The case for keeping Travis Cloke at Collingwood

TRAVIS Cloke is all but traded already, if you listen to footy pundits. But is Collingwood about to make a huge mistake?

Travis Cloke kicks a goal in the VFL. Picture: David Crosling

TRAVIS Cloke is all but traded already, if you listen to footy pundits.

It seems the only thing left to decide is which club he will move to — the Western Bulldogs have emerged as the most likely destination while Richmond and Hawthorn have also been mentioned as possible new homes.

SHOULD THE PIES TRADE CLOKE? SCROLL DOWN TO VOTE AND LEAVE A COMMENT

The logic is simple: Cloke has struggled for form all year — kicking his fewest goals since 2006 — raising questions over how he fits in the modern game and, at age 29, in the Magpies’ plans given the emergence of young key forwards Darcy Moore and Mason Cox.

Nathan Buckley said this week he expects Cloke to honour his Collingwood contract next year but would he want to stay and play most of the season in the VFL?

The writing is on the wall for Cloke’s Collingwood career — but are the Magpies about to make a huge mistake?

Here is the case for keeping him at Collingwood.

Has Travis Cloke played his last game for Collingwood? Picture: Michael Klein

THE WINDOW IS OPEN

Trading a player like Cloke might make sense if the Pies were in full rebuild mode.

But last year Collingwood targeted two gun midfielders to complement its already talent-rich list and upon the arrival of Adam Treloar and James Aish, the club hoped to jump back into finals calculations.

That hasn’t happened for a number of reasons, including injury to key personnel, but the fact is the list build by head recruiter Derek Hine had Cloke being the pillar inside forward 50, flanked by young gun Darcy Moore.

THE NEXT GENERATION ISN’T READY YET

Take Cloke out of the equation. Where does that leave Collingwood?

Moore is one of the best young forwards in the competition but he’s only 20 years old. All going well he will play his 28th career game in Round 1 next year.

The son of Peter Moore shows all the signs of becoming a star but if he’s Buckley’s No. 1 big man up forward, the Pies risk asking him to shoulder the load too quickly.

Joe Daniher is in a similar position at Essendon and last year the Bombers threw All-Australian centre half-back Cale Hooker forward to provide some support and experience.

Cloke still takes the No. 1 defender and a big body when the going gets tough.

Travis Cloke talks to Nathan Buckley during a break in a VFL game.

WHO ELSE IS THERE?

Jesse White’s career looked all but over after playing just one game in the first seven rounds. The former Swan was also trialled in defence this season because his form up forward was poor.

To his credit White has turned his career around in the second half of the season but his numbers are no better than Cloke’s — averaging 0.3 more disposals a game, fewer marks and the same number of goals.

Then there’s American import Mason Cox. The 211cm giant entered this season still on the club’s rookie list but broke through to make his debut on Anzac Day in Round 5 against Essendon.

Cox is athletic for a man of his size but he still does not yet possess the football smarts and feel for the game required to play consistently at the elite level.

During his 11 games he has at times looked lost, at ground level he has been largely ineffective and his defensive pressure is virtually non-existent.

Is there anyone else?

Is Jesse White the long-term solution up forward?

Lachlan Keeffe will return after serving a two-year ban for testing positive to a banned drug but he is a defender, who was being trialled as a forward over pre-season two years ago.

Pinning the club’s hopes on Keeffe would be a stretch.

The other tall forwards on Collingwood’s list are Corey Gault, who has played two games in four seasons, and category B rookie Darren Wyatt.

In an exclusive column for the Herald Sun last year, respected list manager Gary Buckenara, who helped put together Hawthorn’s three-peat premiership list, said the Pies need more key-position talent, not less.

“There is a reasonable balance to Collingwood’s list but the priorities for me would be another key forward and key defender,” he wrote.

“It goes without saying that the Pies are still too reliant on Cloke and Jesse White, who goes missing too often. Moore will develop into a nice key-position player but need to put on a bit of weight, but I think they need to add another one.”

IS IT REALLY TRAVIS’S FAULT?

Cloke’s form issues have been well documented but the fact no Magpie has kicked more than 25 goals this year might point to issues further up the ground.

The Magpies’ major issue is its ball use and far too often targets are missed heading forward. The Pies are mid-table for disposal efficiency but are ranked 14th for marks inside 50 and are the worst team in the competition at conceding scores from turnovers.

Hawk legend Jason Dunstall recently said: “I don’t think the style of footy that Collingwood play has helped him (Cloke).

“Travis, for me, was always at his best when he was leading up the ground being that hit-up (target) and he would make long searching lead up to the wing, almost the way Nick Riewoldt used to play.

“His strength was one the lead. He doesn’t have much of a leap left on him.”

A TRADE COULD COME BACK TO BITE THEM

This is why the Pies need to be careful where they trade Cloke if that’s the path the club and player choose to travel.

Imagine Cloke with delivery from Sam Mitchell, Shaun Burgoyne and Luke Hodge at Hawthorn.

And what about the Bulldogs? Their disposal is also elite (ranked third behind the Hawks and St Kilda) and Cloke would be fed by the likes of Marcus Bontempelli, Jason Johannisen, Matthew Boyd and Bob Murphy.

Plus he’d be flanked by either Jack Gunston, Luke Breust and Cyril Rioli, or Jake Stringer, Tory Dickson, Tom Boyd and the returning Stewart Crameri.

Travis Cloke faces an uncertain future. Picture: George Salpigtidis

Pies captain Scott Pendlebury said on Sunday trading Cloke could be a lose-lose for player and club.

“I don’t think it (a trade) would be better for either party,” Pendlebury told the Herald Sun.

“He’s had some good games, he’s had some bad games.

“I’ve always said that to find a 29-year-old centre half-forward, they’re hard enough to come by already and you just don’t want to let players go.”

The Pies probably won’t get a first-round pick for the All-Australian premiership player. More likely is a draft selection between No. 19 and the end of the second round, about pick No. 33.

The Pies will have to think long and hard if Cloke is worth more than a player they could get with a selection like that because the fact is, gun key forwards won’t last until the second round in the draft and they don’t come cheap at the trade table.

Originally published as The case for keeping Travis Cloke at Collingwood