DANE Swan says Collingwood cannot afford to lose Travis Cloke, but the midfield star would not begrudge his Magpies teammate a multi-million dollar payday at another club.
Cloke has been linked to long-term $1 million a year contracts at Fremantle and GWS.
"We certainly want him and we certainly want him to stay," Swan said on Wednesday.
"He is our most in-form player and, in that respect, not a player we can afford to lose.
"However, I would never begrudge him leaving for that kind of money.
"You only play AFL for a short period of time.
"It's not going to be forever.
"If he wanted to set himself up for life and go for that kind of money, good luck to him and I hope he goes well.
"But we certainly want him to stay because, without him, we wouldn't be nearly as good as we are."
