Collingwood re-signs Cloke to five-year deal

Updated September 27, 2012 17:35:29

Travis Cloke has ended months of speculation and re-signed with Collingwood for a further five years.

The 25-year-old key forward has been in discussions with the Magpies over the past week, after both parties earlier this season agreed to leave all negotiations until after the finals.

Cloke was rumoured to be considering an offer from Carlton after former Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse was appointed Blues coach earlier this month.

Collingwood confirmed the new deal included a conditional fifth year, reportedly the sticking point throughout contract discussions between the club and Cloke's management.

Magpies director of football Geoff Walsh says Cloke is worth the long-term investment.

"There's a number of players in our club who will be playing with us in five years time, and not all players get five-year deals," he said.

"I understand that, but we're happy to back Trav in that he'll still be performing at the levels that put him in the upper echelon of the competition in five years time."

Walsh says the drawn out nature of Cloke's future had no bearing on the Magpies' failed finals campaign.

"We understand this was a protracted negotiation," he said.

"I think there was 10 or 11 key players throughout the year signed or had their contracts negotiated during the year, so I can't say that we should be playing Saturday if we had signed Travis Cloke three months earlier.

"I don't think it was a distraction, no."

The Magpies also announced the re-signing of defender Harry O'Brien for a further two seasons.

This leaves Sharrod Wellingham, Tyson Goldsack and Andrew Krakouer as the most notable Collingwood players still unsigned for next season.

Cloke will be 30 by the time he completes his new deal, most likely making him a career Magpie.

He had a patchy season but still kicked 59 goals in 25 matches , led the AFL in contested marks and was one of the Magpies' best in two of their three finals.

ABC/AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, collingwood-3066, vic, australia

First posted September 27, 2012 15:09:23

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Pies expecting Cloke to stay

Updated May 03, 2012 14:08:27

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley expects key forward Travis Cloke to stay with the Magpies despite bigger financial offers from other clubs.

Cloke reportedly could earn a $1 million a season if he crossed to Fremantle or Greater Western Sydney next season, but Buckley says the premiership hero is fully aware that there is more to consider than just cash.

"He loves the place here," Buckley said.

"He's got a great environment. He's got great mates.

"He enjoys being here as much as we enjoy him being here and his contribution."

As part of the AFL's free agency policy which begins this year, Cloke would be free to leave unless the Magpies matched a rival offer.

"I do get a little affronted seeing him in opposition guernseys in the paper," Buckley said of this week's media speculation over 25-year-old Cloke's playing future.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that, neither will he.

"He's one of the best players in the competition. He's fighting for that mantle [as Collingwood's best player] with Swanny (Dane Swan), with Scott Pendlebury, with Dale Thomas.

"We're not about putting a hierarchy in place and this team will not be built on a hierarchy in the future.

"Our players, if they want to stay in this group, as successful groups have had to do in the past, will do so at a financial cost to the individual in order to stay together.

"We can't possibly as a club meet some of the offers that will cross the table of all of our individuals at various times."

Swan, Pendlebury and Thomas have all signed contract extensions with the Magpies.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, collingwood-3066

First posted May 03, 2012 14:06:39

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Dockers coy about chasing Cloke

Updated May 02, 2012 14:53:26

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon says he is in a hurry to add a power forward to his list, but refuses to reveal whether Collingwood's Travis Cloke is in the club's sights.

The Dockers are reportedly in the hunt to sign Cloke on a deal that could be worth around $1 million a season.

Cloke will be a restricted free agent at season's end, meaning the Magpies could retain his services if they are able to match any offer made by a rival club.

The Dockers are in desperate need of a reliable key forward to partner Matthew Pavlich in attack.

Former Magpies forward Jack Anthony has failed dismally since crossing to Fremantle two years ago, while Kepler Bradley has struggled to hold his position up forward for any length of time.

Lyon confirmed the Dockers needed more firepower in attack, but says there are a number of ways the club can achieve their goal.

"From a football club perspective, we're on record as having a clear, strategic list-management plan in place, which Chris Bond and Brad Lloyd head up," Lyon said.

"They've been planning for free agency since inception and, clearly, they're trying to identify opportunities within the market and work within the bounds of the AFL policies of that.

"We started a list-management process four years ago when we were paying maximum salary cap and finishing on the bottom. Since then, it's been four years of drafting and a lot of youth brought in.

"I mentioned that Carlton took 10 years to get to their position from when they were bottom in a similar position and I said we don't want to take 10 years to do that. We're in a hurry.

"Talent identification is through draft, trade and free agency, and a power forward sits within that model."

Lyon says ruckman Aaron Sandilands will miss Saturday's clash with Gold Coast at Carrara due to a knee injury.

Midfielder Nat Fyfe will also be out for the next 12 weeks after opting for surgery to fix his troublesome left shoulder.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, fremantle-6160, collingwood-3066

First posted May 02, 2012 14:53:26

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