TRAVIS Cloke is all but certain to join the Western Bulldogs in October's trade period on a two-year deal.

Cloke, 29, has been strongly linked to the Bulldogs in recent weeks after falling out of favour at Collingwood in 2016, when he was dropped three times and kicked just 17 goals from 13 games.

Although Cloke cannot officially join the Bulldogs until the trade period opens, AFL.com.au has confirmed the spearhead has settled on the Whitten Oval as his preferred new home and agreed on the essential terms of a deal for the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

Cloke was contracted to the Magpies until the end of 2017 and was set to earn about $450,000 next season.

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However, the 196cm forward will take a significant pay cut to extend his career at the Bulldogs, who will have to broker a trade with Collingwood to get their man.

However, the Pies are not expected to stand in Cloke's way, having committed to structuring their forward line around exciting young tall Darcy Moore.

Collingwood could be prepared to accept as little as a third-round draft pick, while it has also been linked to fringe Bulldogs midfielder Lin Jong.

The Bulldogs' bid for Cloke comes in the wake of Jack Redpath's likely absence for most of 2017 after a knee reconstruction.

With young tall Tom Boyd still finding his way at AFL level, Cloke will give Luke Beveridge an experienced big-bodied target in attack.

Cloke asked to be released from the final year of his contract with Collingwood in late August.

"All at Collingwood respect Travis’ right to explore his options and acknowledge his 12 years of exceptional senior service," the club said at the time.

Cloke kicked 441 goals in 246 games at Collingwood from 2005-16 and won the club's best and fairest award in 2007.

A member of the 2010 premiership team, he lead the Magpies' goalkicking from 2011-14 and was an All Australian in 2011 and 2013.