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Trade merry-go-round cranks into gear as Dogs celebrate

Travis Cloke is so desperate to switch from Collingwood to the Western Bulldogs that he will forego more than half the money he was set to earn next year with the Pies.

Oct 04, 2016, updated Oct 04, 2016
Western bulldogs players salute their fans at Whitten Oval after their historic Grand Final win. Photo: Tracey Nearmy / AAP

Western bulldogs players salute their fans at Whitten Oval after their historic Grand Final win. Photo: Tracey Nearmy / AAP

The Bulldogs’ inspiring AFL grand final triumph has raised questions about whether Cloke, who turns 30 next year, will bring much to a premiership team.

But player manager Paul Connors says his client is committed to making the move a success.

“Travis would love to get to the Dogs,” Connors told AFL Trade Radio.

“Now is not the time to go and bang down their door, but let them enjoy the week and we’ll catch up with them in a week or so.

“Travis is going there, if he can, for very minimal money.

“The money is irrelevant to Travis. He’s had a good career, he’s earned good money along the way and I think he just wants to go there and show everyone that he’s still got something to give.

“It’s a significant pay cut … over 50 per cent.”

Cloke has one year left on his current lucrative deal with the Pies, but his time is clearly up under Nathan Buckley, having managed just 13 games in 2016.

Collingwood are set to be key players in the coming AFL free agency and trade periods.

They are reported to be interested in luring Chris Mayne from Fremantle and Daniel Wells from North Melbourne.

The Kangaroos are keen to keep Wells, but his manager Liam Pickering confirmed Collingwood and Geelong are interested in securing his services.

Wells is not the only North veteran whose future is up in the air.

Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie and Nick Dal Santo are all pondering their options after being let go by the Roos.

However, Harvey, the AFL games record holder with 432, is considered a long shot to continue his decorated career.

“It was always going to be a hard decision for him to pull another jumper on,” Harvey’s manager Shane Casley told Trade Radio.

“That’s what he battles with … ‘can I see myself pulling another club’s jumper on?’

“So it was probably going to be a long shot that he did (play on), but he hasn’t ruled it out.”

Buckley has categorically denied Harvey would play for the Magpies next year after persistent speculation linking the two parties.

Casley admitted he had received no firm offers from clubs interested in securing the 38-year-old.

Petrie, who will be 34 at the start of next season, is open to adding to his 316 AFL games at a new club, with West Coast showing the most interest.

The AFL free agency period starts on Friday October 7 and lasts for 10 days, with the trade period running from Monday October 10 to Thursday, October 20.

-AAP

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