South Sydney Rabbitohs' star hooker Damien Cook has confirmed negotiations have commenced to keep him at the club beyond the end of the 2023 season, when he is currently off-contract.
The Rabbitohs, who have struggled enormously compared to pre-season expectations and their 2021 grand final appearance this season, are currently facing enormous questions over the future of their roster.
Cook is joined off-contract at the end of 2023 by Cody Walker, with both players underperforming this season following the high-profile departures of Wayne Bennett to coach the Dolphins in their inaugural season, and Adam Reynolds, who took up a long-term contract at the now resurgent Brisbane Broncos.
While speculation has mounted over the future of Cook, he confirmed to The Daily Telegraph that he wants to stay, and that negotiations have commenced ahead of the November 1 deadline when he could field offers from other clubs.
โThey have started,โ Cook said.
โI spoke to my manager a couple of weeks ago before Origin started because I didnโt want anything to do with it while this was happening.
โI also spoke to the coach as well and the club, so they know where I want to be.
โI love the club, they know that so now I can just leave it between the club and the management. Heโll keep me updated but I have told him not to tell me anything during camp and to keep it to himself.โ
The publication's David Riccio told SEN Radio that it could be a two-year extension on the table, keeping Cook at the club until 2025.
It's understood Cook's camp would be happy with those terms, taking him through to the age of 34.
โNegotiations are underway, and they want to re-sign him until at least the end of the 2025 season,โ Riccio said.
โSo here we are in 2022, so far at least another three seasons.
โThat takes him through until 34, thatโs a significant investment by Souths.
โThe catch there will be will Souths and Cook agree on financial terms,
โItโs all well and good to say they want to offer him a new deal, but will it be at Damien Cookโs asking price.โ
The potential sticking point is the future of Peter Mamouzelos, who is rated as the club's future number nine, and not a player they will want to lose by keeping Cook for too long.
It was similar reasoning that the club didn't fight for Adam Reynolds when the Brisbane Broncos swooped in with a long-term offer ahead of 2022, with Lachlan Ilias viewed as the club's long-term halfback.
Cook has lost his starting spot for a must-win State of Origin Game 2, replaced by Penrith Panthers' hooker Apisai Koroisau for the trip to Perth, with Cook to come from the bench.
