NRL 2024: Damien Cook breaks silence on heartbreaking Rabbitohs exit | Saint, Sinner, Shoosh
See how Wayne Bennett told Damien Cook about his Rabbitohs exit, Melbourne’s anger over Bunnies’ invasion, hatchets buried over 2014 doco and more in Saint, Sinner, Shoosh.
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South Sydney star Damien Cook has spoken of his anger and disappointment at being rejected for a contract extension at the Rabbitohs that has cost him a 10-year milestone at the club.
In his first interview since announcing his switch to the St George-Illawarra Dragons next season, Cook says it was “heartbreaking” to share the news to his teammates after nine seasons in the Souths jersey.
“It’s probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in football,” he said, “I started bawling as soon as I got up to tell the boys.
“I know it’s a business but I didn’t think I’d ever be leaving Souths. It was a big shock.”
The 32-year-old hooker said he found out through his manager Mario Tartak — not the club — that Souths were not prepared to offer him an extension beyond next season.
That he’d been given permission to look elsewhere for a longer deal — a situation that was almost identical to when his old teammate Adam Reynolds was forced out to join the Broncos; a legend they regarded as too old and too injury prone to keep.
“I’ve had such a great time at Souths,” he said. “I’ve started a family, bought my house, played for NSW and Australia and shared so many special moments with my teammates.
“The club has been a massive part of my life. You go through a lot of emotions. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t angry and disappointed when I first found out. That’s probably a normal feeling.”
It’s been a tough year for the popular forward, at one stage dropped to NSW Cup under former coach Jason Demetriou.
As much as it’s a gut-wrenching experience to be unwanted, Cook now says: “I’m ready to move on.”
Cook spoke to old supercoach Wayne Bennett before making the decision to join the Dragons.
“He wasn’t trying to push me out,” Cook said. “Wayne told me to do what’s best for me and my family.
“And that’s what I’ve done by joining the Dragons. I’m actually excited about it now, but at the moment I’m just concentrating on Souths.”
Cook is refusing to concede the Rabbitohs are done and dusted for the year.
“I know we haven’t had a great start but anything’s possible,” he said.
“There’s no doubt we can go on a run when all our players are back.
“Benny’s (Hornby) doing a great job. There’s a lot of footy left and I want to go out on a high and make the most out of my last few months at the club.”
SAINT
We love a good comeback story like Latrell Mitchell. The South Sydney superstar was at rock bottom and had to overcome the backlash from his F-bomb tirade on live radio and a three-week ban for foul play to recapture his best form and his NSW Blues jersey. Sources inside the Blues camp are saying he has added so much positivity and confidence to the team.
SINNER
The omission of Canterbury Bulldogs star Matt Burton from the Blues side for Origin II. The Victorians would have loved watching his bombs on the MCG as much as Queensland’s wingers and fullbacks would have hated it.
SHOOSH
Which Queensland Maroons Origin legend was pulled over by police for going through a red light at Sydney Olympic Park after the first State of Origin game at Accor Stadium two weeks ago?
SPOTTED
St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan spent three days in the Whitsundays to freshen up in the Dragons’ bye week. He had a board meeting on Monday, player reviews Tuesday, and then three days at Airlie Beach. Plus, he wasn’t coming off the back of nine straight losses.
SPOTTED II
It’s good news that former Wests Tigers chairman and major sponsor Lee Hagipantelis has not been lost to rugby league. In a huge boost for the Family of League charity, the Brydens Lawyers principal has agreed to come on board as a non-executive director of the organisation.
SPOTTED III
NRL 360 host Braith Anasta walking to work from Coogee Beach to Fox Sports studios in Artarmon on Tuesday. All up 22km over three hours. “I loved it, but was sore the next day,” he said.
SPOTTED IV
The entire Sydney Swans playing and coaching staff flying in economy class back from their big win over Adelaide last weekend. Even nine-goal star Joel Amartey (198cm) and legendary ruckman turned coach Dean Cox (203cm) were squeezed into the cheap seats.
THE ORIGIN OF STATE OF ORIGIN
Who said State of Origin footy didn’t start until 1980?
It was actually 35 years earlier – on September 16, 1945 – on a ground at Torokina, in Papua New Guinea, where the first organised “State of Origin” was played between Australian soldiers. All these years later, the trophy has been donated to the Rugby League Museum by the Army Museum South Queensland.
The historic trophy is now on its way to Melbourne to be shown off at the MCG on Wednesday night.
That 1945 game was played as an Origin match because players were chosen for each team based on the soldier’s place of enlistment.
Queensland won both games, 10-9 and 20-13.
The irony is that the birth of Origin took place in the country that the NRL now wants as part of its expansion plans.
The trophy is made from a Japanese naval shell casing, with handles either side, mounted on a wooden base. It is engraved with the following inscription: “Interstate Rugby League Series, Bougainville”.
VICTORIAN NURSERY STIRS UP STORM
South Sydney has been accused of sabotaging Melbourne Storm’s junior pathways in the week Origin heads to the Victorian capital.
The Rabbitohs have struck up a relationship with the Iron Armour sports academy in Melbourne to launch an elite talent program
to identify Harold Matthews, SG Ball, Jersey Flegg and NRL players.
South Sydney’s Head of Elite Pathways Tyrone McCarthy has been in Melbourne to set up the program, hoping to attract the very best of Storm’s rising stars.
Storm football general manager Frank Ponissi is not happy about it.
“We were both disappointed and very surprised to hear about South Sydney’s plans for an academy in Melbourne,” Ponissi said.
“While it is recognition of the potential talent in Melbourne, our pathways program is very much still in its infancy stages.
However, nothing changes with our plans, and we are staunchly determined to continue investing even more time and resources into developing a strong pathways program so we can develop more local players to play for the Storm – like Sua Fa’alogo.”
Storm has been doing a tremendous job in grassroots league. Participation numbers in Victoria are up 21 per cent year to date – well ahead of Queensland (up 5.99 per cent) and NSW (up 5.33 per cent).
The state now has more than 5000 junior participants, compared to 2450 in Souths juniors.
Penrith has the most of any club with 9352 registered players.
It is remarkable in that Melbourne is such a parochial AFL city.
“The growth is something we are very proud of,” Storm CEO Justin Rodski said.
“When you think about our culture, where we sit on the ladder, the systems we have in place and the respect we have in the sporting landscape, we absolutely consider ourselves the Sydney Swans of the NRL.
“And having Origin here, the showpiece event that it is, the exposure and the eyeballs that it generates, is only going to help.’’
Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly declined to comment.
OLD FOES’ NEW TURF WAR
Peter V’landys and Gillon McLachlan were old sparring partners and traded verbal blows for many years as the respective bosses of the NRL and AFL.
On Thursday they shook hands to begin an unlikely relationship.
Unlikely in that McLachlan, the new TAB chief executive, and V’landys – the Racing NSW supremo – are opponents in the Supreme Court over a legal dispute between the two parties.
Racing NSW is claiming the TAB breached a sponsorship agreement for The Everest and The Kosciuszko races.
The pair met at Racing NSW headquarters on Thursday for the first time since McLachlan’s appointment as the new TAB boss.We spoke to both of them afterwards.
“I respect Peter a lot and I want to make sure we have a great partnership together,” McLachlan said.
“The thing we have in common is that we’re both very competitive.
“I think he’s done a great job.”
V’landys was equally as positive.
“We had a great meeting,” V’landys said.
“Gill’s a good bloke, and we’re keen to work closely together.”
ROOSTERS’ $33K SLEEPOUT
Sydney Roosters boss Joe Kelly raised more than $33,000 from the Vinnies CEO Sleepout on Thursday night in temperatures that dropped to an uncomfortable 6C.
It was a huge effort in that Kelly had just recovered from a bout of the flu.
Those who took part slept on cardboard on top of a cement slab to raise much-needed funds for the St Vincent de Paul Society.
Kelly had an impressive list of donors – Nick Politis, Trent Robinson, Mark Bouris, Andrew Abdo, Jim Sarantinos, judge and NSWRL chairman Paul Conlon, plus player agents Steve “Chimes” Gillis and Daniel O’Loughlin.
HATCHETS BURIED IN SOUTHS DOCO
South Sydney Rabbitohs are filming a documentary of their 2014 premiership victory – and halves Adam Reynolds and Luke Keary will be very much part of it.
Both Reynolds and Keary departed the club in unhappy circumstances, but have put aside grievances to be part of the doco.
Reynolds left after being told he was too injury-prone to get a two-year contract extension, and Keary had a blow-up with owner Russell Crowe at a team getaway on his Nana Glen farm.
Souths held a 10-year reunion at Souths Juniors last Saturday. Reynolds was there, but Keary was across town at Accor Stadium playing for the Roosters against Parramatta.
Guests were shown a three-minute preview of the eight-part documentary.
“Everyone who saw it went wow, this is going to be good,” CEO Blake Solly said.
“Luke and Adam have been interviewed and were only too happy to be part of it.”
Only Sam Burgess, who is coaching Warrington in England, Api Koroisau, who was playing for the Wests Tigers, Keary and Kyle Turner, who tragically died last year, were not there.
CRAIG’S BIG CALL IN HEALTH BATTLE
Former ABC footy caller Craig Hamilton has scored a huge breakthrough with his documentary The Promise, a film dedicated to mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
The Stan network has purchased the documentary to stream over three years. It is a brilliant piece of work that documents Hamilton’s personal struggles and emotional turmoil, before he sought professional help that saved his life.
“We always knew we had a good product, but it was all about ensuring that enough people could watch it,” Hamilton said.
“Since I’ve been speaking on this topic for over 20 years, all over Australia the number of people who have come up to me afterwards and said, ‘Having listened to your story, I’m going to book myself in to get help.’ That’s why it’s so important we reach the biggest possible audience.”
HADLEY TAKES FLIGHT
The four clubs are still to be announced for next year’s Las Vegas double header, but the first media representative has already booked his plane tickets.
2GB morning host and veteran footy caller Ray Hadley will do his show out of Sin City for the entire week leading up to the football.
The bonus for Hadley is that he won’t have to set his alarm clock like he does each day.
The show will start at 3pm Las Vegas time though to 6pm.
Penrith, Cronulla, the Warriors and the Canberra Raiders are expected to be named as the teams taking part.
TIGERS KO’D FOR RISING GLOVEMAN
A disgruntled former Wests Tigers sponsor has jumped on board to support boxer Sam Goodman, tipped to be Australia’s next world champion.
Neil Fabry and his company FAB Industrial Logistics quit the Wests Tigers earlier this year as a major sponsor, after a disagreement with CEO Shane Richardson in which he said he was disrespected.
Fabry met Goodman when he was a guest of St George-Illawarra at a function where the boxer spoke as the special guest.
“I’ve moved on from the Wests Tigers, and I’m now sponsoring a young man I have enormous respect for,” Fabry said.
“He’s a good young Aussie guy and an up-and-comer.
“After the way I was treated at the Wests Tigers, it’s nice to be involved and deal with such a genuine young man.”
Fabry’s business is now worth more than $100 million.
He has had discussions with other NRL clubs in regards to returning to rugby league as a sponsor in the future.
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