Travis Cloke capped an incredible season by winning the Copeland Trophy, the first major honour in a career that promises many.
Not even 21 until March next year, Cloke played every game in 2007 to take his three-year career tally to 55, and announced himself as the man Collingwood can build its forward line around for the next decade.
Magpie fans were treated to glimpses of his considerable ability during parts of 2005 and 2006, but it was ANZAC Day this year in which Cloke came of age, and perhaps most importantly began to understand just how good he can be.
With Collingwood entering the clash the Bombers on two wins and two losses, and Cloke having enjoyed a solid, if unspectacular first month of the season, it was time for the Magpies to stand up and be counted, and Cloke led the way.
Had Heath Shaw not played such a phenomenal game off half back, it may well have been Cloke accepting the ANZAC Medal after the memorable victory. He relentlessly presented to his team mates up the ground, and ran the Essendon defenders, who had been in reasonable touch up to that point, off their legs.
The result for Cloke was 24 possessions and 13 marks, and while a return in front of goal of 1.3 typified his early season kicking issues, by season’s end he was a much more confident, assertive shot for goal, indicative of the way he matured so rapidly throughout 2007.
He polled two Copeland votes for that game, followed by a stretch of wonderfully consistent play between rounds five and 13 that was instrumental in getting Collingwood to a position in the upper echelon of the ladder. Twice in that period Cloke received two votes from the coaches – against Brisbane in round nine and Sydney in round 12 - and in every other match received at least one on top of the one vote each player in the 22 receives.
While ANZAC Day was arguably his coming of age, round 15 at the MCG against eventual premier Geelong proved that Cloke is already relishing the big occasion on a consistent basis. 20 possessions, 10 marks and four goals, most on All-Australian centre half-back Matthew Egan, earned Cloke four Copeland Trophy votes, the equal most any player received in a single match during 2007.
He continued to torment the Bombers the following week, receiving three votes, and was awarded two in the win over the Blues in round 18. Following that game, however, the season appeared to catch up with the youngster, with the final four rounds his quietest patch of the season.
But anyone who thought Cloke was spent for the year was badly mistaken, with his performance in September earning him the honour of ‘Best Player in Finals’.
Cloke received two votes in the elimination final and again in the stunning semi-final at Subiaco, before polling three votes for his performance against the Cats in the preliminary final, leap-frogging fellow young gun Scott Pendlebury to claim his first Copeland Trophy.
A truly remarkable result for a young player whose work ethic, character and attitude represent everything Collingwood is about, and what Collingwood will continue to be like in the future.
Congratulations Travis.
* All single-game vote tallies mentioned in the above article do not include the automatic one vote each player who is part of the playing 22 receives.
COPELAND TROPHY VOTING SYSTEM
1. Each player is allocated one vote for each game in which he is selected to represent the Collingwood Football Club.
2. Up to 20 votes per game can be allocated to the best players as judged by the Collingwood Match Committee. Votes are awarded based on the average vote of all four members of the Match Committee.
3. The maximum number of votes per match a player can receive is 6.
Not even 21 until March next year, Cloke played every game in 2007 to take his three-year career tally to 55, and announced himself as the man Collingwood can build its forward line around for the next decade.
Magpie fans were treated to glimpses of his considerable ability during parts of 2005 and 2006, but it was ANZAC Day this year in which Cloke came of age, and perhaps most importantly began to understand just how good he can be.
With Collingwood entering the clash the Bombers on two wins and two losses, and Cloke having enjoyed a solid, if unspectacular first month of the season, it was time for the Magpies to stand up and be counted, and Cloke led the way.
Had Heath Shaw not played such a phenomenal game off half back, it may well have been Cloke accepting the ANZAC Medal after the memorable victory. He relentlessly presented to his team mates up the ground, and ran the Essendon defenders, who had been in reasonable touch up to that point, off their legs.
The result for Cloke was 24 possessions and 13 marks, and while a return in front of goal of 1.3 typified his early season kicking issues, by season’s end he was a much more confident, assertive shot for goal, indicative of the way he matured so rapidly throughout 2007.
He polled two Copeland votes for that game, followed by a stretch of wonderfully consistent play between rounds five and 13 that was instrumental in getting Collingwood to a position in the upper echelon of the ladder. Twice in that period Cloke received two votes from the coaches – against Brisbane in round nine and Sydney in round 12 - and in every other match received at least one on top of the one vote each player in the 22 receives.
While ANZAC Day was arguably his coming of age, round 15 at the MCG against eventual premier Geelong proved that Cloke is already relishing the big occasion on a consistent basis. 20 possessions, 10 marks and four goals, most on All-Australian centre half-back Matthew Egan, earned Cloke four Copeland Trophy votes, the equal most any player received in a single match during 2007.
He continued to torment the Bombers the following week, receiving three votes, and was awarded two in the win over the Blues in round 18. Following that game, however, the season appeared to catch up with the youngster, with the final four rounds his quietest patch of the season.
But anyone who thought Cloke was spent for the year was badly mistaken, with his performance in September earning him the honour of ‘Best Player in Finals’.
Cloke received two votes in the elimination final and again in the stunning semi-final at Subiaco, before polling three votes for his performance against the Cats in the preliminary final, leap-frogging fellow young gun Scott Pendlebury to claim his first Copeland Trophy.
A truly remarkable result for a young player whose work ethic, character and attitude represent everything Collingwood is about, and what Collingwood will continue to be like in the future.
Congratulations Travis.
* All single-game vote tallies mentioned in the above article do not include the automatic one vote each player who is part of the playing 22 receives.
COPELAND TROPHY VOTING SYSTEM
1. Each player is allocated one vote for each game in which he is selected to represent the Collingwood Football Club.
2. Up to 20 votes per game can be allocated to the best players as judged by the Collingwood Match Committee. Votes are awarded based on the average vote of all four members of the Match Committee.
3. The maximum number of votes per match a player can receive is 6.
