Cooke, was a young up and coming fullback from Emmaville in New South Wales, who joined his brother Jack, who was a centre, at Northern Suburbs in Newcastle. He had represented various Northern New South Wales representative teams before coming to South Sydney. He impressed in the trials and was graded and made his first grade club and premiership debut in the 1942 Round 1 clash against Eastern Suburbs at the Sports Ground.
Cooke had one desire when he came to Sydney and that was to play at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Cooke a good fullback, however was not a strong kicker. He almost lost his dreams when two weeks later Cooke severed the tops of two of his fingers at work. But a special bandage was prepared and he he fullfilled his dream in from of his parents who had come down from Newcastle when he took the field in the 1942 Round 4 clash against Canterbury-Bankstown at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Cooke only played 1 season with South Sydney in 1942. He played 9 first grade club games for South Sydney, which included 8 first grade premiership games. Overall he played 10 senior grade games for South Sydney, which included 9 senior grade premiership games.
Cooke played his final first grade premiership game in the 1942 Round 9 clash against Western Suburbs at the Sports Ground. the following week he played his final first grade club game against his brother in the 1942 Tour clash Newcastle at the Newcaste Sports Ground. A few weeks later he played his final senior grade club and premiership game in the 1942 Round 12 Reserve Grade clash against Balmain at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
He trialled in 1944 with South Sydney without success.
Player Relatives
Brother - Cooke, Jack (Newc-Norths)
Representative Qualification
NSW Country
Date of Birth
Emmaville - 8th July 1920 (Died - 1983)
Previous Clubs First Grade
M T G FG Pt
Emmaville (1937-40)
Northern Suburbs (Newc) (1941)
Previous Rep Honours M T G FG Pt
Glen Innes (1938-39)
Group 5 (1939) 1 - - - -
Combined Northern NSW (1940) 1 1 - - 3
Newcastle (1940) 1 1 - - 3
Combined Country II (1940) 1 - 2 - 4
Playing Career at South Sydney (1942)
South Sydney First Grade Debut
1942 May 2 Rd01 SSG v Eastern Suburbs (21y 298d)
First Grade
Premiership : City Cup : Tour
M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts
1942 8 8 - - - 1 2 : - - - - - - - : 1 1 - - - - -
TOTAL 8 8 - - - 1 2 : - - - - - - - : 1 1 - - - - -
SS FG 9 9 - - - 1 2
Lower Grades
Reserve Grade : Third Grade
Year M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts
1942 1 1 - - - - - : - - - - - - -
TOTAL 1 1 - - - - - : - - - - - - -
South Sydney Senior(FG/RG/3G) Grade Career
Premiership : Cup : All Matches
M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts
CAREER 9 9 - - - 1 2 : - - - - - - - : 10 10 - - - 1 2
Captaincy Record at South Sydney
never
Suspension Record at South Sydney
Year Grade v Wk CHARGE never
Representative Honours at South Sydney
Year Pos Team Versus Match T G/A FG none
First Class Playing Career (1939-42)
M T G FG Pts
Total FG Premiership 8 - - 1 2
Total FG Cup - - - - -
Total FG Club Tour 1 - - - -
Total Internationals - - - - -
Total State - - - - -
Total Other Representative 4 2 2 - 10
TOTAL FIRST CLASS 13 2 2 1 12
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