Travis Cloke to take indefinite leave from football.

[westdog54]

Tim Watson about to break a story on Channel 7 News.

Stand By for further...

[westdog54]

Taking indefinite leave from football to deal with mental health issues. I'll post an article when and if I find it.

[bornadog]

From Club site:


Western Bulldogs forward Travis Cloke will take an indefinite break from playing as he manages mental health issues.Travis is very appreciative of how the club and his team mates have supported him and he will continue to take part in the training program as he manages the issue.
A potential return to play date is undetermined at this stage.
The media is asked to respect Travis’s privacy at this time.

[bulldogtragic]

Hope he's on the mend soon.

[jeemak]

I can already see what the cynics and less charitable among the pundits will say. Hopefully people are sensitive, sensible with their commentary and that Travis gets well soon.

As an aside, this morning I was thinking about Schwartz's comments surrounding decision making and nomination of options going forward as I'd missed them, and immediately I thought of David Cloke.

[josie]

Between our woeful delivery to forward line, in some instances our players ignoring his leads around ground and injuries Travis has had a difficult time. Sure he will receive right support and hope he can have another crack before end of season. Speedy recovery wishes to you Travis!!

[Rocket Science]

Cloke to take a break with mental health issues (http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-06-22/cloke-to-take-a-break-with-mental-health-issues)

WESTERN Bulldogs forward Travis Cloke will take an indefinite break from playing games to deal with mental health issues.

The Bulldogs announced on Thursday night Cloke would continue to train at the club, but would not play games at any level while he addressed his mental health.

"Travis is very appreciative of how the club and his teammates have supported him and he will continue to take part in the training program as he manages the issue," the Bulldogs said in a club statement.

"A potential return to play date is undetermined at this stage."

Cloke joined the Bulldogs in last year's trade period after playing 246 games with Collingwood from 2005-16. He was a key member of the Magpies' 2010 premiership team and was the club's leading goalkicker from 2011-14.

Cloke has played six games for the Bulldogs this season, but was dropped after being held goalless in the round 12 loss to Sydney.

[ratsmac]

Terrible news. I wish him well and hope he gets himself into a good place mentally soon.

[Twodogs]

Good luck Travis. Hope you are back on the park soon.

[AndrewP6]

Wish him all the best, hope to see him running out with us before too long. I also hope the keyboard/media heroes understand this, and don't get vicious with their commentary. Mental health issues are very, very real.

[Remi Moses]

Couldn't agree more Andrew, but guaranteed the warrior keyboard wankers will give to him.
Good luck to Travis

[Throughandthrough]

By all reports from people who know him he's a ripper guy. Wishing nothing but a complete return to full health for the big man

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

He's one of us. Get around him and let him know he's a part of the pack and we stand with him through his time of need.

[westbulldog]

All the very best to you Travis hope to see you back in Dogs colours soon.

[Doc26]

The very best to Trav through his recovery, as long as this will take.

And may Trav's strength in reaching out help to galvanise the group.

[bulldogtragic]

You know, good on him for coming out with the truth, he could've just been listed as ribs or soreness for however long he wanted. Not only did he open himself up BS and trolls, but he opened himself up to the ridicule of the Hun Footy Chief. When Robbo made those statements I said I genuinely feared other young men might not have the courage to come forward. In a single act he's shown more courage & leadership than Robbo ever has, and especially being the first since that affair Trav has re-engaged the serious issue of mental illness and these young men (and the issue more broadly). I hope he gets what he needs and I hope we see him back happy. He's at a club that gets it and guys like Lukas Webb who are passionate about the issue and welfare. I think he's still got some good footy left in him and Id like to see it.

[Ozza]

All the best to him on getting through the other side of this and coming out in much better health.

[westdog54]

You know, good on him for coming out with the truth, he could've just been listed as ribs or soreness for however long he wanted. Not only did he open himself up BS and trolls, but he opened himself up to the ridicule of the Hun Footy Chief. When Robbo made those statements I said I genuinely feared other young men might not have the courage to come forward. In a single act he's shown more courage & leadership than Robbo ever has, and especially being the first since that affair Trav has re-engaged the serious issue of mental illness and these young men (and the issue more broadly). I hope he gets what he needs and I hope we see him back happy. He's at a club that gets it and guys like Lukas Webb who are passionate about the issue and welfare. I think he's still got some good footy left in him and Id like to see it.

There's a lot of work still to be done, not only in the media but in the public domain.

When Lance Franklin took time out due to mental health issues, the football public managed to convince itself that it just had to be a smokescreen to cover the fact that it was actually an illicit drug suspension. It was absolutely shameful.

Having Travis Cloke and Alex Fasolo both open up about their issues can only be a good thing for the game going forward.

Nathan Thompson was a real trailblazer for mental health issues for AFL players. It seems an age ago that he first talked about clinical depression.

[bulldogtragic]

There's a lot of work still to be done, not only in the media but in the public domain.

When Lance Franklin took time out due to mental health issues, the football public managed to convince itself that it just had to be a smokescreen to cover the fact that it was actually an illicit drug suspension. It was absolutely shameful.

Having Travis Cloke and Alex Fasolo both open up about their issues can only be a good thing for the game going forward.

Nathan Thompson was a real trailblazer for mental health issues for AFL players. It seems an age ago that he first talked about clinical depression.

That's why I love Lukas Webb. He could be forgiven for just being another young footballer trying to get a game, but to take on what he is with such personal vigour speaks volumes about him.

[AndrewP6]

By all reports from people who know him he's a ripper guy. Wishing nothing but a complete return to full health for the big man

The assistant principal at my school is a Pies fan, told me when Cloke came to the Dogs, that he's met him and indeed, he is a great guy.

[merantau]

Get well soon Travis. I really want you to be enjoying your life first and foremost. And if playing good footy is part of it - all well and good. If not, no sweat. Your health and your family come first.

[SonofScray]

A couple of big knocks seemed to really halt his momentum and that vigour for the contest just hasn't been there since. Hard to break that up if you're dealing with a really flat patch with depression, let alone suicidal thoughts, voices, ideas of reference etc. With time, support and some hard work things will get better.

Wishing Trav all the best and hoping he can get back and deliver on his capabilities for us.

[Topdog]

Cringe worthy to listen to Robbo last night talk about mental health and how supportive he is of people getting right and then 5 seconds later saying 'everyone has mental health issues, its just how you deal with them'

[Eastdog]

All the best with everything Travis. Hope you get well soon.

[Daughter of the West]

Poor bugger. Props to Travis for putting the truth out there. It's a hard enough thing to deal with in private, let alone in the spotlight.

Feel better soon Clokey.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

The Black Dog can be like a lot of illnesses, incapacitating you, draining your lifeforce but for a period of time then you recover somewhat. We love you Travis,, ride it out, better times are ahead.

[bornadog]

Bevo hinted he may return this Sunday

[1eyedog]

Bevo hinted he may return this Sunday

Sometimes the best way to assist is an opportunity to play good footy.

[Axe Man]

Pretty disappointing, can someone put the clues togther and figure out who this former Saints scumbag is?

Sacked podcast preview: Travis Cloke reveals sledge that almost ended his career (https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/collingwood/sacked-podcast-preview-travis-cloke-reveals-the-vfl-sledge-which-almost-ended-his-career/news-story/b11593a8c84844951f00d9a03c64f31a)

Travis Cloke has revealed he almost quit the Western Bulldogs halfway through 2017 after a St Kilda-listed player sledged him about his mental health during a VFL game.

Cloke had stepped away from football with anxiety issues only weeks before in his single year with the Bulldogs.

The club publicly acknowledged he was battling with his mental health.

Yet in that first game for Footscray’s VFL side, an AFL player taking the field for St Kilda’s VFL affiliate Sandringham cut him to the bone with repeated insults about his mental health.

He told the Herald Sun’s Sacked podcast he almost punched the player, but was so demoralised he later considered immediately walking away from football.

Cloke declined to reveal the identity of the player, no longer at the Saints, but says he could not believe in today’s environment the player could be so callous.

“I was playing in the VFL for the Dogs. I think it was my first game back from having a bit of a lay-off,” he said.

“I was down at Sandringham playing down there. One of the players turned around with a remark or a sledge.

“I haven't repeated it and I didn’t even make an official complaint even though I thought it was disgusting.

“He was a young player and I didn't want him to be tarred by this reputation and sledge for the rest of his career.

“But definitely it resonated with me to the point where I almost walked off the field.”

Cloke said he alerted the umpires straight away and later told the coaches.

“Things were done, but not enough in my eyes,” he said.

“I am still waiting for a call to apologise, that’s how disgusting it was.

“I guess that was more the moment where I was thinking, ‘This is bullshit, what I am putting myself through the stress of this game of football for when some 20-year-old kid can turn around and say what he said’.”

Cloke said the sledges were deliberate and sustained, not a single throwaway line.

“Yeah definitely. When remarks come out about mental health that are repeated a couple of times, the first time something is said is water off a duck’s back,” he said.

“That’s all right, it’s a competitive game, but the second and third time, enough is enough, and it almost pushed me over the line. I almost stopped the game, went over and grabbed him. “That was the point where I was at. I was pretty lucky the halftime siren went and I obviously removed myself from the situation in the rooms.

“The umpire came up to me because I told him to do something about it or I will do it myself as the second half starts.

“I wasn’t afraid to get suspended at the back end of my career, a weekend off is not a bad thing. It definitely crossed my mind after that game. Do I even want to play again?

“Do I want to step back out on the field and put myself back in that situation or if someone does do it again what am I going to do, am I going to snap?

“And that’s not normally in my character. Yes, in my career I got reported a couple of times for silly incidents but nothing that was over the top or brutal but this would have pushed me to that stage.”

Cloke said the Saints player was not held accountable.

“I didn’t want him to be suspended, I didn’t want him to miss games of footy, but education is so important and that didn’t happen,” he said.

“An official from the football club did reach out purely because I had a relationship with them, but it wasn’t enough for me.

“I wouldn’t say the dogs brushed it under the carpet, they did all that they could to help me and support me which is great, but I guess that club with the player involved didn’t do enough in my eyes.”

[Twodogs]

Mongrel act.

[Axe Man]

Have read elsewhere that it was Bailey Rice, son of Dean.

He fits the description in the article: young, St Kilda listed at the time, played in that game, since delisted.

[bornadog]

Have read elsewhere that it was Bailey Rice, son of Dean.

He fits the description in the article: young, St Kilda listed at the time, played in that game, since delisted.

I hope this sort of thing has gone out of the game.

[Testekill]

Extremely ordinary of Rice, Cloke should have snotted him.

[hujsh]

I hope this sort of thing has gone out of the game.

Almost certainly wouldn't have. Gross as it is.

[Grantysghost]

Extremely ordinary of Rice, Cloke should have snotted him.

For me that's what makes it even more egregious, the fact he knows Cloke won't risk the mountain of negative attention that would've arisen had he physically retaliated.