The adoption isn't official, but to Adam Treloar it feels like paperwork has been lodged. When Charlie Clarke turned up on his doorstep in Highett back in April, the Western Bulldogs star didn't realise it would have a seismic impact on his own life. But it has. 

Treloar saw a lot of himself in his younger teammate. They both endured a challenging childhood. They have both struggled with anxiety. At 31, he wanted to make a difference on someone else's career, he just didn't realise at the time that he was providing his daughter Georgie with a brother and himself with even greater purpose at work.

While Treloar and his partner, Kim Ravaillion, attended last Thursday night's AFL Awards at Centrepiece, where the perennial ball-magnet was finally rewarded with his first All-Australian recognition, Clarke babysat Georgie at home. 

After being included in the squad three times across his five-year stint at Collingwood, Treloar received the individual recognition his career deserves, following the most complete season of his career. No one averaged more disposals in the home and away season than Treloar's 31.7 per game. But it was more than that. Never has he been more damaging than this winter. 

Treloar has always been a fastidious preparer. He spends an hour each week in an oxygen pod at Regen Wellness Centre in Hampton. He regularly visits a chiropractor in his own time. The little things matter. But this year, helping Clarke and prized pick Ryley Sanders find their feet in the AFL, helped him collect his first blazer.

"He wouldn't know this, and would get emotional with me saying this, but he is a big reason why I've had arguably my best season, because of worrying and caring about him. I get to the game on the weekend and I'm going out there with freedom," Treloar told AFL.com.au inside the Mission Whitten Oval on Monday afternoon. 

"'Chook' has had it tough growing up and I could relate to that as soon as I met him. He was reserved and quiet and softly spoken internally. In the last 12 months you can see the amount of growth he has had, just with being more confident and being out there more. I'm proud of that.

"I could just see a kid that struggles with things in life that I struggled with when I was young. I could see a kid that has a lot of insecurities and battles a lot of anxiety, and I love being a shoulder to lean on. 

"I've adopted him. He is living with Georgie, Kim and I and he is an older brother and will protect Georgie to the ends of the world. Having him in my life is more important than footy. He is a great kid. I can see myself in him a lot and all I want is for him to be happy and have success out there. Hopefully there is a long 10-plus year career for him ahead."

Clarke, who is affectionately known as 'Chook', has played one senior game since being selected at pick No.24 in 2022, making his debut against Hawthorn in round eight. Treloar is in his corner, helping the out-of-contract forward land another contract and work towards more games in future.

LEANING against a wall inside the Western Bulldogs' brand new $78 million training and administration base in Footscray, Treloar openly admits he didn't think he would get anywhere near 250 games, let alone still be playing at this age and stage. Not because he couldn't physically perform, but due to the mental toll.

For a long time, he was crippled by stress, week in, week out, each season. It has taken a lot of work with sports psychologist Jacqui Louder to get this far. Everyone at Collingwood raves about Louder, where she is now a club employee. But to Treloar, she is family.

Before a serious double hamstring injury ruled him out for months in 2018, Treloar contemplated retiring. He was relieved, instead of shattered. He became a vocal mental health ambassador the following year, airing his own experiences, but was then put through the wringer when Collingwood traded him away in acrimonious circumstances in 2020, despite Treloar having five years left on his contract. It almost broke him. 

"I remember times when I was well and truly ready to finish. Obviously, the Trade Period was probably at its more extreme than other times. There were times when Kim and I discussed whether I should just retire. These are the ups and downs of footy and the challenges of coming to a new footy club," Treloar said.

"There were times when I never thought I'd get back up and play at a high level because I've always been someone who if I'm playing, I'm performing at a high level. I hold such a high standard of myself. I think that was the thing that kept me going. There were many times in a pre-season session or in-season where I just couldn't be bothered. Maybe I should just retire and play local footy. The drive in me to not let anyone down that has invested so much time in me, I just didn't want to do that. I could never imagine I would be 250 games in and now in a position to hopefully contend for a flag."

Ravaillion has driven Treloar to wring the rag dry. She knows exactly what it takes to perform at an elite level. Not just the physical, but the mental requirements. After giving birth to Georgie during her time with the now-defunct Collingwood Super Netball franchise, the Australian international returned to the Queensland Firebirds – just before Treloar's trade saga – and played some of the best netball of her decorated career. 

The 31-year-old announced in July that she was retiring after three seasons as captain and two premierships across two stints at the club to return to Melbourne to reunite with Treloar for the remaining years of his career. 

"She has been the number one influence from the moment she came into my life, definitely. I appreciated that a lot more when she sacrificed 12 months of her life when she gave birth to Georgie. I saw the hard work that went into getting herself back to a physical level where she could perform. The resilience that takes to do that, knowing she has had a 12-month setback essentially," Treloar said. 

"She didn't have the best time at Collingwood in terms of performance, so to go back and captain the Firebirds, win the MVP, be in the team of the year and just be an absolute superstar of the competition was so inspiring. It's easy to wake up for pre-season knowing she was going to work her arse off and I was going to do the same thing. She is my number one inspiration, as is Georgie."

Four years living in different states took its toll, but they made it work. Professional athletes are wired differently. They know they only have a finite time to achieve goals that a miniscule percentage of the population get the opportunity to do. But now they are back together – with Clarke in the spare room – and Treloar couldn't be more grateful for Ravaillion's sacrifice. 

"The last two years have been hard. The first two were exciting. She was getting back to playing, I was playing for a new footy club. We made the granny. It wasn't as hard as people may think, but the last two years have been really challenging. There were times where we'd have a phone call and we'd be really emotional,” he said.

"The start of this year we had a pretty deep conversation about whether it was going to be her last year or not. We weighed the pros and cons. The reality is she could keep playing. She is so head strong and so professional, but it was time for us to get the family together and enjoy my last years of footy, rather than doing the long-distance thing. I know that sounds a bit selfish, but Kim was on the same page. I'm beyond grateful for her doing that."

Treloar has played on the final day of the season twice without leaving the ground with a premiership medal. Collingwood lost to West Coast by five points in 2018, courtesy of Dom Sheed's precise left foot. Then Melbourne ran over the top of the Bulldogs in the second half of the 2021 decider at Optus Stadium. 

Last year, Treloar sat with the family of his best mate Josh Dunkley and watched many of his old Collingwood teammates. He lived the full gamut of emotions as the Magpies won their first flag since 2010 by under a kick to crush Brisbane hearts. He never thought he’d play for another club after moving from Greater Western Sydney. He wanted to be a Collingwood premiership player. Winning one is the only reason he is still playing.

"I sat with Dunks' family. I was on the fence. I wanted Dunks to win but was so proud to see Jeremy Howe, who is one of my best mates win a premiership, plus 'Pendles' (Scott Pendlebury), Steele (Sidebottom), all these guys I played with. I was so proud in that regard," he said.

"Sitting there watching and wishing it was you. It is the reason why I play. The only thing that motivates me is to win a premiership. I'm hoping that it could be this year. It is my main motivation, it is the reason why I come to the footy club, the reason why I want to be the best version of myself for the boys because I know if we were to win it would be the greatest."

Treloar is still wounded from what happened at Collingwood. How could he not be? He still hasn't spoken to Magpies coach Nathan Buckley, but in a dramatic twist last Thursday night, it was the Collingwood legend who announced Treloar's spot in the team, as part of his role on Fox Footy. The pair shared a grin and a thumbs up and have both publicly stated since then they will break bread in future. 

Vivid Sport's Tim Hazell has been with Treloar every step of the way. He navigated his client through the tumultuous period in 2020 and has helped guide him beyond a decade in the game when he didn't look like he was going to get there. It was the former Hawk who reminded Treloar he was a legitimate chance for an All-Australian spot late in the year, following months of noise.

"It was very special," he said. "When you're young, you think about these individual awards a lot more. A lot won't say that, but they do when they're young. As I've gotten older, I never thought I was ever going to be a chance to be an All-Australian. I thought my years were when I was younger. It wasn't until the last couple of rounds when my manager brought it up that there was a chance. To be up there on stage next to some of the superstars of the game, I well and truly felt out of place. Extremely proud, one of the proudest moments of my footy career to be named as one of the best 22."

Now Treloar has a blazer, bigger things await. But life is now about much more than football for the boy from Noble Park.