Cook calls on premiership skippers to help Bulldogs rise

RYAN Cook took South Fremantle's slow start to the 2014 WAFL season to heart and called in the Bulldogs' last two captains to help inspire the group, and as a result he enjoyed Saturday's win over West Perth as much as anyone.

Cook is now in his fourth season at South Fremantle and his third as captain following on from premiership skippers David Gault and Toby McGrath.

The 26-year-old former Collingwood player of 14 AFL matches has certainly made his mark since arriving at South Fremantle in 2011 with two fairest and best awards under his belt, but another slow start to the season to open 2014 was the last thing he was hoping for, or expecting.

After losing the opening seven games of 2013, South Fremantle lost the first four of 2014 heading into Saturday's clash with the reigning premiers West Perth at Arena Joondalup.

However, the Bulldogs had been close in three of the first four games they lost and had a good record against West Perth at Arena Joondalup to call upon, and came away with a terrific 23-point victory.

During the tough opening month, Cook had initiated for both Gault and McGrath to come down and speak to the playing group about their experiences in successful South Fremantle teams.

Once Cook kicked a goal to seal the win during the final quarter, he could finally let out some frustration.

"I obviously take losing pretty hard and want to keep motivating the boys, and I've been trying to do that. We had Toby McGrath and David Gault come down, the last two premiership captains, to have a chat to us and that was good," Cook said.

"I've tried a couple of different things and we had a couple of old South boys to have a talk just about the proud history, and who we are really playing for. It's not just ourselves, there is a lot of people who barrack for South Fremantle around WA.

"We haven’t been playing too bad. The East Perth game was a blowout and they got us at home, but as I said to the boys leading into the game, the missed opportunities in front of goals has been hurting us. We've been all right and now it's obviously nice to get a win.

"It was a great feeling when I kicked that goal. 'Smack' (Adam McIntosh) was behind me and told me to aim for the right post, and I went for the left but it still just drifted in. I let a big yell out when that went through. It felt really good."

South Fremantle's forward-line hadn’t quite clicked over the first four rounds combining for 48.50, but it worked a treat on Saturday led by seven goals to Ben Saunders and four to newly turned swingman Craig White.

"We isolated him (Saunders) a bit more and we know how good he is in his one-on-ones. The energy he brings to the side gets everyone else up and about so we need him to back that up again next week for the derby," Cook said.

"He (White) has been good and could be a good swingman for us. At the start of his career he started as a forward, and he is a very accurate kick so you know when he's having a set shot he more than not will slot them. And don’t worry, we will be hearing all about it too.

"That's been a good change up for us and then Ashton (Hams) going down back he is so creative with the ball, and so is Googsy (Adam Guglielmana). Those changes have been good."

With James Sellar missing the last three matches with a knee injury, a lot of responsibility has been heaped on to East Perth recruit Brock Higgins to carry the ruck duties, but he has done so with aplomb.

He battled hard in Round 3 against Paul Johnson and Scott Lycett and now has been the best ruckman on the ground the last two weeks. Cook sees him firsthand in the midfield and couldn’t be happier with what he's brought to the team.

"We just know what to expect from him and he knows his game better than anyone in our side," he said.

"He knows he's not going to create too much when he's having a kick and he tries to handball off when he can. We've needed that target up the line the last couple of years and haven’t really had it, but he's clunking those marks. It's good to see and just gets everyone up and about."

Another player Cook is seeing firsthand in the midfield is Haiden Schloithe who has now racked up 75 possessions the past two weeks, but that doesn’t surprise his skipper at all.

"I've seen it the last couple of years that he has been building to this sort of form. I watched him pretty closely back in the colts and he has really taken another step this year," he said.

"It's just that consistency and backing up week after week that is good to see him. Previously it would be one good game and then a couple of ordinary ones, but he's now had three or four really good wins in-a-row. It's good to see."

South Fremantle prepares for the now traditional Anzac Day derby this Friday against East Fremantle at East Fremantle Oval with Cook fully aware how important it is that the Bulldogs back up their performance against the Falcons.

"It's always a big day," Cook said.

"It can go either way with that as well. It's always a big occasion on Anzac Day and we are looking forward to it."

By Chris Pike