AFL star Travis Cloke exposes troll who sent vile messages targeting his 11-month-old son on Grand Final day
Travis Cloke has fired back after a social media troll left vile comments on a photo the AFL star posted of his children on Grand Final weekend.
The former Collingwood Magpies player, who signed with the Western Bulldogs for his final year of professional football, was pictured with his two kids, Scarlett and Archer, all wearing Bulldogs jumpers.
Travis, 34, and his wife, Beccy, noticed a series of disgusting comments from a woman who suggested he should drop his 11-month-old son.
Fired up: Travis Cloke has fired back after a social media troll left vile comments on this photo the AFL star posted of his children on Grand Final weekend
The same user also wrote: ‘Why do we have to see his vermin, they have no relevance to the football?’
Travis and Beccy reposted the nasty comments on Seven’s AFL Facebook account to draw attention to the abuse.
‘So posted this super photo of me and my kids, showing support for my friends at the Dogs and then this,’ he said of the trolling.
Nasty: The former Magpies veteran and his wife, Beccy (right), noticed a series of disgusting comments from a woman who suggested he should drop his 11-month-old son. The couple reposted the comments on Seven’s AFL Facebook account to draw attention to the abuse
‘I am going to assume this woman is going through a tough time. But referencing dropping my 11 month old and calling my children vermin? It’s not ok. @7afl. I am really not ok with this,’ he added.
Beccy told the Herald Sun she and Travis had already experienced hateful trolling during his final years of football.
‘We all know people need to be held accountable for their words online,’ she said.
Beccy added that sending vile messages aimed at public figures was often ‘spoken about but not acted upon nearly enough’ by authorities.
Ordeal: Beccy told the Herald Sun she and Travis had already experienced hateful trolling during his final years of football, adding: ‘People need to be held accountable for their words’
‘Because my husband once kicked a ball around does not give someone permission to write such awful things about our children,’ she continued.
‘What really disappoints me is that the comments sat there for two days before we were made aware. We know the technology to patrol these sorts of comments online exists. So why isn’t it put into play?’
Travis has previously said the online abuse he suffered during his last years of professional footy hurt him deeply and contributed to the mental health issues he suffered when he was with the Bulldogs.
He told the Herald Sun podcast last year: ‘I truly do believe we will push the line with social media and someone will actually self-harm before we do get some really good results out of this.’
Impact: Travis has previously said the online abuse he suffered during his last years of professional footy hurt him deeply and contributed to the mental health issues he suffered when he was with the Bulldogs