Bulldogs captain Cook proud to bring up centuryThursday, May 12, 2016 - 1:00 PM - by Chris Pike

RYAN Cook came to South Fremantle looking for a one-year adventure after his time in the AFL but now sees himself a Bulldogs player for life as he prepares for his 100th WAFL appearance this Saturday.

Cook spent four years playing 14 AFL matches with Collingwood but once he was delisted at the end of the 2010 season, he was looking for a new adventure in life and when the offer came to join the WAFL and play with South Fremantle, it was an opportunity he jumped at.

But he only saw himself playing with the Bulldogs for that 2011 season before returning home.

Five years later and Cook is about to celebrate his 100-game milestone this Saturday when the Bulldogs take on Peel Thunder at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

The 28-year-old has been captain of the Bulldogs ever since 2012, is a two-time WJ Hughes Medal winner as the club's fairest and best and has twice been runner-up while representing Western Australia in four of his five previous WAFL seasons.

The team Cook played in for 2011 featured South Fremantle greats like Toby McGrath, Jaymie Graham, Theo Adams, Josh Head, Kris Miller, Paul Mugambwa, Ryan Murphy, Hayden North and Craig White.

Things have dramatically changed since with Cook the last of that group still playing and he is tremendously honoured to reach the 100-game milestone this Saturday to book his name on the No. 32 locker.

"It's come along pretty quick. I first came over just for that one year when I got here from Melbourne," Cook said on The Kennel on 91.3 SportFM.

"But I played that year out and it was awesome. Jaymie Graham was our captain, Toby McGrath was still running around and so were guys like Paul Mugambwa, Josh Head, Hayden North and so many great players.

"It's been six years now. I remember thinking after that first year that I decided I wanted to stick around and get to 100 at the club. It's just such a proud club and you fall in love with the place, and it's not just the players but everyone who is involved.

"You just feel really part of it and they don't call it the Premier Family Club for no reason. It's a special club and it should be good this weekend."

Given the experienced players South Fremantle had when Cook first arrived and that he has continued to play with up until the end of last year like White and Mugambwa, Cook realises now as he reaches his 100th game in his fifth year as skipper that he's one of the oldest and most experienced players in the Bulldogs team desperate to make finals for the first time since 2011.

"When I first came over I had a bit of hair on my head but since those guys all left it's all gone, so that's not too good. I'm one of the oldest here now. I think only Hamsy is a bit older and Googsy is a few months younger, but I'm one of the old boys," he said.

"With these young guys coming through we've got a lot of quality developing and those successful colts players are up and playing now, and they've played a lot of footy with each other. They all know each other's game which is good and the whole group is gelling really well at the moment."

Cook has been a remarkably consistent performer throughout his opening 99 games with South Fremantle. That's why he is a two-time fairest and best winner, two-time runner-up and a four-time representative for WA in state matches.

He has split time throughout his career from playing on the ball, the wing and even stints at half-forward or half-back.

With the addition of Shane Hockey this year and the form in the middle of Ashton Hams, Steven Verrier and Tim Kelly, Cook and Haiden Schloithe found themselves as half-forwards during South Fremantle's five-game winning run to start 2016.

Cook was happy to play his role for the team but has been happy to get back to the wing the past two weeks including a 30-possession, two-goal best on ground display in last Saturday's stunning comeback victory over Claremont at the Showground.

"I've been lucky enough to get back on the wing the past couple of weeks which has been good," he said.

"I had been playing forward the first five or six rounds and I was getting a little bit lost there for a little bit, and my own form was down a bit. It was good to get a bit of touch back on the weekend and play well."

Cook is looking forward to his milestone game this Saturday on home turf but knows that Peel Thunder will be no pushovers having come off a maiden finals appearance in 2016. Cook will also lock horns with old East Fremantle foe Rory O'Brien again.

The two captained their teams in derbies against one another the last couple of years, but O'Brien is back at Peel this year and will celebrate his 100th match for the Thunder on Saturday as well.

"We know they have quality but every side does. It's just about coming out and trying to play your way, and trying to stamp yourselves on the game nice and early," Cook said.

"It's our home deck so hopefully we can come out and put on a good show, and keep playing the same good footy we have been except for the game against Subi where we didn’t play our way for a half.

"We know we will have to rock up to play four quarters of quality and if we do that, we should be singing the song at the end of the day."