Travis Cloke could be the missing piece of the puzzle at Richmond, Kevin Bartlett says

RICHMOND legend Kevin Bartlett says out of favour Collingwood forward Travis Cloke could be the missing piece of the puzzle at the Tigers.

Could Travis Cloke be off to Richmond at season’s end? Picture: Wayne Ludbey

RICHMOND legend Kevin Bartlett says out of favour Collingwood forward Travis Cloke could be the missing piece of the puzzle at the Tigers.

Cloke is expected to move clubs at the end of the season after a disappointing year that has seen him dropped by coach Nathan Buckley three times.

While the Western Bulldogs have been linked to the 29-year-old All-Australian, reports emerged on Thursday Cloke’s father, David, has held informal talks with Richmond about a trade.

Bartlett believes Cloke could be the man to help take the Tigers back to the finals as part of a revamped forward line that would also boast star goalkicker Jack Riewoldt.

Travis Cloke has struggled to find his best form this year. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

“I believe Cloke needs a new home and environment and a lot of love for he seems a confused footballer to me,” he said on SEN. “And surely he would be comfortable going to a club that his father once captained.

“The Tigers big man forward set-up hasn’t clicked with Tyrone Vickery and Ben Griffiths in recent years and going on ‘Dimma’ Hardwick’s comments during the week that Richmond not only would be playing finals in 2017 but winning finals as well, surely that tells us he has a new forward line set-up going forward.

“The Tigers missed out on Cloke 11 years ago, it’s better late than never for he just might be the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle that sees the Tigers winning a final.”

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The Tigers have won just eight games this season after being touted as a top four candidate before the start of the season after reaching, but failing to win, finals for three successive years.

Tigers coach Damien Hardwick wouldn’t be drawn on speculation his club is interested in recruiting Cloke but was complimentary of the 2010 premiership player.

“(It’s) a list management decision we don’t comment on. It’s easy to throw names around at this stage of the year, it always happens,” he said.

Travis Cloke played his best game for the year against GWS. Picture: Mark Evans

“He’s hurt us a number of times over the course of his career, hasn’t he?

“I think funnily enough he was probably Alex (Rance’s) biggest nemesis there for a while. Alex has managed to move above him over the last couple of years, but he’s a great player there’s no doubt about that.

“But from our point of view we keep our cards pretty close to our chest.”

Hardwick raised eyebrows on Monday night when he declared his team can return to finals as soon as next year despite many believing a rebuild of the club’s list is needed.

“I personally think it will be a quick bounce back,” he said.

“I think we will be back in finals next year. I’d be disappointed if we are not in finals next year. Winning finals is obviously the thing we are about and haven’t been successful thus far.

“We’ve been disappointed with that part but the potential I see in the players we have got ... we are going to be, in my eyes, playing finals next year.”