?

I see him as an extremely limited player who has no tricks in his bag. Lead, mark and occasionally kick straight.. In a time when versatility is required, he offers little.

[Twodogs]

What do you see that others, including me miss?

I see him as an extremely limited player who has no tricks in his bag. Lead, mark and occasionally kick straight.. In a time when versatility is required, he offers little.

Agreed. It was great that he came to the club and all that but it plainly wasn't working and the hit from Ziebull left Cloke a limited player.

We gave it a go, it didn't work out let's move on.

[Mantis]

Agreed. It was great that he came to the club and all that but it plainly wasn't working and the hit from Ziebull left Cloke a limited player.

We gave it a go, it didn't work out let's move on.

I'm talking about Redpath.

[Twodogs]

I'm talking about Redpath.

So was I...

Redpath Cloke. Very well known around town.