Travis Cloke announces retirement from AFL

TRAVIS Cloke has laid bare the savage toll persistent social media attacks took on his mental health after announcing his AFL retirement.

TRAVIS Cloke has laid bare the savage toll persistent social media attacks took on his mental health in recent years.

As revealed this morning by the Herald Sun, Cloke has been forced into retirement after honest conversations with Dogs coach Luke Beveridge in recent days.

Cloke would have been forced to play VFL all next year but instead will consider playing with his brothers Jason and Cameron, and will be paid out by the Dogs.

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Cloke took time away from the club this year to deal with a mental health battle that in part was brought on by persistent social media abuse.

He said today those dark days left him broken, as he attempted to work through his issues.

Cloke paid tribute to retiring former Dogs captain Matthew Boyd, who he said was one of the best people he had met in football.

But he feels for younger players coming into the game who struggle to stay off social media.

“The last couple of years have been tough. Footy has changed a lot, social media has brought a whole new element of pressure,’’ he said.

Travis Cloke has called time on his AFL career. Picture: AAP

“The social media scrutiny will be different (in retirement). I don’t have to wake up on a weekend and see the hate and abuse you do get that way.

“But I have learnt to filter my use of the phone, I have learnt to talk to people instead of reading what some Joe Blow behind a keyboard has got to say.

“I feel sorry for the kids coming through now. It’s part of the industry, we are here now because the media drives it.

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“You can pick up your phone and they are amazing devices but they are bloody shit for what they can do.

“Hopefully the footy club has pretty good systems to educate young fellas on what is right and wrong. I wish that was around five years ago.”

Cloke returned to football after a break to work through his issues, but says for a time he hit rock bottom.

“It is 24 hours I mull over in my head many times. Not many people know or saw the state I got in. Mentally and physically I was a wreck.

“It was a shock for my family and (wife) Becky to see me, having stood up to a lot of stuff and be quite robust, to break down and show my true colours.”

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Cloke says he and former coach Nathan Buckley do not need to mend fences despite the perception they fell out in his last year at the Pies.

“I don’t think there is anything to mend. Bucks and I are fine. I received numerous texts from Bucks during the year,’’ he said.

Well done big Clokey, fantastic career and a really bloody good teammates who gave it all. Off the field wouldn’t meet a more caring bloke

— Scott Pendlebury (@SP_10) October 25, 2017

“Obviously even palying Round 1 against the Pies I received a text and the same from Ed (Eddie McGuire).

“My relationships with the two of them is fantastic.

“We as mates never had an issue, as player and coach we butted heads a few times and I guess that’s the industry.”

Travis Cloke was part of Collingwood’s 2010 premiership team.

Bulldogs’ list manager Jason McCartney said the retirement decision was mutual between club and player.

“The list management committee has had a number of discussions since the completion of the free agency and trade period about the profile of our playing list for the 2018 season,” McCartney said.

“We had a discussion with Travis and his management about the opportunities for him to play senior football in 2018, based on the make-up of the list and the players we have brought into the football club since the end of the season.

“A mutual decision was made based on those discussions, that Travis would retire from the game.

“We’d like to congratulate Travis on an outstanding career, for his contribution to the Western Bulldogs in 2017, and wish him and his family the best for the future.”

Travis Cloke and wife Becky expecting a baby girl next week. Little AFLW father-daughter recruit in 18 years

— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) October 25, 2017

Cloke has been one of the AFL’s best contested marking players but, as a poor set-shot kick, he has also been a maligned player.

The 30-year-old booted 452 goals from 256 matches but often struggled for accuracy.

The big man fell out of favour with Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley in 2016 and was dropped for Anzac Day.

He was traded to the Western Bulldogs last October, but his struggles continued.

Cloke managed 10 games for the Dogs, kicking 11.9.

Bulldog forwards Mitch Honeychurch and Stewart Crameri are without contracts with their futures in limbo.