State of Origin 2018: Damien Cook finally grabs spotlight after years in the shadows

His prodigious speed and work ethic meant he rarely ran second to anyone, with the footy at Rex Jackson Oval, or in the sprint at Stanwell Park Beach. Opportunity, however, proved elusive. 

Back in his primary school days, he was stuck in representative sides behind Cameron King. It was Mitch Rein and Craig Garvey at St George Illawarra, then Michael Ennis at Canterbury.

At South Sydney, he spent plenty of time deputising for NSW hooking rival Cameron McInnes. When McInnes departed for the Dragons, Cook still had to share hooking duties with former NSW captain Robbie Farah.

It was only this season that new Souths coach Anthony Siebold put his full faith in the 26-year-old as his first – and only – choice dummy-half.

NSW coach Brad Fittler did the same on Monday, and when the curtain lifted on the Blues new guard, the former Helensburgh Tiger was centre stage – an understudy no more.

It’s a feeling he could barely put into words when he phoned his parents to deliver the news last Monday.

“I think he’s always felt that he was second best, he’s always had to fight to get to that number one [spot],” mum Ann told the Illawarra Mercury. 

“Wherever he’s gone there’s been someone that people thought were a bit better and they got the go, he never got that opportunity.

“When he called, he said ‘I’m in the team’, we started talking and it was just silence. He couldn’t speak anymore he was so emotional.

“For him to be the number one [hooker] for NSW… it was just an absolute magic moment.

“It was beautiful, I started crying, his dad started crying, it was such a special moment. I’m getting teary now just talking about it.”

It’s with good reason, given the road Cook’s taken to a State of Origin debut, 16 days shy of his 27^th birthday, has been as steep and winding as Lawrence Hargrave Drive. 

Having been cast aside by the Panthers in 2012 after two years in the NYC, Cook was initially knocked back by the newly formed Illawarra Cutters. Ann recalls that was the bitterest of pills.

“I remember the very first knock back when he went for a trial with the Cutters when he came back from Penrith,” Ann said.

“He played really well and I remember all the local [Illawarra] clubs were ringing him up and offering big money to play local football.

“He got the phone call [from the Cutters] to say they had too many hookers and they didn’t need him.

“He was shattered but he repeated the phone call back to us and they’d told him he could go and train with the them.

“We just said ‘look, they’ve given you a window’ and he said ‘I’m going to take it with both hands, and I’ll prove them wrong’. He always had that ‘I’ll show them’ attitude.” 

The Cutters ultimately picked him up and he claimed Paul McGregor’s coach’s award in 2013, making two top-grade appearances for the Dragons. 

He made just seven in the next two seasons after shifting to Canterbury, supplementing his meagre league income with shifts pulling beers at Helensburgh Tradies.

He could’ve been forgiven for jumping to the other side of the bar and tossing it in, but dad Graham says his boy never thought of quitting. 

“You liked to think he could [make it] one day because he always had that dream but there were a lot of ups and downs between the clubs,” Graham said.

“God, there were a lot lows and knock backs but he had a goal. All he wanted to do was play top grade rugby league so he had to pick himself up and have another go.

“He could’ve stopped any time. A lot of people would’ve stopped after the first knock back, even the second. He had two or three real major setbacks but he just said ‘this is what I want’.

“He’s always been very determined and competitive little bugger right through his life. Backyard cricket was a Test Match at our place. 

“He’s got brothers and with all their cousins there’s a dozen of them. They’d split up into two teams of six and it was full on,” he said.

“We’ve had State of Origins in our backyard I think,” Ann added.

Cook will become the second Helensburgh Tiger to represent the club at Origin level (after Justin Poore in 2009) but Ann said it’s the way he’s gone about it that leaves her most proud.

“A lot of people have speed, or talent, but there’s a whole package you need,” she said.

“It’s not just about your physical ability and talent, it’s about your commitment and desire to get to where you want to be.

“We can’t put into words how proud we are of the man he is and the footballer he’s become.”

In an ironic twist, Graham and Ann happened to be holidaying in Cane Toad territory at Caloundra when Cook called and will fly from Brisbane to Melbourne for game one.

Given what the emotion was like in their caravan on Sunday night, neither quite knows how they’ll handle it when they see the Blue jumper with the name ‘COOK’ emblazoned on the back run onto a packed MCG. 

“I’ll be nervous,” Graham said.

“And I’ll be crying,” Ann said.

“Before any game, as a mum, I get that anxiety before the game knowing he’s running out… there’s anxiousness and pride. I just can’t imagine how good we’re going to feel.”