Player Column – Ryan Cook Round 10

LOOKING back a couple of weeks I got to celebrate my 100th game for the club and it was a great day. I had mum come over for the second week in a row after she came over for my 99th as well because I stuffed that up.

So I booked her a ticket to come back again for two days again for my 100th but it was good to have her here. The whole day worked out well and I just wanted the four points and we got that, and our reserves and colts won too so it couldn’t have gone any better.

Our milestone games in the past I've been part of for Whitey, Chewy and Red Bairstow haven’t gone too well and I think we've lost them all, so I was happy to get the win that's for sure.

When I was on Higgo's Heroes I thought there was a bit much happening around me coming into the game and I'm not one who usually likes to have that much said about myself, but it was nice and it doesn’t happen very often.

One thing that definitely surprised me was the thickness of the banner. I sort of got stuck in it at one stage so I have to keep doing my weights if I hope to break through it next time if I ever get the chance again. I will have a lot of fond memories from it though. And having mum here made it even better and it's something I can always talk to her about. We even got looked after with it being a sunny day. It quickly gets forgotten about, though, and I had my 101st game on the weekend out against Swannies and nothing was said about it.

That was the second time we've faced Swans and we have gone through playing every side in the comp now and had a look at them. We knew we had to face in on the Swans game on the weekend and we did that and both grades came away with comfortable wins. It's now good to have a break and a bit of a mental freshener ahead of the derby next Monday. It's a good time to chill out this weekend and watch everyone else go at it.

Both us and East Freo haven’t always been going that great when we've met in derbies but now this year we are both up and about, and playing good footy. I reckon that pressure of playing a good side in big games is good for us too. The more pressure games you can play when you are 8-1 and the more practice can only help with finals looking like they could be on. The pressure of big games can only help us down the road.

The Foundation Derby is always a special occasion. We usually get a couple of old stalwarts in during the week to speak to the boys about the tradition of the club and its proud history, and the games they were part of. We do build it up and I think that's a good thing. It changes it up from a usual week and it's a big game that we all are looking forward to.

It's a great honour to be included in the 40-man state squad this year as well for our game against Tasmania is a couple of weeks. I've been lucky enough to play in four of them now since coming over here and the one I missed was against the Vics so I was filthy to miss that one. Playing Tassie this year hopefully I can get it but there's a big squad to pick from. I have enjoyed playing in the four that I've been part of it. You go at it for three weeks together on the training track and come together for that one game, and it is a good feeling. I've only lost one of out of the four so three of them have been great memories especially so far.

It's great for us to have seven players in the squad at this stage and that's a good sign of how well we've been going this year. But Shane Hockey is another one who is a bit unlucky. We are living together so I actually thought my envelope was meant to go to him when it turned up in the mail. He turned one on again against Swans so there could still be a chance he will get in even though we have the bye this weekend. Big Josh Pullman is another one who could get a look in. We are calling him Glen Jakovich at the moment and he's playing really good footy for us down back. It's good to look down there and see a big brick wall in the way.

Adam Guglielmana is another one in good form and he was invited to the state squad back in 2011 and just missed out. We already have seven but we could easily have some more and it would be great to play with as many as possible if I'm lucky enough to get picked. But first of all our whole focus is on the derby on Monday and we want to see as many people get out there as possible for what's always a great occasion.