This time 30 years ago, David Cloke was about to embark on a phenomenal finish to his illustrious AFL career, in what was his second stint at Tigerland. Tony Greenberg takes up the story . . .
David Cloke, a dual Richmond premiership hero (1974, 1980) was coaxed back to Punt Road in 1990 by his old premiership teammate Kevin Bartlett, following a 114-game career at Collingwood.
Bartlett, who was about to enter his third season as the Tigers’ coach, saw Cloke as the ideal type of on-field mentor for his young, inexperienced team, and the veteran big bloke was more than happy to help out despite being 35 years old.
The powerfully-built ruckman/key forward had a consistent 1990 season, as Richmond finished in 11th place on the ladder with seven wins. He was going to hang his boots up at the end of that ’90 season, but Bartlett again managed to talk him into saddling up again.
In 1991, the Tigers continued to struggle, but the now 36-year-old Cloke clearly was one of their shining lights. He admirably carried the team’s ruck division throughout the season and then, in the last three home-and-away rounds – against Footscray, Collingwood and Carlton – he was simply magnificent.
Incredibly, Cloke polled nine Brownlow Medal votes in what turned out to be the last three games of his illustrious 333-game league career. He finished with 16 votes all-up on Brownlow night that year, behind winner Jim Stynes on 25.
Cloke’s farewell appearance took place at the MCG on Saturday, August 30, 1991, against Richmond’s arch-rival Carlton. He started the game in the ruck, but late in the first quarter, with the Tigers floundering, was shifted to the forward pocket.
It proved to be an inspired move, as Cloke turned the clock back a decade, to the 1980 Grand Final, where his dominant six-goal display up forward had butchered another traditional Tiger foe in Collingwood. This time, ‘Clokey’ finished with eight goals (from nine shots) as Richmond registered a stirring, come-from-behind victory.
Not surprisingly, after the match, Kevin Bartlett spoke about trying to talk David Cloke out of retirement yet again. This time, however, Clokey’s boots remained firmly nailed to the wall.
Here is the ‘Sunday Herald-Sun’ review by Howard Leigh of the David Cloke-dominated Richmond v Carlton final-round encounter:
“RICHMOND’S “Old Man River” ruckman David Cloke turned goalsneak at the MCG yesterday to help sink Carlton by 15 points in his final game of league footy.
The trip down memory lane for former AFL power sides Richmond and Carlton, with nothing hingeing on the result, turned out to be a memorable triumph for Cloke, 36.
Cloke won the game with 8.1 from a forward pocket, after having kicked only one goal in his previous 21 games this season.
Richmond players chaired Cloke off the ground at the end of the game and the fans gave him a standing ovation.
Later supporters jammed the dressing room and outside they chanted “Clokey, Clokey” in among strands of “We’re from Tigerland”.
Carlton led by 29 points at the 23-minute mark yesterday, with full-forward Peter Sartori on target with two goals.
Right on the siren at quarter-time Cloke kicked a 50-metre goal which was the start of what was to become a marvelous farewell for the dual Richmond premiership player.
Richmond’s fightback started after Cloke kicked a spectacular goal at the 16-minute mark of the second term to bring his side within eight points.
At half-time the Tigers had snatched the lead by four points, mainly due to Cloke’s three goals for the term.
Carlton came out fired up in the third quarter, with Stephen Kernahan kicking three goals as the Blues regained the lead at three-quarter time by eight points.
It was the mercurial Cloke who swung the game in the final term, kicking four goals to give the Tigers what seemed an iron-fisted grip on the game approaching time-on . . .”
Round 24, 1991 Richmond v Carlton match details
Richmond 2.1 8.8 11.16 20.18 (138)
Carlton 5.6 7.10 13.12 18.15 (123)
Goals – Richmond: Cloke 8, Knights 4, Hogg 2, Naish 2, N. Bower, M. Pickering, Trewella, Weightman.
Leading disposal-winners – Richmond: Free 30, M. Pickering 25, Lambert 24, Keays 22, Knights 22, Weightman 20.
Goals – Carlton: Kernahan 4, Minton-Connell 4, Sartori 4, Bassett 2, Christou, Glascott, Madden, Phillips.
Leading disposal-winners – Carlton: M. James 33, Phillips 33, Brown 24, Meldrum 24, Glascott 23, Bassett 22.
