Official Bulldogs sign hooker Josh Cook for the next two year

[Freakzilla]

We signed Souths' 3rd string hooker woohoo

 

[Rod67]

Our cap is full. We signed Burton, JAC, TPJ, Naden, Vaughan and Dufty. That's 2.5-3m of our cap. We spent most of our money on this years recruits/next year recruits ages ago. TPJ, Vaughan and Dufty finished it off. Unless we move players on this is the roster we have for next year. There will be at least 10 changes to the roster that ran out last weekend.

Dufty and Vaughn have only been signed for next year, we can also tell them and the others that are off contract at the end of next year, see above, that they're free to look around for 2023 from November 1 this year.

I feel Brandon Smith is still a target for the club in 2023 as he's staying in Melbourne next year but it's open slather for all off contracted NRL players at the end of next year from November 1.

 

[bradyk]

Dufty and Vaughn have only been signed for next year, we can also tell them and the others that are off contract at the end of next year, see above, that they're free to look around for 2023 from November 1 this year.

I feel Brandon Smith is still a target for the club in 2023 as he's staying in Melbourne next year but it's open slather for all off contracted NRL players at the end of next year from November 1.

I'd be surprised if both Smith (especially) and Grant are at the Storm after 22. One of them aren't going to get what they want. Smith wants to play majority of the game at hooker and Grant wants to play 80 minutes at hooker. All I know is both of those things have come out of their mouths in interviews. Our number 1 target for years has/should of been a hooker (and a difference maker which both of the above are).

 

[Rod67]

I'd be surprised if both Smith (especially) and Grant are at the Storm after 22. One of them aren't going to get what they want. Smith wants to play majority of the game at hooker and Grant wants to play 80 minutes at hooker. All I know is both of those things have come out of their mouths in interviews. Our number 1 target for years has/should of been a hooker (and a difference maker which both of the above are).

Hopefully, fingers crossed, we hear an announcement that we've signed B Smith for 2023 in a couple of months.

 

[Dogtime]

Oohhh i wanted Damien, wait we had him, which f**ktard let him go.

That would be Mastercoach Desmond. The most astute spotter of talent in the NRL.

 

[Dogtime]

Hope this doesn't effect our chances in getting Brandon Smith for the 2023. He's off contract at the end of 2022 with the Storm but contract negotiations with other clubs for 2023 can start from November 1. I believe B Smith has previously had a meeting and tour of our club, be great to see him back in the same side as JAC.

Insiders tell me he's staying at Storm. Part of letting Finucane go was to secure Smith a more permanent role as starting lock. It's not rocket science. Smith will be extending at Storm for 3 more seasons. He's Bellamy favourite players and the joker at the Club. He's going nowhere. Hence why we've moved to secure a promising development hooker as there just aren't any decent first grade ones available for a few years.

 

[bradyk]

Insiders tell me he's staying at Storm. Part of letting Finucane go was to secure Smith a more permanent role as starting lock. It's not rocket science. Smith will be extending at Storm for 3 more seasons. He's Bellamy favourite players and the joker at the Club. He's going nowhere. Hence why we've moved to secure a promising development hooker as there just aren't any decent first grade ones available for a few years.

Smith said himself he wants to play hooker. Cook isn't that promising (no offence and that doesn't mean there's no chance he can make it, on the flipside Lichaa was promising and look how that turned out). JMK was our only hooker on our books for 22 (you can include BBO but he's really a halfback and Topine isn't really a hooker either) so that's the main reason why Cook was signed (limited options available now too). Anyways until Smith extends with the Storm he's our number 1 target.

 

[ILiveForDib]

Can he pass the ball to a players chest? Can he provide good service? If so his the best hooker ever had since Ennis.

 

[Alan79]

He does like his hero runs (Close to the tryline and push through). That's not going to work in the top grade that much. But it will keep the defence honest around dummy half.

I've yet to see a highlights video that doesn't have music that makes me want to jam a pencil in my ear. Most of this highlights package was about the dummy half running. I don't mind if hookers are good dummy half runners and practice it often, but first and foremost I want our hooker to be able to judge the timing on passes so all our forwards have to worry about is getting speed up before they get the ball. Plenty of great forwards take time to accelerate and that's why a lot of forwards that look average in a team without a good hooker go somewhere like the storm and look world class.

So to me, well timed passing and the ability to pick who to pass to is far more important than DH running.

Guys this is legit just his tries doesn’t reflect his playing style, how he directs the team and off the ball work. Don’t base your perception based on videos of his tries.

Exactly. Took me a long while to actually work out why Danny Buderas was highly rated back when he played. But it was simply a case of it making the job of everyone else easier, knowing that if they did their thing the ball would just get to them when they could use it.

 

[KingBurton]

Yeah I guess it’s a case of wait and see but he is highly rated especially in the Rabbitohs forum. Seems like he has great attitude / leadership qualities which would be great moving forward. We need respectable ambassadors for the club, country kids like Josh Jackson, Matt Burton and also Luke Thompson , then we have our Indigenous faction which include Addo-Carr, Naden, BBO and Joshua Cook (he has aboriginal heritage and is good mates with the fox), then we’ve got our Tongan/Samoan faction - guys like Ava, RFM, TPJ, Chris Patolo.

I don’t think we will suffer in the leadership department. Only concern is Vaughan but if he sits back and let’s his footy do the talking I’m happy.
Also on bloke in the bar apparently Hetherington is a cracking bloke who brings all the boys together

 

[Rod67]

Insiders tell me he's staying at Storm. Part of letting Finucane go was to secure Smith a more permanent role as starting lock. It's not rocket science. Smith will be extending at Storm for 3 more seasons. He's Bellamy favourite players and the joker at the Club. He's going nowhere. Hence why we've moved to secure a promising development hooker as there just aren't any decent first grade ones available for a few years.

I’ve thought similarly and the one thing you’re spot on about is the relationship between B Smith and Bellamy. There has been speculation for over a year as to whether Smith would stay or go at the Storm with Harry Grant coming back from the Tigers from last year. I said at the time B Smith’s decision on his future will be known when Bellamy decides his.

Bellamy has now announced he’s staying at the Storm until 2026 BUT is only coaching for one more year and then he’ll be taking up more of a development role at the club from ‘23. Once that was announced Smith signed on for ONE more year as well. He and his manager are playing this to their advantage and behind the scenes there are a number of clubs desperate for a quality hooker like him coming off contract at the end of ‘22.
Now he may very well stay on but I would’ve thought he’d signed for longer than ONE year after Bellamy made his announcement on his future.
Come November 1 things will become a lot clearer.

 

[Rod67]

Yeah I guess it’s a case of wait and see but he is highly rated especially in the Rabbitohs forum. Seems like he has great attitude / leadership qualities which would be great moving forward. We need respectable ambassadors for the club, country kids like Josh Jackson, Matt Burton and also Luke Thompson , then we have our Indigenous faction which include Addo-Carr, Naden, BBO and Joshua Cook (he has aboriginal heritage and is good mates with the fox), then we’ve got our Tongan/Samoan faction - guys like Ava, RFM, TPJ, Chris Patolo.

I don’t think we will suffer in the leadership department. Only concern is Vaughan but if he sits back and let’s his footy do the talking I’m happy.
Also on bloke in the bar apparently Hetherington is a cracking bloke who brings all the boys together

Yes all that and some good up and coming talent coming through to top it off like Paul Alamoti who’s signed with us until 2023, he goes good.

 

[Haddaway]

I told my son we signed Cook from the Rabbits and he went and told his mates we signed Damian haha

Hes soooo salty at me right now

 

[amapusae]

the highlights don’t mean shit. They don’t show the most important things. Firstly the fact that he’s been bred to be a hooker his whole career is huge, can’t say that for anyone at bulldogs. I haven’t seen his service and game management from dummy half but they are much more of what we’re looking for

 

[James zac]

Peter Cook? He was a champion jockey who won 2 Melbourne Cups didn't know he'd played for the Bulldogs.

Back in the 70s we had a Peter cook play for us mostly reserve grade

 

[The__GM]

The kid’s a gun, & tough! He played in the Perth 9s for South’s last year. Earmarked to make his debut this season only to suffer a shoulder injury in the early rounds of the NSW Cup this year. Very highly rated within South’s circles, their management tried playing hardball with negotiations & it’s backfired. If fit & gets a full preseason under his belt will be a major asset & push for the #9 jersey.

Cheers thanks for that! Looking forward to having actual depth at the 9 position in 2022.

 

[TwinTurbo]

Back in the 70s we had a Peter cook play for us mostly reserve grade

I remember Greg Cook late 70's early 80's, but Peter Cook doesn't ring a bell.

Always a Bulldog

 

[Cujo]

We signed Souths' 3rd string hooker woohoo

When we lost our Cook he was probably 3rd at the time as well...just saying.
He may be brilliant, or a bust, but couldn't possibly be as bad as Katoa has been for us!

 

[Rod67]

Back in the 70s we had a Peter cook play for us mostly reserve grade

Must've been early '70's as I only started following the Berries / Bulldogs from '76 and hadn't heard of him from then. The jockey Peter Cook won the Melbourne Cup in 1981 and 1984.

 

[Cujo]

I remember Greg Cook late 70's early 80's, but Peter Cook doesn't ring a bell.

Always a Bulldog

wasnt he a comedian with Dudley Moore?
Typical pommy camp bums & tits & humor...