Travis Cloke - What If?

[rotten pie]

Yes, but a side where you can draw a line through 18 players and describe them all as 'solid,' but nothing more. Collingwood play regular finals because of their constant good draw - it counts for 2-3 extra wins every year, they scrape into playing finals instead of 9th/10th/1th by that same margin.

They do win some good games, they're well coached and their record speaks for itself, but they're North Melbourne with a good draw to me - always thereabouts, but not going to win a flag.

Cloke's body is fully developed, he's played 78 games and been given every opportunity to succeed. I think it's quite likely he'll always be just a handy kind of average - a career much like Josh Fraser's where he never reaches the best players in his position.

As for comparisons between Cloke, Richo and Franklin, by the latter pair's 4th year they were bonafide stars of the competition. Richo kicked 91:49 in his 4th year, Franklin kicked 102:84 (in home and away).

We play 4 away games and you play 5, your point is? Any other excuses?

 

[Nardz]

Wayne Campbell's trophy collection holds five B&F's - if you want to argue the case for him being more than handy, then go right ahead. He was a handy, consistent, 22-game a year player in some poor/average sides.

The fact Cloke can win B&F just shows how your list is a fair bit weaker after the retirees you've had over the last few years. On a night when enough of your mercurial players fire at the same time you look very good, over a full season you're right back in the cluster of middle teams.

Your midfield is way more important than Cloke will ever be.

well theres best and fairests - and then theres richmond best and fairests...

 

[Palmer Stoat]

Wayne Campbell's trophy collection holds five B&F's - if you want to argue the case for him being more than handy, then go right ahead. He was a handy, consistent, 22-game a year player in some poor/average sides.

The fact Cloke can win B&F just shows how your list is a fair bit weaker after the retirees you've had over the last few years. On a night when enough of your mercurial players fire at the same time you look very good, over a full season you're right back in the cluster of middle teams.

Your midfield is way more important than Cloke will ever be.

And yet the year he won a B&F (and an award for our best finals player) we ran an all-conquering Geelong to within a kick in a preliminary final.