Josh Cook (rugby league)

{{Short description|Ireland international rugby league footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Use Australian English|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Josh Cook

|fullname = Joshua Cook

|image = JOSHUA COOK.jpg

|image_size =

|caption =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1999|4|28}}

|birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

|height = {{convert|6|ft|0|in|m|abbr=on}}

|weight = {{convert|85|kg|stlb|abbr=on|order=flip}}

|position = {{Rlp|HK|}}

| teamA = {{rlnt|Ireland}}

| yearAstart = 2022

| yearAend = present

| appearancesA = 3

| triesA = 0

| goalsA = 0

| fieldgoalsA = 0

| pointsA = 0

|updated = 30 October 2022

}}

Joshua Cook (born 28 April 1999) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a {{rlp|hk}} for {{rlnt|Ireland}}.

Background and playing career

From the Sydney suburb of La Perouse, Cook represented New South Wales in the under 16s and the New South Wales Indigenous under 16s teams in 2015.{{Cite web|date=2019-07-08|title=Rabbitohs extend contract of Josh Cook for the next two seasons|url=https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2019/07/08/rabbitohs-extend-contract-of-josh-cook-for-the-next-two-seasons/|access-date=2021-09-20|website=South Sydney Rabbitohs|language=en}}

=North Sydney Bears=

In 2018 he played for the North Sydney Bears in the Canterbury Cup, making 2 appearances for the season. Cook then signed with South Sydney, where he would score a try in 5 appearances for the 2019 Canterbury Cup season. In 2020, he only made one appearance for the season (round 1 against the Newtown Jets) before the rest of the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. In 2021, he scored a try against the Penrith Panthers (NSW Cup) in round 1.{{Cite web|title=Panthers v Rabbitohs|url=https://www.nswrl.com.au/draw/nsw-cup/2021/round-1/panthers-v-rabbitohs/|access-date=2021-09-20|website=New South Wales Rugby League|language=en}} He played in 8 games until the conclusion of round 15 which marked the time the remainder of the season was cancelled due to the outbreak of Coronavirus in New South Wales.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

He did not play a game for the South Sydney club in 2021 and has yet to play an NRL game, due to troubles with a shoulder injury, alongside COVID-19 restrictions.{{Cite web|title=Joshua Cook|url=https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/teams/nsw-cup/south-sydney-rabbitohs-nsw/joshua-cook/?_ga=2.53009066.327315325.1632137449-885400472.1632137447|access-date=2021-09-20|website=South Sydney Rabbitohs|language=en}}

=Canterbury–Bankstown Bulldogs=

In September 2021, following the expiration of his two-year deal with South Sydney, Cook signed a two-year deal with the Canterbury–Bankstown Bulldogs. The second year was a club option.{{Cite web|date=2021-09-07|title=Bulldogs sign hooker Josh Cook for the next two years|url=https://www.bulldogs.com.au/news/2021/09/07/bulldogs-sign-hooker-josh-cook-for-the-next-two-years/|access-date=2021-09-20|website=Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs|language=en}} Cook is of Irish descent. Cook is also Indigenous, part of the Bidjigal and Yuin clans.{{cite web | url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/08/03/indigenous-map-showcases-nrl-nrlw-players-heritage/ | title=Indigenous map showcases NRL, NRLW players' heritage | date=3 August 2020 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2022/03/23/league-of-nations-stars-representing-40-countries/ |title=League of nations:Stars representing 40 countries |publisher=NRL.com |first=Brad |last=Walter |date=23 March 2022}}

In October 2022 Cook was released from the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs following a decision by the club to not take up the second year option in the contract, after failing to crack into the Bulldogs NRL team.

=Ireland=

He made his international debut on 16 October 2022 against {{rlnt|Jamaica}}.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}

References