Richmond can’t afford a bust: ConnollyJoshua Papanikolaou
SEN
15 Aug 2016, 03:22PMOf all the clubs who may be interested in out-of-favour Collingwood veteran Travis Cloke there is no doubt Richmond is the one that can least afford to take a chance on him that does not turn out, says Rohan Connolly.
The 29-year-old played in the VFL again on the weekend, the third time he has been dropped from the senior team this season due to poor form.
After twelve years at the Magpies he has managed just 15 goals from twelve games in 2016 with the Tigers earmarked as a realistic destination next season.
“Even if you’re not a Jesse White fan you’d have to concede some of his better games have been this year, he’s played a couple of okay games,” said Connolly on SEN radio.
“I’ve heard that yeah (that a club has already told Cloke they are prepared to take him next year), I’ve heard Bulldogs thrown up but Richmond seems to be the popular destination.
“Absolutely (the Tigers have more to lose than any other club rolling the dice with Travis Cloke), I couldn’t agree more, they’re the most vulnerable for a trade of an experienced player gone wrong.
“Well the Bulldogs after Tom Boyd they would probably be a bit wary as well.
“It’s a really interesting scenario because the Richmond administration has gone to great lengths to give the impression of stability and they’re not the basket case of the previous 20 years.
“Good on them for doing that, however that has led to accusations of being inactive because they’re so paranoid about that perception.”
If Cloke does become eligible to play in the finals for the Pies’ VFL team by the end of the season and does feature for them that would surely suggest he will not see out his contract at the Holden Centre.
“From a public relations point of view if they do (play him in the VFL finals) he’s as good as gone,” said Connolly.
“They haven’t (said that publicly yet), if they were to give him another VFL game to make him eligible for their finals they’d have to come out and say that’s it.”
https://www.sen.com.au/news/afl/08-16/richmond-can-t-afford-a-bust-connolly#dw5rv60YJhDWz4Wi.97
