Former AFL star and current Essendon runner Travis Cloke may be under fire after entering a scuffle between Bombers and Swans players during their Saturday night clash.
Cloke approached the scrimmage and forcefully removed Bombers Nick Hind, Jake Stringer and Nick Cox in attempt to halt the players from reversing the awarded free kick.
Channel 9 journalist and SEN regular Tom Morris believes that Cloke may be in some strife with the AFL, alluding to a ‘please explain’ potentially being issued in the coming days.
“I think he’s going to get a ‘please explain’ from the AFL,” Morris told SEN Breakfast.
“The reality is, the AFL under the previous administration was trying to get rid of runners and keep runners away from the game. Now, they’ve brought runners back in a little bit.
“I know he didn’t touch the Sydney Swans players, but the AFL isn’t too pleased with what they saw on Saturday night.”
Kane Cornes and Nathan Buckley didn’t have an issue with Cloke’s involvement, praising his efforts in easing the situation.
That prompted a discussion about the incident.
Buckley: “I didn’t have an issue. I had more of an issue with the moustache that he was running.”
Morris: “I’m not saying he’s going to be fined, or the club’s going to be fined, but they don’t want this to become a precedent where runners get involved in stoushes between teams.”
Cornes: “I thought he did a pretty good job of de-escalating the situation. I liked his demeanour, and I thought if he wasn’t there, things may have escalated further.”
The Bombers will await word from the AFL ahead of their Easter Saturday clash with St Kilda.