Captain Cook on target to create South Fremantle history

RYAN Cook is gearing up to lead South Fremantle for a fifth WAFL season and is on target to become the Bulldogs' longest ever serving captain surpassing 1997 premiership skipper Peter Worsfold during 2016.

Cook arrived at South Fremantle in 2011 after four seasons and 14 games with Collingwood in the AFL. He had an outstanding season in 2011 and then was appointed captain for 2012 and has remained the skipper of the Bulldogs ever since.

The 28-year-old has played 92 games with South Fremantle with 71 of those as captain while along the way winning two WJ Hughes Medals and representing Western Australia in four of his five seasons.

Peter Worsfold was captain of South Fremantle, co-captain with Jon Dorotich in 1997 and Peter Sumich in 1998, from 1995-99 for a total of 85 matches but now Cook is closing in on that club record.

Cook has now captained South Fremantle in 71 matches meaning that the second half of the 2016 season, all going well, will see him become the Bulldogs' longest serving skipper.

That is quite the accomplishment considering the remarkable history of South Fremantle with 13 premierships and some remarkable captains through the years including Clive Lewington, Frank Treasure, John Todd, Hassa Mann and Noel Carter.

Even in recent times Marty Atkins, David Gault and Toby McGrath have served as inspirational captains and outstanding servants of the Bulldogs, but none of them have been able to lead South Fremantle for a fifth season like Cook is about to do.

Now 2016 is shaping up as a memorable season for Cook with him needing eight games to bring up 100 with South Fremantle and 15 to become the longest ever serving captain.

He is certainly now feeling more comfortable as captain, but what he wants more than anything is to take part in finals action for the first time since 2011. And he is confident that in coach Todd Curley's second year in charge that can eventuate.

"I'm getting pretty comfortable with it now, I suppose you'd have to be leading into the fifth year with it. I think it's something you grow with each year. I remember Toby McGrath talking to me when I first got it and he said just make it your own and I'm used to it now," Cook said on Channel 7's South Fremantle preview.

"We are feeling good coming into Curls' second year. We know the game plan really well now and we are feeling good coming into the season. We've got four South boys back from AFL lists, which is really good, and they came through the colts ranks with a lot of the boys that are still there now."