The father - and manager - of out-of-favour Collingwood star Travis Cloke has rubbished suggestions he has approached Richmond, and insists the power forward is still "enjoying" himself.
David Cloke, the former Collingwood and Richmond great, said speculation Travis would seek a trade if he struggled to regain his spot in the senior side was wrong.
"Not at all. Nothing at all. We have finished round six - there is a long way to go this year. He is contracted for next year. That's all he is worrying about at this stage," Cloke told Fairfax Media on Monday.
Tigers football department boss Dan Richardson said he was unaware of any approach from the Cloke camp.
Cloke said neither he nor Travis, 29, had discussed the possibility of a trade to any club at the end of the season.
"We haven't even talked about it, thought about it. He is just playing football, going out enjoying himself," he said.
On his son's modest form through the opening month, Cloke suggested a lack of supply had been an issue.
"Even in the first few weeks of the year - they weren't getting the ball down to him. I watched some of yesterday's game (against the West Coast Eagles) and read the papers this morning - I haven't read one bit about how Collingwood's forward half failed yesterday but in the first four weeks it failed," he said.
"Now they are saying it's because the midfield is not getting (the ball) down - it happened in the first four weeks, didn't it?"
The Pies had only 33 inside-50 entries in a 10-goal loss to the Eagles at Domain Stadium.
Cloke still has a season to run on his five-year deal - he is pocketing about $800,000 this year - but will take a major pay cut next year as he has not met the set clauses brokered by David Cloke and former manager Ralph Carr during protracted negotiations in 2012.
The reduction in remuneration next season could make Cloke a more desirable trade target - should he and the Pies explore this.
"It (a pay cut) is not an issue. Everything is still going along the way it was meant to be going along," Cloke said.
"He will play wherever he is picked this weekend. He will go out and do the things he has got to do. Then see what happens from there."
Power forwards generally begin to struggle in their late 20s because of a heavy physical toll but Travis Cloke is meticulous in his preparation and believes he has several good years ahead of him.
Cloke's frustration on the field was obvious earlier in the season, with the Pies unable to deliver him the ball. One rival club suggested defenders had worked out his leading patterns, and this had made life difficult for him.
Coach Nathan Buckley even used the 237-game veteran as a back-up ruck-man, prompting AFL great Wayne Carey to question how far he had fallen in the pecking order.
Buckley twice publicly urged Cloke to lift his output, and he was dropped for the Anzac Day clash, and replaced by American-born debutant, Mason Cox.
Cloke has spent the past fortnight in the VFL, having managed only five goals in the opening four matches, but played well against the Northern Blues on Saturday. He finished with 1.4, could easily have had a second goal had advantage not been given to a teammate, and took seven marks. He had had only five disposals a week before.
"He has gone back the last two weeks. He will play wherever he is picked to play this weekend. We'll see what happens from there," Cloke said.
After his side slipped to 2-4, Buckley said he would have to analyse Cloke's performance in the VFL before assessing whether he would return for the crunch clash against Carlton on Saturday.
"It's work rate and contest. But we'll have a look at that when we get back," Buckley said.
Cox booted 2.1 and took three marks against the Eagles.
