Sacked podcast preview: Travis Cloke reveals sledge that almost ended his career
Travis Cloke has revealed he almost quit the AFL during his only season with the Western Bulldogs after he was sledged by an opponent during a game. He reveals the reason he never exposed the player behind the taunts.
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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.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE SACKED PODCAST HERE
“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’.”
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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.”
SACKED: THE MOMENT IT ALL BECAME TOO MUCH FOR CLOKE
WE DID OUR BEST TO SUPPORT CLOKE: BEVO
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says the club did its best to support Travis Cloke in 2017 and hopes the forward can move on from what was a difficult period for him.
Cloke revealed in the Herald Sun’s SACKED podcast that he was taunted about his mental health by a St Kilda-listed player while playing for Footscray in the VFL in 2017 and almost walked away from the game immediately.
Beveridge said while he could not clearly remember what happened at the time, he had always supported players during their struggles.
“I think at the time we were aware of it. It’s a long time ago now,” Beveridge said.
“As we do in any of those situations, we just support our player. I think we did our best with Travis back then and he was an important part of our fabric.
“We’ve got a great affection for Travis and we hope that he can find some kind of remediation and get past it.”
Cloke played 10 AFL games for the Bulldogs in 2017 in what was his final season of football after 12 years and 246 games with Collingwood.
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Originally published as Sacked podcast preview: Travis Cloke reveals sledge that almost ended his career