Origin 2020: Damien Cook explains how Wayne Bennett will get Queensland ready for opener

While Wayne Bennett is well past his ‘best before’ date in the eyes of many of his critics, Damien Cook knows full well why NSW must not underestimate Queensland on Wednesday night.

(LR) Cody Walker, Adam Reynolds Wayne Bennett and Damien Cook at Rabbitohs Training in Redfern Oval on the 18th May 2020. Photographer: Adam Yip

All the experts keep saying Queensland don’t stand a chance come Wednesday night in the State of Origin opener.

But if NSW hooker Damien Cook knows one thing about Wayne Bennett coached teams, it’s that they always run out with a plan.

And most importantly, plenty of self-belief.

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Damien Cook has played under Wayne Bennett for the last two years.

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For that reason, Cook has no doubt the Queenslanders will be more than ready to put up a fight when Bennett makes his long-awaited Origin return for the first time since 2003.

While Bennett is now 70 and in the eyes of many well past his ‘best before’ date, the flying South Sydney dummy half knows full well he hasn’t lost his touch with his players.

“What he does for us at club level is get the best out of us,” Cook explained.

“He knows how to push our buttons.

“He knows how to prepare us and get us up for the game.

“So no doubt he will be doing the same for those boys up there.

Look out NSW, Wayne Bennett is back on Origin duty.

“And there is no one more experienced.”

Bennett also knows the goods on Cook.

And even though Bennett spent the year trying to bring out the best in his South Sydney No.9, Bennett would have been plotting for weeks ways to limit the NSW speedster’s impact.

If Cook has a big game you just know NSW will just about be unstoppable.

Yet it’s no secret Cook didn’t finish the season with one of his better games in that preliminary finals loss to Penrith.

And he concedes he was shattered by the way the season ended for Souths.

Yet another preliminary final exit was hard to take for Damian Cook.

“It’s the third year in a row we had made that prelim,” he said.

“We had a lot of belief that we could go on to the grand final and win it.

“We had proved a lot of people wrong in how far we got.

“But within the club we were definitely confident we could go on and win it.”

But as for how he gets himself into the action on Wednesday, Cook’s focus wasn’t on himself but that of the team.

“Look, if my opportunities aren’t there I just have to make sure I am giving good service and trying to create ruck speed for the forwards and halves as well so we can play on the front foot,” Cook said.

NSW simply an’t afford to take the Bennett-coached Maroons for granted.

Asked how the game will be won, Cook said simply: “Through effort.

“A lot of the game will be going set for set. And it is going to be a big game through the middle.

“It will just come down to the small effort areas, making sure you are defending together, good line speed, chasing the kicks and trying to keep the pressure on.

“Even though both sides have quality teams that can score points it is going to be a big game for defence.”