IN A 13-year AFL career that excited and exasperated, Travis Cloke enjoyed extraordinary highs and crushing lows.
A gentle giant who was a popular figure at both Collingwood (246 games and 441 from 2007-16) and the Western Bulldogs (10 games and 11 goals this year), the 30-year-old announced his retirement on Wednesday.
We charted 10 of the ups and downs of a power forward who was never far from the headlines.
ANZAC DAY DEBUTANT
David Cloke played 333 games for Richmond and Collingwood from 1974-91, and his youngest son Travis was the third, and most talented, of his boys to represent the Magpies.
Travis, who was earmarked early as a prodigiously talented key forward with a booming left foot, joined the Magpies under the father-son rule, following siblings Jason (76 games from 2002-06) and Cameron (21 games from 2004-06, and a further 37 games for Carlton and Port Adelaide).
Injuries to teammates gave bottle-blond Travis the chance to debut at centre half-forward against Essendon on Anzac Day in 2005. Aged just 18 years and 52 days, he acquitted himself well, gathering 16 possessions (nine contested), four marks (one contested), eight inside 50s, a game-high five clearances (yes, you read it correctly), a goal and a goal assist.
The youngest 'Clokey' was on his way.
CLUB CHAMPION AT 20
After naturally struggling with consistency in his first two seasons, Cloke came of age in 2007 when the then 20-year-old won the Copeland Trophy in a team that came within a kick of defeating eventual premier Geelong in the preliminary final.
In what would remain his only best and fairest year, Cloke played all 25 games, tallied 39 goals and rose with a bullet to No.26 in Herald Sun chief football writer Mike Sheahan's Top 50.
He was also the Pies' best player in the finals, tallying 54 possessions, 32 marks and 7.6 in three September clashes.
PREMIERSHIP PIE
Cloke's inaccuracy – always the biggest chink in his armour – could have proved costly in the 2010 Grand Final when he missed two regulation shots in the last minute before half-time. It meant the Pies led at the long break by four goals instead of an almost impregnable six, and the Saints edged their way back.
Cloke redeemed himself somewhat in the dying minutes by putting Collingwood back in front with his second goal – via a quick kick during a scramble in the goalsquare – before Lenny Hayes' point ensured a draw.
Seemingly haunted by his missed opportunities in the drawn Grand Final, Cloke was a shadow of himself in the replay, having just eight touches (an equal season low) and scoring just a behind, as his teammates ran riot to clinch a flag that ended a 20-year drought. 
THE BEST MARK IN THE GAME
Cloke's best season was 2011, when he was selected in the All Australian team for the first time, kicked career-high season tally of 69 goals and received a personal-high 13 votes in the Brownlow Medal.
He also took the most contested marks recorded in a season – 99, at an average of 3.8 a game. It seemed the Pies simply had to kick the ball high towards Cloke and his great strength and vice-like grip would do the rest.
Of course, it helped that Collingwood produced one of the most dominant home-and-away seasons in history.
Cloke was particularly dominant early in the 2011 Grand Final against Geelong, slotting three goals from outside the arc on Harry Taylor, and looked set to kick a bag, before Tom Lonergan (a fellow retiree this year) applied the clamps that helped the Cats to victory.
Most contested marks in a season
PLAYER | YEAR | CONTESTED | GAMES | AVERAGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travis Cloke (Collingwood) | 2011 | 95 | 25 | 3.80 |
| Corey McKernan (North Melbourne) | 1999 | 86 | 24 | 3.58 |
| Matthew Richardson (Richmond) | 2001 | 76 | 22 | 3.45 |
| Matthew Richardson (Richmond) | 1999 | 75 | 20 | 3.75 |
| Travis Cloke (Collingwood) | 2012 | 73 | 25 | 2.92 |
| Chris Grant (Western Bulldogs) | 1999 | 72 | 24 | 3.00 |
| Matthew Lloyd (Essendon) | 1999 | 72 | 22 | 3.27 |
| Stewart Loewe (St Kilda) | 2000 | 71 | 18 | 3.94 |
| Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda) | 2008 | 69 | 24 | 2.88 |
| Warren Tredrea (Port Adelaide) | 2002 | 67 | 25 | 2.68 |
A WANTED MAN
In July 2012, with his contract to expire at season's end, Cloke perhaps unwisely revealed on The Footy Show on the Nine Network that he was weighing up a five-year, $5 million offer to join Fremantle. He added that he wanted to stay at Collingwood but the revelations attracted great criticism.
Pies fans sighed with relief when the then 25-year-old rejected all approaches to recommit to Collingwood on a five-year deal believed to be worth up to $4 million.
Cloke later conceded that he had allowed the contract speculation to affect his form in 2012.
TORMENTING THE TIGERS
Richmond fans often lamented that they lost the father-son battle for Cloke, and he gave them further cause for regret in their clash at the MCG in round four, 2013.
Despite dislocating a finger on game eve, Cloke produced a career-best haul of seven goals to prove the difference between the two teams.
With the Pies trailing by three points at half-time, Cloke exploded with four goals in 16 minutes to engineer a match-winning lead.
In that 2013 season, Cloke received his second All Australian gong after kicking 68 goals to average three a game for the only time in his career.
THE KING OF QUEEN'S
After 2013, Cloke wasn't the same formidable force, and it was no coincidence given Collingwood's slide down the ladder.
But he was still capable of a vintage performance, like when he nailed seven goals in a Queen's Birthday win over Melbourne in 2015.
The man-mountain rattled on four goals in the opening 24 minutes to give the Pies a flying start, and he later iced the game with his seventh major.
Leg injuries restricted Cloke to just 17 games that season – the first time in nine years he hadn't tallied 20 games. For various reasons he wouldn't reach that figure again. 
FALLEN STAR
Just when the Magpies were crying out for leadership and a strong key forward, Cloke endured a nightmarish 2016 season, being dropped three times and kicking just 17 goals in 13 games.
He didn't seem fit or agile enough, his marking wasn't as assured as it once was and, of course, it didn't help that a younger Pies' side didn't provide great quantity or quality of opportunities.
It was time for the disenchanted spearhead to look elsewhere.
OLD PIE BECOMES NEW DOG
Cloke requested a trade to the Western Bulldogs – the reigning premiers – and got his wish, with the Dogs handing over draft pick 76 to the Pies.
It seemed a smart move by the Dogs, who had succeeded with a small forward line but were to be without key forward Jack Redpath for much of the 2017 season after a knee reconstruction.
Cloke provided one of the great moments of the season when he faced his old club in round one at the MCG. Nearing quarter-time he goaled from a set shot from outside the arc and was mobbed by his new teammates.
The next week he kicked three first-half goals in a thrilling win over fellow 2016 Grand Finallist Sydney at Etihad Stadium. It seemed there was new life in the old Pie.
ICYMI - The jeers of the Collingwood faithful didn't stop Travis Cloke from slamming home this long goal. #AFLPiesDogs pic.twitter.com/T11aI6lWdo
— AFL (@AFL) March 24, 2017
AN INGLORIOUS END
After such a promising start to his stint at Whitten Oval, Cloke went into a sad downward spiral that ended his AFL career and brought his personal life to a head.
It started in his 250th game in round four when he suffered broken ribs after being crunched by North Melbourne skipper Jack Ziebell, requiring a four-week recovery.
On his return Cloke battled for form, and also revealed he was struggling off the field, taking personal leave to deal with mental health issues.
Once refreshed, he worked his way back into the Bulldogs line-up to play four successive games before sitting out the last round.
It was an inglorious end to a terrific career – one that will be remembered far more for the power and glory than the frustration and despair.
