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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Deledio signs five-year deal with Tigers

Updated March 27, 2012 12:56:54

Brett Deledio will celebrate his new-five contract extension with a long-awaited return to the Richmond midfield in Thursday's blockbuster against Carlton.

Coach Damien Hardwick has needed the silky-skilled Deledio to mostly play off half-back in the last couple of years.

But the recruitment before the 2011 season of Bachar Houli and the recent drafting of Steven Morris and Brandon Ellis have freed up Deledio to move back into the engine-room alongside fellow young guns Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin.

They will square off against Blues' prime movers Chris Judd, Marc Murphy and Bryce Gibbs in what shapes as a mouth-watering clash at the MCG on Thursday night.

"I'm getting a chance to play alongside Dusty and Cotch in the middle now which I'm really looking forward to," Deledio told the Richmond website after agreeing to a five-year contract extension understood to be worth $3 million.

"Jack (Riewoldt) has been a star now for two or three years in a row so he's flying.

"And Ty Vickery, who has re-signed as well, I think he's going to be something special.

"We're starting to build a good little group there and hopefully we can get a few more along and also build up some young boys and help them help us."

Deledio was pleased to get the new deal, which will keep him at Punt Road until at least the end of the 2017 season, sorted out before the 2012 campaign began.

It comes hot on the heels of the Tigers recontracting Hardwick for a further two seasons.

"Dimma (Hardwick) is a fantastic coach," said the 24-year-old Deledio.

"I've got a strong respect for him.

"I know what's expected from me week in and week out.

"I'm rapt to be playing under him for another couple of years."

Deledio has played 150 matches for Richmond since being taken by the club with the number one draft pick in 2004.

The ultra-consistent utility won the Tigers' best-and-fairest award in 2008 and 2009 and also finished in the top three in each of the last two seasons.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, richmond-3121

First posted March 27, 2012 12:56:54

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