You have to wonder if the Wests Tigers’ dreadful start to the year could cost new skipper Api Koroisau his NSW No. 9 jersey.
Not so, for now, say Blues officials, but rival rake Damien Cook is certainly giving selectors plenty to think about as he knuckles down for South Sydney ahead of yet another blockbuster game against the premiers on Thursday night.
Cook was relegated to a bench spot for game two in Perth last year, with Koroisau retaining the starting honours in the decider.
Both players are expected to feature for the Blues again this series – even Queensland are happy to juggle the dummy-half duties between premier No. 9 Harry Grant and Ben Hunt – but the prestige and who starts in Adelaide is shaping as an intriguing debate.
As Koroisau still waits to sing the team song at the Tigers, Cook and South Sydney have had an Origin-like start to the NRL season with no shortage of heavyweight contests.
Cook has already gone head-to-head with the Sydney Roosters’ Brandon Smith, Melbourne’s Grant, Canterbury’s Reed Mahoney and now the premiers a second time.
Will Damien Cook reclaim the NSW No. 9 jersey if the Wests Tigers and Api Koroisau continue to struggle.Credit: Getty
When the 31-year-old missed out on the Kangaroos World Cup squad late last year, he set his sights on trying to reclaim the No.9 for state and country, along with winning his first premiership.
As he enjoyed his first hit out at Souths’ new digs at Heffron Park, Cook deflected any hint of a battle between Koroisau and himself.
“I’ll leave that one to ‘Freddy’ [Brad Fittler] to make that decision,” Cook said.
“For now I’m fully focused on [Souths].
Wests Tigers skipper Api Koroisau is still chasing his first win with the club.
“We’ve played a lot of Thursday and Friday games, so family time takes over [after] that, and I haven’t watched [a lot of other footy]. And if The Wiggles is not on TV, my son blows up.
“Over the years I’ve learned you can only control what you can control.”
One Souths player who would have been pushing for a Blues call-up is Keaon Koloamatangi, the hard-running and defensive back-rower who will now be sidelined for up to two months with an ankle injury.
Meanwhile, Cook was full of praise for his NSW teammate – and Accor Stadium rival – Nathan Cleary whose magical boot proved the difference again on the weekend against Newcastle.
“He doesn’t get bored of what he does, he’s a great player, I’ve played alongside him, I’ve watched him closely when he’s training and what he does, and he deserves the credit,” Cook said.
“He and ‘Trell’ [Latrell Mitchell] have similar attitudes, if they miss [a field-goal], they’re like, ‘give it to me again, I want it again’.
“That’s what the great players do – they want the ball to win the game.
“I’ve seen the amount of work Cleary does in [Origin] camp with kicking. But hopefully we start well on Thursday, and it doesn’t come down to that.”
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