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Re: Travis Cloke to take indefinite leave from football.
You know, good on him for coming out with the truth, he could've just been listed as ribs or soreness for however long he wanted. Not only did he open himself up BS and trolls, but he opened himself up to the ridicule of the Hun Footy Chief. When Robbo made those statements I said I genuinely feared other young men might not have the courage to come forward. In a single act he's shown more courage & leadership than Robbo ever has, and especially being the first since that affair Trav has re-engaged the serious issue of mental illness and these young men (and the issue more broadly). I hope he gets what he needs and I hope we see him back happy. He's at a club that gets it and guys like Lukas Webb who are passionate about the issue and welfare. I think he's still got some good footy left in him and Id like to see it.
Rocket Science: the epitaph for the Beveridge era - whenever it ends - reading 'Here lies a team that could beat anyone on its day, but seldom did when it mattered most'. 15/7/2023
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Re: Travis Cloke to take indefinite leave from football.
All the best to him on getting through the other side of this and coming out in much better health.
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Re: Travis Cloke to take indefinite leave from football.
Originally Posted by
bulldogtragic
You know, good on him for coming out with the truth, he could've just been listed as ribs or soreness for however long he wanted. Not only did he open himself up BS and trolls, but he opened himself up to the ridicule of the Hun Footy Chief. When Robbo made those statements I said I genuinely feared other young men might not have the courage to come forward. In a single act he's shown more courage & leadership than Robbo ever has, and especially being the first since that affair Trav has re-engaged the serious issue of mental illness and these young men (and the issue more broadly). I hope he gets what he needs and I hope we see him back happy. He's at a club that gets it and guys like Lukas Webb who are passionate about the issue and welfare. I think he's still got some good footy left in him and Id like to see it.
There's a lot of work still to be done, not only in the media but in the public domain.
When Lance Franklin took time out due to mental health issues, the football public managed to convince itself that it just had to be a smokescreen to cover the fact that it was actually an illicit drug suspension. It was absolutely shameful.
Having Travis Cloke and Alex Fasolo both open up about their issues can only be a good thing for the game going forward.
Nathan Thompson was a real trailblazer for mental health issues for AFL players. It seems an age ago that he first talked about clinical depression.
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Re: Travis Cloke to take indefinite leave from football.
Originally Posted by
westdog54
There's a lot of work still to be done, not only in the media but in the public domain.
When Lance Franklin took time out due to mental health issues, the football public managed to convince itself that it just had to be a smokescreen to cover the fact that it was actually an illicit drug suspension. It was absolutely shameful.
Having Travis Cloke and Alex Fasolo both open up about their issues can only be a good thing for the game going forward.
Nathan Thompson was a real trailblazer for mental health issues for AFL players. It seems an age ago that he first talked about clinical depression.
That's why I love Lukas Webb. He could be forgiven for just being another young footballer trying to get a game, but to take on what he is with such personal vigour speaks volumes about him.
Rocket Science: the epitaph for the Beveridge era - whenever it ends - reading 'Here lies a team that could beat anyone on its day, but seldom did when it mattered most'. 15/7/2023
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Re: Travis Cloke to take indefinite leave from football.
Originally Posted by
Throughandthrough
By all reports from people who know him he's a ripper guy. Wishing nothing but a complete return to full health for the big man
The assistant principal at my school is a Pies fan, told me when Cloke came to the Dogs, that he's met him and indeed, he is a great guy.
[B][COLOR="#0000CD"]Our club was born in blood and boots, not in AFL focus groups.[/COLOR][/B]
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Re: Travis Cloke to take indefinite leave from football.
Get well soon Travis. I really want you to be enjoying your life first and foremost. And if playing good footy is part of it - all well and good. If not, no sweat. Your health and your family come first.
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Re: Travis Cloke to take indefinite leave from football.
A couple of big knocks seemed to really halt his momentum and that vigour for the contest just hasn't been there since. Hard to break that up if you're dealing with a really flat patch with depression, let alone suicidal thoughts, voices, ideas of reference etc. With time, support and some hard work things will get better.
Wishing Trav all the best and hoping he can get back and deliver on his capabilities for us.
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Re: Travis Cloke to take indefinite leave from football.
Cringe worthy to listen to Robbo last night talk about mental health and how supportive he is of people getting right and then 5 seconds later saying 'everyone has mental health issues, its just how you deal with them'
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Re: Travis Cloke to take indefinite leave from football.
All the best with everything Travis. Hope you get well soon.
"Footscray people are incredible people; so humble. I'm just so happy - ecstatic"
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Re: Travis Cloke to take indefinite leave from football.
Poor bugger. Props to Travis for putting the truth out there. It's a hard enough thing to deal with in private, let alone in the spotlight.
Feel better soon Clokey.
Wake me up when we get to heaven, let me sleep if we're going to hell
Good luck, for your sake I hope heaven and hell are really there, but I wouldn't hold my breath
And we all found heaven - 2016 Premiers!
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Re: Travis Cloke to take indefinite leave from football.
The Black Dog can be like a lot of illnesses, incapacitating you, draining your lifeforce but for a period of time then you recover somewhat. We love you Travis,, ride it out, better times are ahead.
Footscray Football Republic.
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Re: Travis Cloke to take indefinite leave from football.
Bevo hinted he may return this Sunday
FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.
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Re: Travis Cloke to take indefinite leave from football.
Originally Posted by
bornadog
Bevo hinted he may return this Sunday
Sometimes the best way to assist is an opportunity to play good footy.
But then again, I'm an Internet poster and Bevo is a premiership coach so draw your own conclusions.
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Re: Travis Cloke to take indefinite leave from football.
Pretty disappointing, can someone put the clues togther and figure out who this former Saints scumbag is?
Sacked podcast preview: Travis Cloke reveals sledge that almost ended his career
Travis Cloke has revealed he almost quit the Western Bulldogs halfway through 2017 after a St Kilda-listed player sledged him about his mental health during a VFL game.
Cloke had stepped away from football with anxiety issues only weeks before in his single year with the Bulldogs.
The club publicly acknowledged he was battling with his mental health.
Yet in that first game for Footscray’s VFL side, an AFL player taking the field for St Kilda’s VFL affiliate Sandringham cut him to the bone with repeated insults about his mental health.
He told the Herald Sun’s Sacked podcast he almost punched the player, but was so demoralised he later considered immediately walking away from football.
Cloke declined to reveal the identity of the player, no longer at the Saints, but says he could not believe in today’s environment the player could be so callous.
“I was playing in the VFL for the Dogs. I think it was my first game back from having a bit of a lay-off,” he said.
“I was down at Sandringham playing down there. One of the players turned around with a remark or a sledge.
“I haven't repeated it and I didn’t even make an official complaint even though I thought it was disgusting.
“He was a young player and I didn't want him to be tarred by this reputation and sledge for the rest of his career.
“But definitely it resonated with me to the point where I almost walked off the field.”
Cloke said he alerted the umpires straight away and later told the coaches.
“Things were done, but not enough in my eyes,” he said.
“I am still waiting for a call to apologise, that’s how disgusting it was.
“I guess that was more the moment where I was thinking, ‘This is bullshit, what I am putting myself through the stress of this game of football for when some 20-year-old kid can turn around and say what he said’.”
Cloke said the sledges were deliberate and sustained, not a single throwaway line.
“Yeah definitely. When remarks come out about mental health that are repeated a couple of times, the first time something is said is water off a duck’s back,” he said.
“That’s all right, it’s a competitive game, but the second and third time, enough is enough, and it almost pushed me over the line. I almost stopped the game, went over and grabbed him. “That was the point where I was at. I was pretty lucky the halftime siren went and I obviously removed myself from the situation in the rooms.
“The umpire came up to me because I told him to do something about it or I will do it myself as the second half starts.
“I wasn’t afraid to get suspended at the back end of my career, a weekend off is not a bad thing. It definitely crossed my mind after that game. Do I even want to play again?
“Do I want to step back out on the field and put myself back in that situation or if someone does do it again what am I going to do, am I going to snap?
“And that’s not normally in my character. Yes, in my career I got reported a couple of times for silly incidents but nothing that was over the top or brutal but this would have pushed me to that stage.”
Cloke said the Saints player was not held accountable.
“I didn’t want him to be suspended, I didn’t want him to miss games of footy, but education is so important and that didn’t happen,” he said.
“An official from the football club did reach out purely because I had a relationship with them, but it wasn’t enough for me.
“I wouldn’t say the dogs brushed it under the carpet, they did all that they could to help me and support me which is great, but I guess that club with the player involved didn’t do enough in my eyes.”
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Re: Travis Cloke to take indefinite leave from football.
They say Burt Lancaster has one, but I don't believe them.