Footy star Cameron Cloke calls for more to be done to address footy violence

Former Carlton star Cameron Cloke has called for more severe consequences to stamp out violence in local footy, claiming it is “destroying” the game.

Former AFL star Cameron Cloke has called for harsher penalties for on-field violence in local footy. Picture: David Geraghty

Former Carlton star Cameron Cloke has quit the game he loves after a behind-play punch now under police investigation.

Cloke, who was playing for Templestowe, wound up in hospital with concussion after the blow, levelled before the opening bounce of a game this month against Boronia.

The Eastern Football League later suspended Boronia’s Harry Burgess for eight weeks.

But Cloke told the Sunday Herald Sun more needed to be done to stamp out violence in local footy.

“It literally needs to stop. Something needs to be done. The penalties need to be more severe because I have spoken to the police, I have pressed charges,” he said.

He added players who committed violence should be deregistered.

“It just can’t go on anymore. It is destroying our game,” he said.

“Now we are seeing these hits week in week out. Next week there will be another article about another kid being king hit. What is going to be done about it? It’s not on.”

Cloke said the punch had left him debilitated.

Former AFL star Cameron Cloke has retired from football after a punch in a local footy match while playing for the Templestowe Dockers. Picture: David Geraghty

“I’m forgetting things. I’m being monitored at the moment. I’m doing all of the tests, having a lot of doctors’ appointments just to make sure I will be alright in the future because I have got three kids,” the 38-year-old said.

“I have blurriness, dizziness, I have had to pull over driving the car. I have had to get my brother-in-law to pick me up and drive me around. I can’t drive.”

Cloke, a member of one of footy’s most famous families, said it had led to him calling time on his playing career because he did not want his children to see him in such a state again.

“The hardest decision was hanging the boots up. This wasn’t how I wanted to finish. It sucks. I couldn’t come to the footy last week. I had to go away with my girls,” he said.

“I’ll find it hard going to the footy. I don’t know any different. Followed the game all of my life, I love local footy. I loved it more than playing AFL footy.”

Cameron Cloke has spoken out about the ongoing impacts of a blow to the head while playing footy. Picture: David Geraghty

Cloke has played football for three decades and made “awesome” friends from the game.

He said he had been badly hurt before but what happened at Templestowe was different.

“This isn’t the first time I have been king-hit, to be honest. I had my ear come off, pretty much, in one game in the Essendon league, but this really got me,” Cloke said.

“My kids were confused, saying why aren’t you going to play anymore? I don’t want them to see me in that state where I pretty much can’t walk.”

Cloke said he did not remember what happened and asked Burgess in the aftermath.

“He said, and he’s their captain, he said `I’m sorry man, I didn’t mean to punch you in the head. He said that in front of the umpire’.

“I don’t like to come off but my legs started going on me, I started seeing double. I came off and my legs went on me. I couldn’t stand up properly.”

Cloke is a builder and is currently renovating the home of his brother Travis, also an ex-AFL player.

The recent concussion had even had reverberations in his work, he said.

“The last two weeks have been pretty hard. Last week I went to work with no shoes or socks, I didn’t realise. I forgot. My mate said you are not using power tools today.”

Cloke - the son of Richmond and Collingwood great David - was also reported over what happened pre-game on May 13.

Cameron Cloke has claimed local footy is being destroyed by on-field violence and it is deterring even retired AFL players from taking part. Picture: David Geraghty

He intends to challenge a two-match suspension for a strike to the stomach of Burgess alleged to have happened moments before.

“The eight-match suspension is a joke. They try to put two weeks on me (for striking) to justify it and just because I’m retiring I’m meant to cop it? No way,” Cloke said.”

“I didn’t do anything and there is video evidence showing I didn’t do anything. He can bark and cry that I hit him but I just put my arm out to stop him. I’ll appeal it, I’ll take it to court. I will never finish my career on a striking charge that I am not guilty of. I have only been reported once and that was for swearing because I was king-hit (another time).

“I can’t play now. And he gets to come back the week we play them again.”

“I am more frustrated at the league. I have not heard once from them. I have not heard once from Boronia. Or the player. My number is pretty available. It’s not hard to pick up the phone.

“This isn’t about me. It’s the game. Young kids are not going to want to play senior football. I have been assistant coach for the last 13 years and you try to push up these under 17s and 18s to play their first senior game. But as a coach you have to think about it now. Is it the right thing?”

He said the game was being destroyed by “hits week-in, week-out” and that Travis also did not want to play local football.

“He is sick of getting bashed every week. Two or three blokes bashing him every week,” Cameron Cloke said.

“When you see Swanny play (Dane Swan) you cop it from every single player. He plays half-back flank for the simple reason he stays away from everyone. They go after him.”

Cloke said former Carlton players Eddie Betts and Marc Murphy had been asked to take the field for Templestowe but both declined.

A Victoria Police spokesman confirmed the matter was under investigation after being reported by a 38-year-old man who attended at a station on May 26.

“Investigators have been told the man was struck in the head by an opposing player,” the spokesman said.

“The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are yet to be determined and investigations remain ongoing.”

Anyone with information on the incident can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit the website www.crimestoppersvic.com.au