Collingwood remain committed to Travis Cloke for 2017 despite being dropped for second time this year

OUT-of-favour Collingwood forward Travis Cloke will go “100 per cent” in his VFL clash with Casey Scorpions in an effort to regain a senior recall, says his father, David.

Collingwood v Port Adelaide at the MCG, 5th June, Melbourne Australia. Collingwood's Travis Cloke lets the mark slips through his hands. Picture: George Salpigtidis

OUT-of-favour Collingwood forward Travis Cloke will go “100 per cent” in Saturday’s VFL clash with Casey Scorpions at Casey Fields in an effort to regain a senior recall, according to his father, David.

Cloke was dropped for the second time this season — and after only one game back from a six-week period in the VFL — on Thursday night, putting his 12-year career with the Magpies in serious jeopardy.

The two-time All Australian and 2010 premiership player has one year of a contract to run, but his recent omission has only heightened speculation he could be traded elsewhere in 2017.

His father, a former Richmond and Collingwood great, said his son was committed to playing the best football he can — at whatever level he is selected.

“He will fight on,” David Cloke said. “That’s exactly what he will be doing.”

“Travis will go out there and give 100 per cent like he always does, and if they don’t believe that is good enough, that’s up to them.

“He can only control the things that he can control.

“He will apply himself to his football and play as well as he can with the (VFL) side, and do the things they want him to do.”

Cloke will play at Casey Fields at 2.10pm on Saturday, but Collingwood’s AFL and VFL sides both have a bye next weekend, which means he won’t play for one week.

David Cloke said: “He is just looking at this week’s game at the moment ... and we will see what happens on Saturday, and Monday.”

Meanwhile, the club is adamant they are “committed” to Cloke with football boss Neil Balme dismissing suggestions Cloke will not be at Collingwood next season.

“Of course he has,” Blame told SEN of whether Cloke has a future at Collingwood beyond this season.

“We’ve got half the season to play and both he has committed to us and we’re committed to him for next year.

Travis Cloke has been dropped again by Collingwood. Picture: George Salpigtidis

“I don’t know why everyone is saying ‘where is he going to go next year?’ He’s not going to go anywhere next year. He might want to, there might be things that happen later on but right now none of that is in contention.”

Collingwood premiership captain Tony Shaw does not expect Cloke to be at the Pies next season, however, declaring the forward doesn’t suit Buckley’s plans.

“I don’t think he will be playing at Collingwood next year,’’ Shaw said on 3AW.

“I heard it did not go over too well during the week.

“I think things will be done. Sometimes that happens, premiership players move on. It’s happened (with) a number of players — Heath Shaw, my nephew, moved on, Daisy Thomas.

“It’s not happening (for him) at Collingwood, he doesn’t suit where Nathan Buckley wants to go and I would think he’d move, and he’d probably want to at this stage.

“Sooner or later it’s got to come to a head, if your coach does not think you’re going to be in the top 22, you just go.

“Paying the money Collingwood are paying, and I know it may be a little bit less next year because of performance-based things, but I think it might be best for both sides to move on.’’

Cloke had 13 disposals and took six marks in the heavy loss to the Power, with three of his four tackles resulting in Collingwood scores.

It was a performance coach Nathan Buckley described as “serviceable” in the aftermath but admitted the premiership forward needed to do more.

On Thursday night it was revealed it wasn’t enough to secure his place in the team, with the Pies again choosing American Mason Cox and Jesse White ahead of the 29-year-old.

“Every Thursday you’ve got to pick 22 players ... the best 22 to give us a chance to win on Monday,” Balme said.

Travis Cloke at Collingwood training on Thursday. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

“Players pick themselves. The selectors don’t pick players, players pick themselves.

“As any club would, one of the blokes who’s been around for a long time and played a lot of footy for you, he’s out of form, we’re working absolutely every day with him, helping him.

“He’s trying to do the best he can, we’re helping him get back to the form that we need him to be in and when he’s in that form he’ll play AFL footy.

“It might not be ideal for his confidence in a sense but you’ve got to go back (to) ‘what’s the form? What did he do? How’s he going to go? What’s our best chance of winning?’

“There’s always going to be somebody who misses out.”

Asked whether there is a rift between Cloke and Buckley, Balme said: “No there’s not. No, not at all.”

Cloke will play for Collingwood’s VFL team on Saturday against Casey in a bid to recapture his best form and earn another chance to reignite his AFL career.

Balme said the Pies are working with the premiership forward to do everything they can to get him back to his best and into the senior team for the long-term.

“We’re totally committed to him. He’s a good kid, it’s not as though he’s difficult to deal with,” he said.

“We’ll do the best we can to help him to get as strong as he can to play as well as he can as quick as he can.

“It won’t be next week because it’s the bye but if it’s the week after, good. If it takes longer than that so be it. If it never happens well, everyone stops and some stage so you’ve got to accept all that sort of thing.”