Melbourne Storm set out to limit impact of gun Rabbitohs hooker Damien Cook in heavyweight clash

SOMETHING is brewing in the Melbourne Storm kitchen as the reigning premier plots the downfall of New South Wales Origin hooker Damien Cook.

Damien Cook will be Melbourne’s main threat in the clash. Picture: Brett Costello

SOMETHING is brewing in the Melbourne Storm kitchen as the reigning premier plots the downfall of New South Wales Origin hooker Damien Cook.

The South Sydney set-up man has been on the tip of everyone’s tongues this week as Storm hunts a one-game buffer on top of the ladder, if successful on Friday night at ANZ Stadium.

Cook was instrumental in the ‘Baby Blues’ 2-1 series win over nemesis Queensland last month.

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Damien Cook will be Melbourne’s main threat in the clash. Picture: Brett Costello

His ability to create behind a wall of forwards and knack of finding space to run out of dummy half allowed Cook, who was in the conversation for Man of the Series, to dictate the speed of the game.

Sounds familiar? Well, Cook, like every other hooker to play rugby league over the past two decades would have grown up - and possibly still does - idolising Storm legend and Immortal-in-waiting Cameron Smith.

Smith bedazzled Canberra Raiders last week and barely stepped out of the pocket, instead distributing the Steeden with utmost precision by hand and foot from behind the purple wall.

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But Smith is likely to be more active on Friday night in the running department, to blunt Cook’s influence, and help Storm win the territory battle.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy said on Thursday Souths will be a “different test, maybe even a bigger test” to what Melbourne, unbeaten over the past eight rounds, has faced in recent weeks.

“The three (forwards Sam, George and Tom) Burgess boys are very big guys and very effective at running the ball... and then you get Damien off the back of that with his dummy half running,” Bellamy said.

Cameron Smith v Cook presents a mouthwatering clash of hookers. (AAP Image/David Crosling)

“They’re really hard to handle, so we are going to have to defend well tomorrow night and make sure we’re very effective with our contact in defence and nullify their effectiveness.”

Storm props Jesse Bromwich and Tim Glasby this week raised the importance of putting the breaks on Cook and his Rabbits pack.

Bellamy confirmed on Thursday Ryan Hoffman would be available for Friday night’s game after sitting out last week with neck soreness.

Melbourne will try to limit Cook’s running threat out of dummy-half. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

Despite finals and likely top four finish assured, Bellamy dismissed the notion his team would take the foot off the pedal in the run home.

“I’d like to think complacency, no, it’s getting close to the end of the season and I think at this stage we’re going to be in the top eight so you’d like to think we’re going to try and improve our consistency and things we see as important,” Bellamy said.

Originally published as Melbourne Storm set out to limit impact of gun Rabbitohs hooker Damien Cook in heavyweight clash