At the end of last football season, Jason and Cameron Cloke sat down and decided they wanted to play football together again.
They last played together at Collingwood in 2006 alongside younger brother Travis, but had since gone different ways.
And both had been successful, Jason with Western Region Football League side Spotswood and Cameron with Northern Football League side Bundoora.
“The first thing we spoke about at the end of last season was about trying to play together,” Jason said last week.
“We only have a few years of football left, so we thought ‘let’s have a bit of fun together’.”
Despite contemplating playing together at either Bundoora or Spotswood, the two decided they wanted a new challenge and that’s when Essendon District Football League club Craigieburn entered the equation.
“Troy [Fidler, Craigieburn football manager] rang me and they were super keen to have a chat,” 30-year-old Cameron said.
“We [Jason and Cameron] work together so we had a lot of time to talk and we spoke about wanting to go to a team which had been successful [in the past] and wanted to get back up there.
“We wanted to go to a club which wanted to develop younger players, that had a good environment and wanted to improve.
“When we spoke to Hally [president Brian Hall], Troy, Fletch [assistant coach Robert Fletcher] and Pete [Bugden, coach], that’s what they pushed.
“I loved it and when I walked out of the meeting I was super keen. It has paid off.”
Jason, 33, said moving to a new club had refreshed him.
“Where we had played we had been successful,” he said.
“But we felt we had done all that. It was bit of a challenge, a new environment and a new club.
“It’s been grouse. The club is grouse, the community is grouse and everything about it has been good so far.
“Coming in from different leagues, we’ve got nothing bad to say about it.”
The brothers said the biggest challenge of moving clubs was working together in the same forward line, which was one of the major motivations behind the move.
“We have surprised ourselves being able to work together and play footy together,” Jason said.
“It’s been the big challenge, as we haven’t really played footy together . . . it’s always been one down back and one forward.
“We both wanted to play forward together and kick some goals and have some fun. I think late in my career, I didn’t want to go back to the back line.”
Cameron added: “Because we’re brothers we know the weakness and strengths already; it was fast-tracked.
“We have come to a club which has a power forward who is a small in Fletch [Nick Fletcher]. [Having us there] has given him a chance to do his thing.
“We’re the focal point but it gives us freedom as well. As there are other power forwards in the club, we don’t always have to kick the goals.”
The brothers sit one and two on the EDFL’s division one goal kicking table, but say there’s no competition between them.
Cameron has 34 for the season and Jason 33 after an 87-point win over Taylors Lake on Saturday.
“It’s not about who kicks the goals it’s about the process and wins,” Jason said.
Cameron said premierships were the main aim.
“The best time in your life is that last game of the year,” he said..
“It doesn’t matter about anything in the season. It doesn’t matter that we haven’t lost a game now . . . we’re only at the halfway mark.
“It’s about the last game of the year and holding up that trophy. Then we can celebrate together.
“That’s what we’re here for and we’re heading in the right direction on and off the field and really enjoying it.”
The arrival of the Clokes hasn’t just refreshed them, but the club as a whole. The Eagles sit 8-0 on top of the ladder.
The club had struggled in recent years.
“Tucky [Brent Gordon], Jesse Davies and Macca [Christian McErlain] are leaders of the club and even they have a bounce in their step,” Cameron said. “I think they’re excited the way the footy is going at the moment.
“It makes our job easier to have blokes at the club who want to win as much as we do.
“They have a new bounce in their step as much as we do and if that’s the positive we bring to the club, I think it’s a good thing.”
A premiership isn’t the only thing the brothers want to achieve this season.
“I’d like to see a lot of the younger guys pushing up into the ones,” Cameron said.
“Every week Fletch and Peter are pushing for them to train with us when we split into groups.
“Hopefully, the boys can push up from the under-18’s and play two or three games in the seniors.”
As for the possibility of playing with Travis again when his AFL career is over?
“I may be done by then,” Jason said. “Hopefully I’ll be coaching him.”
