Childhood friends Damien Cook, Tyson Frizell switched to rugby union in teens to crack pro footy

NSW hooker Damien Cook was so determined to become a professional footballer he switched to union as a teenager even though he didn’t know any of the rules.

NSW hooker Damien Cook was so determined to become a professional footballer he switched to union as a teenager even though he didn’t know any of the rules.

Despite being a rugby novice, Cook impressed so much during his trials he earned selection for an Australian Schoolboys side.

But none of it would have been possible if it wasn’t for his childhood friend and now Blues teammate Tyson Frizell.

Frizell not only convinced him to attend an open rugby trial but he turned into his personal walking, talking rule book.

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Damien Cook and Tyson Frizell were almost lost to rugby league. (AAP Image/Joe Castro)

“I was lucky to have Friz as my inside centre so he did a lot of the hard work and just tipped the ball onto me so he pretty much carried me through Schoolboys footy,” Cook said.

“I actually didn’t know many of the rules either while I was playing. I was just lucky to have him there to teach me along the way.”

The dummy-half turned to rugby union after he struggled to crack junior representative league teams.

A product of the talent rich rugby league nursery of the Illawarra region, he found himself stuck behind the likes of Gold Coast hooker Mitch Rein and Parramatta’s Cameron King.

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The long time friends made the rugby switch after struggling to make rep teams in league juniors. Pic: Mark Evans

“I just had some really good hookers in front of me and I just wasn’t good enough at that stage,” he said.

“Cameron King was the gun hooker at the time and he’s obviously he’s playing NRL at the moment.

“He was the Australian Schoolboys hooker and the captain as well.

“It just wasn’t my time then, and I missed out at those trial to get to that next level so I thought I’d have a bit of fun and try out for rugby union.”

Remarkably, like Cook, Frizell struggled to get noticed in league circles around Wollongong.

“I probably wasn’t as good as some of the other kids coming through at that time, boys were growing up and getting bigger a lot quicker than I was,” Frizell said.

Cook and Frizell both made successful switches to the 15 man code.

“He was in a similar position as me, we were trying to make something out of rugby league but it just wasn’t happening and we both had a crack at union and we actually did OK.”

It went more than OK.

Frizell went on to earn selection for the Australian Schoolboys rugby side and toured the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Cook played for the Australian High School Combined rugby side.

Despite their success, both eventually found their way back to league.

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Frizell revealed he was lured back by Cronulla after a Sharks scout spotted him during an Australian Schoolboys trial while he was still playing for Southern Districts Rugby Club.

Within 18 months the Blues forward would go on to make his NRL debut for the Shire club but it would take a move to local rivals the Dragons before he would cement his spot as a regular starter.

For Cook, his journey to NRL and representative stardom has been a winding one.

Similar to the obstacles he faced as a youngster, Cook has spent his entire career battling to prove his credentials as a first-choice hooker.

The Blues teammates grew up in the Illawarra region. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

At the Dragons there was Mitch Rein, at Canterbury it was Michael Ennis then Michael Lichaa and at Redfern he had to bide his time behind Cameron McInnes and Robbie Farah.

But Cook is philosophical about it all, he credits the constant competition for a spot for turning him into the player we see on the field today.

“I’ve sat behind some really good hookers coming through and I can say they made me want to train harder and improve yourself. They’ve made me a better player.”

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Originally published as Childhood friends Damien Cook, Tyson Frizell switched to rugby union in teens to crack pro footy