Cloke, Pies no closer: manager Samantha Lane
The Age
September 21, 2012 IF COLLINGWOOD has resolved to give Travis Cloke the unconditional five-year deal he is seeking, it is yet to inform the star forward's manager, who insists talks will resume only when the Pies' season concludes.
Ralph Carr who, along with Cloke's father David, is guiding the player through the protracted negotiation that will delay others until it is resolved, said tonight: ''There have been no [further] discussions. We said we weren't going to discuss it again until the end of the season.''
While Carr added ''all of us hope that he stays at Collingwood, that's been my view from day one'', on the eve of the Pies' preliminary final against Sydney, he did not indicate there was any rush to come to terms.
Collingwood's last offer to Cloke was a four-year contract estimated to be worth around $750,000 a season, with an option for a fifth season provided the player meets certain criteria. But the out-of-contract free agent has been steadfast in his demand for an unconditional five-year agreement, and his claim has not been hurt by Mick Malthouse's installation at Carlton. When he was announced as the Blues' new coach last week Malthouse was openly eager about luring the big fish from his former club, saying he would speak with Cloke ''at the appropriate time''. The declaration rankled Collingwood, though Carlton president Stephen Kernahan subsequently told his Magpie counterpart Eddie McGuire that his club was not trying to poach the forward.
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