Show Notes
Travis Cloke won a premiership with Collingwood and became one of the AFL's most recognisable key forwards. But after controversially leaving the Magpies for the Western Bulldogs in 2016, his career came to an end out of nowhere… at just age 30.
Big Trav joins Dyl to talk about the pressure and anxiety that shaped his career, why he struggled to enjoy his success at the biggest club in the land, and how the expectations he placed on himself ultimately took their toll. Trav opens up about losing his sense of identity outside the game, the circumstances surrounding the end of his career, and what he wishes he could tell his younger self.
They talk his father-son connection to Collingwood, the five-year deal Richmond offered him, and the sliding-doors decision that saw him choose the Magpies to play alongside his brothers.
Trav reflects on playing under Mick Malthouse, the challenges of his final years at Collingwood, and the moment he was dropped for Mason Cox after helping develop him as a player.
Now working in player development, Travis talks about the importance of honest conversations, helping young athletes navigate the mental side of football, and why he wants the next generation to enjoy the journey more than he did.
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