View Full Version : Travis Cloke: Will he make an even bigger impact this year?
Coin_Toss
3 Feb 2006, 22:14
Travis showed he was capable of holding down the CHF role before letting the stress of his VCE studies (which he passed in flying colours) get on top of his football nearing the end of the 2005 season. Travis showed he was very confident on ground level and overhead, something we haven't seen in a CHF since Wayne Carey. Not to mention the genuine football brain he has.
But the question was: will he make a bigger impact on the club in only his second year? Some players suffer from the "second-year blues", but I think this would be very different in Travis' case. He is concentrating on football 100% now, with the mobility and extra height, I see a more bigger and better Travis in 2006.
Discuss.
I just hope to see improvement. If we're lucky, he might even show that improvement mostly at Willi!
He was very bottom aged last year. Just a boy!
Lonie_from_50
3 Feb 2006, 22:18
Not as much will be required of him aswell, which will also free him up a bit more, get him to play on the third-fourth best tall backman, instead of the second. 25 goals will be a great return I think, considering Taz, Rocca, Rusling, Dids and Bucks also potent in the forward line as goalkickers.
I am more interested as seeing what he will do in the ruck. Will he play there? Will he be a permanent forward? With Rocca's injury a big one last year, will they limit him as a ruckman and allow T-Clo to do the work?
Lonie_from_50
3 Feb 2006, 22:19
Also, 1 word that needs to be shown in one sense...Consistency.
Teach him and get him ready for 3 years from now , he's a kid.
Teach him and get him ready for 3 years from now , he's a kid.
I agree. Let him mature both in body and mind. He was thrown in the deep end last year and did a great job but if Rocca can stay on the park then let T Cloke get some experience down at Willi and pinch hit some games for the pies on the HFF. DONT play him in the ruck it will only ruin him. I don't see him as a ruckmen at all. He's the next CHF for Collingwood once Rocca retires.
bucksisbest
5 Feb 2006, 22:24
. Travis showed he was very confident on ground level and overhead, something we haven't seen in a CHF since Wayne Carey.
Don't be so ignorant.
He is concentrating on football 100% now
incorrect. he split his year 12 over 2 years.
Teach him and get him ready for 3 years from now , he's a kid.
He's ready now. Why hold him back if he's already capable of delivering good football.
I say play him at CHF and see how he goes with a fully fit forward line around him to help out. Give him a few spells at CHB, Full forward, and on the bench when required, but basically leave him at CHF.
Lonie_from_50
6 Feb 2006, 08:59
I could have played footy doing year 12, when I think back to it, what a waste of time ;) :p
I suspect he will be a bit part performer. If the talls stand up he won’t have a prominent role unless his performances off the bench demand it ahead of someone else and that’s unlikely at his age.
Rocca should play full forward to ease pressure on his ankles, Tarrant on the flank/pocket. Rusling is still serving an apprenticeship and will play a number of roles at both ends of the ground and across midfield. If Fraser reclaims the number one ruck position that he wants, and Buckley plays midfield as he wants to do, it does leave a vacancy at CHF for Trav.
Give him a go at the key forward post and see how he fares.
Lonie_from_50
6 Feb 2006, 09:48
Rusling at both ends, ie. Defence :confused:
Rusling at both ends, ie. Defence :confused:
yup - its called a learning curve.
I would rather not have Travis mauled at CHF just yet. Ease him along and have him playing at 30 since we don't need to play him there at present. Agree abot Rocca though. I'd rather give Cameron first crack at CHF and if he comes up short we know he has a limited future. I'd love for Richards to claim the first ruck spot. That to me seems central to our best lineup. A ruckman who I think can ruck and Fraser and Cameron Cloke as two different relief ruckmen who can play forward.
I'd love to see Rusling spend some time in the midfield or on a wing to see if he can cut it and if he can use his pace where we need it.
Anyway, let's hope we have these options and decisions to make.
Anyway, let's hope we have these options and decisions to make.
You beat me to the punch. Lets hope we have some choice.
Lonie_from_50
6 Feb 2006, 10:10
If Richards is fit, certainly our no.1 tapman, and we don't necessarily need Fraser forward with Rus, Cloke, Rocca and Taz. Fraser fits nicely on the wing ;)
Coin_Toss
6 Feb 2006, 14:58
incorrect. he split his year 12 over 2 years.
[/LEFT]
Where did you hear this, Nardz?
Johnson#26
6 Feb 2006, 15:53
He sure will. Travis is in for a big more. :)
More later...
Where did you hear this, Nardz?
there was a feature on him on collingwoodfc.com.au i think it was.. sometime since the end of the season..
if u search for it you'll probably find it (but i'm not 100% sure it was on that website, may have also been theage or heraldsun, i read most of my footy stuff from one of those sites)
Edit: hmm the more recent article i found on him on the collingwoodfc has him saying he's glad he finished :confused:
i guess i may be wrong.. but i'm sure i read it somewhere
He's ready now. Why hold him back if he's already capable of delivering good football.
I say play him at CHF and see how he goes with a fully fit forward line around him to help out. Give him a few spells at CHB, Full forward, and on the bench when required, but basically leave him at CHF.
He is big and talented but he still isn't physically capable of handling CHF too much. It's a pretty tough game and that's a pretty tough spot , there aren't many who come in , in their teens and are expected to play CHF.
Run him through there a bit but play him back as well as deeper forward , hell give him a run on the wing as well , but groom him slowly for a couple of years.
magpies42
6 Feb 2006, 20:28
2nd year blues all the way
Coin_Toss
7 Feb 2006, 13:48
there was a feature on him on collingwoodfc.com.au i think it was.. sometime since the end of the season..
if u search for it you'll probably find it (but i'm not stuff from one of those sites) 100% sure it was on that website, may have also been theage or heraldsun, i read most of my footy
Edit: hmm the more recent article i found on him on the collingwoodfc has him saying he's glad he finished :confused:
i guess i may be wrong.. but i'm sure i read it somewhere
The Hun or Collingwoodfc? Collingwoodfc.
Coin_Toss
7 Feb 2006, 13:48
2nd year blues all the way
Any reason behind this?
doppleganger
7 Feb 2006, 18:27
depends on the forward set-up
Three Talls is my prefered thinking - Rocca, Fraser & Tarrant would be the most likely, so unless he is dominating at Willi i dont think he will get much of a run
also have Burns & Cara lurking around as potential targets to go to as id be confident that they could beat their respective opponent in a 1 on 1 contest
I also think that Cam will be given a chance to prove himself next year, from pre-season reports he is being groomed for an enforcer role and if this is the case he would also be ahead of Trav at this stage
So hopefully Trav can dominate at CHF for Willi and demand a position in the senior 22 as the season unfolds!!
Coin_Toss
7 Feb 2006, 19:05
Three Talls is my prefered thinking - Rocca, Fraser & Tarrant would be the most likely, so unless he is dominating at Willi i dont think he will get much of a run
If this is the case, Travis takes the 4th or 5th best defender. Win-Win for Travis. :)
Seriously though, Mick would use Travis on a HFF. The opposition could easily forget about Travis, because the midfielders have the luxury of looking for Rocca, Fraser and Tarrant on the lead 99.9% of the time. If this is the case, Travis could easily surprise many in the wierdest of circumstances, because he will be heavily unmanned at times.
doppleganger
7 Feb 2006, 19:14
If this is the case, Travis takes the 4th or 5th best defender. Win-Win for Travis. :)
Seriously though, Mick would use Travis on a HFF. The opposition could easily forget about Travis, because the midfielders have the luxury of looking for Rocca, Fraser and Tarrant on the lead 99.9% of the time. If this is the case, Travis could easily surprise many in the wierdest of circumstances, because he will be heavily unmanned at times.
yes in theory he would get the 4th best tall defender
but i think having Rocca, Fraser, Tarrant & T.Cloke in the same forward line as too top heavy, especially if Cara & Burns get played up forward more in 06, its just not quick enough.......
just depends, it may be used as a tactic to attempt to try to "stretch" oppo defences but its also important not to become too top heavy
If Fraser wants to play in the ruck then perhaps T.Cloke or C.Cloke will be used as the third tall...id prefer Cam to be given the first crack at the beginning of the year
Coin_Toss
7 Feb 2006, 19:31
yes in theory he would get the 4th best tall defender
but i think having Rocca, Fraser, Tarrant & T.Cloke in the same forward line as too top heavy, especially if Cara & Burns get played up forward more in 06, its just not quick enough.......
just depends, it may be used as a tactic to attempt to try to "stretch" oppo defences but its also important not to become too top heavy
If Fraser wants to play in the ruck then perhaps T.Cloke or C.Cloke will be used as the third tall...id prefer Cam to be given the first crack at the beginning of the year
Travis will be rested on the pine, too. I don't think he is capable of playing a full 100 mins of football yet.