LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
St George Illawarra Dragons player Damien Cook, whose contract is up, faced a challenging 2025 season but remains dedicated to improving his new team. Despite the struggles, he is focused on transforming the Dragons' fortunes.
Cook has expressed his intention to remain with the club beyond 2026, advocating for a bolder game strategy that he believes is essential for the Dragons to return to the finals, a feat they haven't achieved since 2018.
Although Cook is recognized as one of the NRL's most reliable players over the past decade, the Dragons finished 15th in the 2025 season, securing only eight victories. Notably, ten of their sixteen defeats were by a margin of ten points or less, highlighting their competitiveness despite a low ranking.
This competitive spirit has influenced Cook as he approaches a pivotal season that is critical for both his personal career and the team's future. "I'm still loving my footy, I'm still loving my training," Cook shared with the Daily Telegraph.
He further emphasized, "The time I fall out of love with footy is when it becomes a really hard job to do… but at the moment, I've still got a lot of goals, especially here at the Dragons."