Cameron Cloke - AFL Career

AFL Career

Cloke was drafted under the father-son rule in the 2002 National Draft. Like his older brother Jason, he was given time to develop at Williamstown in his first year at Collingwood. Cloke made his debut against Essendon in 2004 and played mostly as a tall forward. He played most of the first half in 2005 as a ruckman and used his size well, however his season was ended by shoulder injury. More shoulder injuries occurred for Cloke in 2006 and he only managed two senior games for the year.

Cloke and his brother were both delisted by Collingwood at the end of the 2006 season but he was given a second chance at AFL level when he was selected in the pre-season draft by Carlton with their second round selection (ninth pick overall).He enjoyed a great start to his career at Carlton, which saw him play a key second ruck role during the Blues' successful 2007 NAB Cup campaign.

On 9 May 2007, during a routine training drill, Cloke sustained a season-ending injury by dislocating his shoulder. Upon return in 2008, Cloke resumed his place in the Carlton ruck line-up, often playing as the first ruckman for the team or floating forward to provide a marking option.

On 6 February 2009 during an intra-club match at Visy Park, Cloke was punched and kicked in an off the ball incident by team mate Setanta Ó hAilpín. O'hAilpin was suspended by the club for about a month as a result of the incident.

In 2009 Cloke moved out of the main ruck position, playing more exclusively as a tall forward who would take ruck tap-outs in the forward line. He struggled to maintain a regular position in the Carlton lineup, playing 10 games with the Blues and half of the season with Carlton's VFL-affiliate, the Northern Bullants, where he scored 39 goals in 13 games, including five in a losing grand final, to be the Bullants' leading goalkicker for the year. On 24 August 2009, Cloke was suspended by Carlton for one game for being late to a recovery session. Cloke was delisted by Carlton on 13 November 2009.

There were talks that Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and Richmond were interested in picking up Cameron Cloke in the 2010 Pre-season draft. Cloke was ultimately recruited in the Rookie Draft by Port Adelaide with its third round pick (41). His first and only match for the Power was against Brisbane in Round 3, 2010, and spent most of the season allocated to the Port Adelaide Magpies in the SANFL. Cloke was delisted at the end of the 2010 season.

Cloke moved to Bundoora in the Northern Football League in 2011, winning a Division 1 premiership there that year.