Boak is the quintessential "great clubman", with all the positives and negatives associated with that phrase.
Boak at his best was in my opinion something of a poor man's Greg Williams, which is intended as a compliment, not an insult.
Unfortunately his skills tended to let him down at inopportune times and he just couldn't be relied on to deliver in the critical moments.
Sadly, my enduring memories of him will be in two PFs ten years apart. Missing a straighforward shot for goal in first quarter of the 2014 PF when we had all the momentum and had a real chance to put Hawthorn to the sword early, as we had done to Richmond two weeks prior. And then in 2024 gifting Sydney their first goal to set them on their way just when the spectre of another slow start and scoreless first quarter against Port was starting to loom large for them.
It's sad that he's played for Port in an unsuccesful era and he'll end his career without a premiership but in the cold light of day I don't think it's unfair to point out the part he himself played in making it an unsuccesful era.
If I was selecting an all time team of the best "good blokes" to play for Port in the AFL era he'd probably be the first one picked but if I'm picking a best 22 to try and win a premiership, to deliver on the big stage, he's not in it - there are just too many midfield types we've had that were better than him in terms of skill and poise under pressure.
Finally, if I were a new coach coming in now, I would be telling Trav to retire. I'd tell him he'll always have an honoured place at Port and be welcome at the club, but I wouldn't be offering him any official role or ongoing employment. I think it's time to make a clean break with the past and with those associated with the unsuccesful era. It's time to move on and try to build a new culture of success without the baggage of past failure and Trav is unfortunately part of that baggage.
Boak at his best was in my opinion something of a poor man's Greg Williams, which is intended as a compliment, not an insult.
Unfortunately his skills tended to let him down at inopportune times and he just couldn't be relied on to deliver in the critical moments.
Sadly, my enduring memories of him will be in two PFs ten years apart. Missing a straighforward shot for goal in first quarter of the 2014 PF when we had all the momentum and had a real chance to put Hawthorn to the sword early, as we had done to Richmond two weeks prior. And then in 2024 gifting Sydney their first goal to set them on their way just when the spectre of another slow start and scoreless first quarter against Port was starting to loom large for them.
It's sad that he's played for Port in an unsuccesful era and he'll end his career without a premiership but in the cold light of day I don't think it's unfair to point out the part he himself played in making it an unsuccesful era.
If I was selecting an all time team of the best "good blokes" to play for Port in the AFL era he'd probably be the first one picked but if I'm picking a best 22 to try and win a premiership, to deliver on the big stage, he's not in it - there are just too many midfield types we've had that were better than him in terms of skill and poise under pressure.
Finally, if I were a new coach coming in now, I would be telling Trav to retire. I'd tell him he'll always have an honoured place at Port and be welcome at the club, but I wouldn't be offering him any official role or ongoing employment. I think it's time to make a clean break with the past and with those associated with the unsuccesful era. It's time to move on and try to build a new culture of success without the baggage of past failure and Trav is unfortunately part of that baggage.
