Player Column – Ryan Cook State Game

I FEEL very fortunate to have been selected in my fourth State game this coming weekend. It is a privilege to be presented with the black and gold swan jumper and a huge honour to be representing not only all of the WAFL players but also the coaches, support staff, fans and football public of Western Australia.

It’s always an odd feeling when it comes to the first training session in the build up to the game as you battle it out week after week in season against these guys that you are now training alongside and calling your teammates. I enjoy the three week lead up to the game as you get to see the best players across the league showcase their skills at training and you get to know them more on a personal level.

It is always a challenge when it comes to these big games to try and galvanise as a group as quickly as possible, but I think this is something that the players over the last five years have grasped really well and I think this has held us in good stead and allowed us to win most games.

This year is great as I find myself sharing the memories with some current Bulldogs teammates in Ashton Hams, Blayne Wilson, Marlion Pickett and Cory Dell’Olio, all of who are fantastic players and whom I think will shine on the big stage. One teammate who I think is very unlucky not to have been selected is Adam Guglielmana who I believe has been one of the best small defenders in the competition for a number of years shutting down a lot of quality opposition forwards and also winning a lot of his own ball, hopefully he gets his chance within the next couple of years.

We find ourselves with the unique opportunity in this year’s game to hopefully be able to say that the WAFL is the best state league competition in the country by coming away with a win. This is something we as a whole have been working towards for the last few years priding ourselves on having a professional approach and strong mindset heading into each game.

I’m sure that if we can play as a team we will come away with the chocolates this Saturday afternoon, it would be great for us South boys to do the football club proud with all of us having strong performances and for the entire state players and staff to do WA proud in becoming the best state league competition in the country.