‘I tried my best out there’: Cook goes into bat for Fittler’s centre call

Damien Cook has launched an emotional defence of NSW coach Brad Fittler, claiming he has to be given a chance at State of Origin redemption next year, amid his decision to use the veteran Blue at centre in the series-deciding loss.

Cook, who played 77 minutes in the backline as a replacement for the injured Tom Trbojevic (pectoral) on Wednesday night, was straight on the front foot after Fittler was forced to abandon his plan of using two hookers at Suncorp Stadium.

The Maroons strolled to a 32-6 win to wrap up Billy Slater’s second series win in as many years, casting doubts over Fittler’s future.

Fittler needed to win this year’s series to trigger an automatic 12-month contract extension.

“He shouldn’t cop any criticism,” Cook said. “I’m sick of hearing the criticism about him.

“Every time I come in here he coaches us so well, he makes sure we’re ready to go. It’s all up to us to get out there. We haven’t got the job done and it [not a reflection] of him at all.

Damien Cook was used at centre for the Blues.Credit: Getty

“Every time I have a chat with him, I walk away confident in what my job is and what I’ve got to do. I’ve loved having him as a coach. I don’t think he should be copping any criticism. We were sent out there to do a job – and we didn’t do it.”

Fittler’s record stands at three wins and three losses from six years, but Queensland’s game two victory was NSW’s biggest defeat in 17 matches under the coach.

Asked whether Fittler should be given a chance to turn around NSW’s fortunes, Cook said: “He should be. There’s no need to change.”

Cook scored NSW’s only try playing out of position and eyebrows were raised when the 31-year-old was preferred to Rabbitohs teammate Cameron Murray at centre.

Murray, who overcame a groin problem to play, wasn’t used at all in the first half and Cook’s backline shift meant the Blues had to abandon the two-hooker rotation through the middle with debutant Reece Robson playing 80 minutes.

Fittler axed Nicho Hynes from his game two team after the Sharks star was given just 12 minutes off the bench as a utility in game one at Adelaide, also filling in for Trbojevic, who left the game late for a head injury assessment.

Asked if he had done any repetitions during the week at centre, Cook said: “I did a couple.

“Obviously I did most at hooker. The time to build combinations probably wasn’t there. I’ve played hooker for a long time. I just wanted to go out there and do a good job.

“I was going around making sure we were covered for positions and in last year’s Origin game [three] people went down everywhere. We had to make sure we were covered. The boys trained in different positions.

“I went on there and tried to do my best. I made a couple of mistakes, but I was prepared to go out there in any position to try my best, wherever I was.”

Cook has never started a game in his 11-year NRL career at centre and has played in every Origin match Fittler has coached bar the series opener in Adelaide.

Said Queensland centre Valentine Holmes: “Cooky did an outstanding job. He’s an out-and-out hooker, we all know how good and fast he is, but the way he defended and attacked - he almost did me [for speed] in the first half, but he did well considering he’d never played there before, let alone an arena like this.

“I spoke to him after the game, I’m good mates with him, and I was proud of him.”

with Christian Nicolussi

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