Nathan Buckley says Collingwood will hold Travis Cloke to his contract if it’s in club’s best interests

COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley has left the door open for Travis Cloke to stay at the Magpies despite the key forward officially requesting a trade last week.

COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley has left the door open for Travis Cloke to stay at the Magpies despite the key forward officially requesting a trade last week.

Cloke is contracted for 2017 after signing a five-year deal at the end of 2012 but has asked to be released from the final year of that deal after a disappointing season.

But Buckley hinted there is a role for the 29-year-old premiership player and said any deal involving Cloke would need to be beneficial to Collingwood, otherwise he’ll remain at the club.

“There’s two sides to it when you get to this position as a senior coach. I’ve got a relationship with Travis over a long period of time (and) want to see him happy and playing his best footy and if he feels that’s going to be elsewhere then I need to listen to that,” Buckley said.

“But the other side of it is I’m the senior coach of the Collingwood Football Club and the club’s best interests are paramount.

Travis Cloke shows his passion for the Collingwood jumper in the final-round loss to Hawthorn. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

“If we need to hold him to his contract, we will.

“But if we get fair compensation and it works in our favour and we can give Trav his wish while servicing Collingwood’s needs well then we’ll do that.

“I think he can play better footy than he did this year and that would be our intent to get him back up to speed.

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“We don’t want to have a year like we did this year and I’m sure he doesn’t either but if he stayed with us I don’t think we would see that. We would wouldn’t be doing it on that premise.”

Cloke was dropped and recalled on three occasions this year and kicked just 17 goals from his 13 senior matches — down from 34 goals in 17 games last season.

But Buckley defended Cloke, delcaring he believes the key forward still has much to offer at senior level.

Nathan Buckley says Collingwood may hold Travis Cloke to his contract. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

“Is Clokey not allowed to have a run of poor form?,” he said on AFL360.

“I reckon he’s still got some good footy in him.

“It could be a couple of seasons of good footy, it could be three or four.

Ben Johnson, who played with Cloke in Collingwood’s 2010 premiership, last week urged his former teammate to remain at the Magpies.

“I really don’t want him to leave Collingwood,” Johnson told the Herald Sun

“Trav still has a bit to give. Everyone at Collingwood wishes Trav the best and I hope he kicks 60 goals next year, it’ll be great.”

Originally published as Nathan Buckley says Collingwood will hold Travis Cloke to his contract if it’s in club’s best interests