If Travis Cloke played his last AFL game for Collingwood on Friday night, the resultant forward-line void will be one of coach Nathan Buckley’s major challenges next season.
The Magpies were tired in their preliminary final loss to Sydney, a team that generated most of the game’s run and almost all of its meaningful forward forays.
Rebounding defender Harry O’Brien worked hard and Scott Pendlebury was serviceable in the middle, but the Magpies lacked a genuine match-winner in a game where they would have been walloped if not for the Swans’ inaccuracy.
The man who looked most likely to bust the game open for Collingwood was Cloke, despite being starved of quality delivery.
Almost two months after the Magpies put the 25-year-old’s protracted contract negotiations on hold, he played a lone hand up forward with seven marks and 3.2.
After a quiet night against West Coast in last week’s semi-final, Cloke kicked two goals either side of quarter-time as fellow forward Chris Dawes looked restricted by injury.
When Collingwood started a late comeback, it was Cloke’s goal from the cusp of the 50m arc that reduced the margin to 25 points and gave his side hope – if only for a few fleeting moments.
He was one of few Magpies to beat his man – leading away from Heath Grundy on a number of occasions, on top of using his strength to outbody the key defender and clutch contested marks.
Unfortunately for the visitors, Cloke couldn’t repeat his heroics of earlier this season, when a last-gasp goal boosted Collingwood to their 11th consecutive win over the Swans.
Criticised for much of the season for his protracted discussions with the club, Cloke stood up as best he could when it mattered.
According to Carlton coach Mick Malthouse, his signature is no sure thing.
On Friday night’s evidence, coach Nathan Buckley would be well served to make sure it is.
One man who has played his last game for the Magpies is utility Chris Tarrant, who will end his career without a premiership.
Tarrant’s swansong was a heavy loss in which he blanketed Swans forward Sam Reid for much of the game.