DAMIEN COOK has his sights set on success with Castleford Tigers – but stressed he still has plenty to learn about Super League.
The former St George Illawarra Dragons hooker has signed a two-year deal with the Tigers, who will hope new head coach Paul Rowley can help to turn their fortunes around after a hugely disappointing 2026.
“It’s been a bit of a busy off-season,” said Cook, who plans to shift his life to the UK by the end of November. “I’m trying to get everything sorted with the house and moving.
“I’ve been training to make sure I’m ready when I get over there. I’ll get there at the end of November and then it’s straight back into it.”
The 35-year-old forward arrives at Castleford with bags of NRL experience, having made over 200 appearances for South Sydney Rabbitohs alongside spells with both Canterbury Bulldogs and the Dragons.
Cook is under no illusions that he still has to learn a lot about Super League, but hopes that his rugby knowhow will prove a valuable asset for the Tigers.
He explained: “Being one of the senior players coming in, I’ve been lucky enough to play alongside some really good athletes and I’ve had some really good coaches and high performance staff.
“I’ve picked up a few things along the way so I feel like I’ve got really good standards that I hold myself to.
“But it’s a whole different ball game, so I’ve got a lot of learning to do about Super League.
“I’m looking forward to the coach and the boys teaching me the style of footy needed to win games.
“I’m hoping that the experience and standards I’ve set myself over the years I can bring over, and if I can help those young guys coming through develop as players and become more professional, then I know I’ve done my job as a senior player leading by example.”
Cook’s move to the OneBore Stadium had looked to reunite him with then-head coach Ryan Carr, with the pair having previously worked together at the Dragons where Cook was co-captain and Carr assistant coach.
But he is excited by the appointment of Rowley, who he believes will be the right person to bring success back to the club.
“It was obviously a funny situation with the coaching staff but it’s great that it’s done now.
“I love the appointment of Rowley. He is a very experienced coach; he’s been around some good teams and done some great work.
“I’ve done my research and there are players that speak highly of him. He’s a real people person and cares about the players, so I am looking forward to working alongside him.
“He will get in the trenches with us and take us back to the top. I spoke to the other St George guys (Mat Feagai and Tyrell Sloan), we’re not going there to sit back, we’re going there to win trophies.”
