Sacked podcast: Travis Cloke fears self-harm from relentless social media trolling and delves into players’ post-game phone addiction
Travis Cloke reveals entire teams ignore club directions by checking social media platforms and even KFC SuperCoach to validate their performances - within just 10 minutes of games. And he says it has a dangerous impact on players.
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Travis Cloke fears an AFL player could self-harm over relentless social media trolling.
The Collingwood premiership player has revealed that an entire team of players check their phones minutes after AFL games to feed their addictions.
Cloke told the Herald Sun’s Sacked podcast that social media giants such as Twitter and Instagram needed to take greater responsibility for unidentified trolls.
He said anonymous sledges played a part in his battle with anxiety and mental health issues.
Cloke said players ignored directions by their clubs to stay off mobile phones in the changerooms and would check social media accounts within 10 minutes of the siren.
“It definitely impacted me,” Cloke said.
“I used to finish a game of footy, and you would pick up the phone and read Twitter and take up the comments a 10-year-old kid had to say instead of the person standing in front of us being your coach.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE SACKED PODCAST HERE
“Players literally pick up their phones, see how many SuperCoach points they have got, check their ranking scores, how they went because that’s how they justify their performance.
“So in my eyes that was what was happening, I was trying to get justification for my game from social media, literally 10-year-old kids sitting behind a computer screen.
“Sometimes you laughed because it was amazing for them to come up with that.
“But some were disgusting — you can question me as a footballer, but don’t question me as a person.”
Cloke said the situation was “going to get worse before it gets better”.
“I truly do believe we will push the line with social media and someone will actually self-harm before we do get some really good results out of this,” he said.
Bulldogs president Peter Gordon, a renowned legal expert, said last year the AFL should not consider broadcast deals with companies such as Facebook until they take responsibility for what they publish.
Cloke said social media could be as addictive as smoking.
“You walk into the room, sing the song if you have won, sit on the ground for a couple of minutes if you have lost, and then walk to the locker and grab your phone,” he said.
“It could be a matter of 10 minutes after you have played a game of footy.
“You haven’t even had the coach’s address, haven’t spoken to an assistant coach, haven’t spoken to your wife, girlfriend or family.
“You grab your phone and that was not just me, it was 21 other players in the dressing rooms doing the exact same thing ... and back at the end of my career you weren’t allowed your phones …. but the boys still had their phones, don’t worry about that.”
The AFL said last night 10 approved officials could use phones for match purposes in AFL change rooms but players were allowed to check phones post-match.
Clubs and the AFL are now advising players on how to limit online feedback, using social media functions that only allow replies from friends.
“We need to hold everyone accountable,” Cloke said.
“Anyone who logs on and creates accounts, you need to be verified.
“So if I need to check, I don’t need to find out where you live but someone can reach out and get that connection.
“It can be traced back, you don’t need to just log on, create a fake hotmail account and then get on. It’s just too easy these days.
“It’s only my opinion and I hope it doesn’t come to this but I do believe it will happen sooner rather than later.”
MORE AFL NEWS:
Sacked podcast preview: Travis Cloke reveals sledge that almost ended his career
AFL rejects push for an expanded six-man interchange bench in 2020
Eddie McGuire in another stoush with fellow media personalities
Originally published as Sacked podcast: Travis Cloke fears self-harm from relentless social media trolling and delves into players’ post-game phone addiction
Just outstanding! The young guns on fire in Waratahs v Reds U15 battle
It’s a taste of things to come, a critical showcase for rising stars of rugby and the annual battle between the NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds under 15s did not disappoint. Stars, photos
Splashdown! Day of disaster for Aussies in women’s America’s Cup
The women’s America’s Cup dream of an Australian crew is over after just two days of racing, a disastrous touchdown, a broken start penalty and erratic conditions. How it played out.