This time last year Travis Cloke was struggling in the Collingwood forward line and was on the cusp of being dropped – and not for the only time in his very own annus horribilis.

Cloke made way in the Collingwood line-up for the club's American experiment Mason Cox, the power forward banished to the VFL instead of getting the chance to shine at the MCG one more time in the annual Anzac Day blockbuster.

Cloke was dropped two more times by the Magpies in 2016 and it left many to speculate: were we witnessing a less than favourable and perhaps premature end to his AFL career? But what a difference 12 months can make. Opportunity knocked during the AFL trade period and Cloke was welcomed at a new AFL home. The reigning premiers, no less.

This weekend, Cloke will pull on the boots for his 250th AFL match as the Western Bulldogs meet North Melbourne in a tricky round four encounter. It's only one week short of the 12-year anniversary of Cloke's AFL debut – which, interestingly, happened in the Anzac Day match that year.