Exclusive: Matt Cook on Castleford Tigers memories and Widnes Vikings pride

Matt Cook will always be a fan favourite down at the Jungle for Castleford Tigers fans.

Having signed for the club ahead of the 2015 Super League season from relegated London Broncos – where he had been captain – the prop forward was tipped to be a great squad player to have for Daryl Powell in his second full season in charge of the Tigers.

But, he became much more than that; instead, Cook became one of the Tigers’ most potent strike weapons off the bench, with a heart the size of a lion and a running game that devastated a number of defences in his wake.

And, Cook himself has revealed to Serious About Rugby League that he enjoyed the best rugby of his career at the Jungle.

“The six years I had at Cas were unbelievable, the best six years of my career without a doubt,” Cook said.

“Especially the 2017 season, what we achieved was a dream – we dominated the league all that season and won the actual league and League Leaders’ Shield for the first time in the club’s history.

“Getting to play in the maiden Grand Final for the club was unbelievable but it was shame we couldn’t go on and actually win it.”

The 35-year-old was also keen to point out that he made friends for life at Castleford.

“The entire six years I had at the club was special, I played the best rugby of my career and I’ve got friends for life there.

“I still talk to Michael Shenton, Grant Millington and Andy Lynch; there are so many boys I keep in contact with and they are friends for life.

“I envisioned playing there until the end of my career – I was never going to leave until they were ready to let me go.”

His commitment to the Castleford cause was evident as, when he spoke to Serious About Rugby League, the forward revealed that multiple clubs had got in touch to ask about potential moves – only for Cook to discard the offers.

“During my six years at Cas, there definitely was interest from a number of clubs, especially when the majority of my time at Cas I was only signing one-year deals,” Cook told Serious About Rugby League.

“We kept ticking over 12 months at a time, they were Super League clubs asking after me during the first five years there.”

The 35-year-old, however, stated that there was never any intention of leaving the Jungle whatsoever.

“I knew we were doing something special and I was playing some of the best rugby I’d ever played there.

“Powelly’s (Daryl Powell) vision and the club’s vision in contesting for silverware was what I strived for and there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to stay there.”

Cook played 11 times for Widnes in 2021, however, the 35-year-old has revealed that they were just one of many clubs that had been chasing him to play in the second-tier following a known-about Castleford exit.

“The move to Widnes came about during lockdown in 2020, I had a few Championship clubs come in to talk to me,” Cook told Serious About Rugby League.

“Cas told me they weren’t going to keep me on for 2021 which was down to me missing a lot of games – I had missed pre-season and the opening six fixtures due to a calf tear and when I was due back, we went into lockdown and it was during those months that I knew my career at Cas would come to an end.”

Cook explained that the move to Widnes “made the most sense” given his proximity to the club and his father’s affinity with the Vikings.

“Lockdown opened up an opportunity to move on elsewhere, but Widnes made the most sense.

“They were right on my doorstep which was handy and my whole dad’s side of the family were all from Widnes and I thought he would be so proud of me for pulling on that black and white shirt.

“Hopefully one day they can get back in Super League because they are such a huge and iconic club.”

Cook now hangs up the boots with aspirations of becoming a General Manager at a Super League club with a keen interest in business.

Whether that’s at Castleford or another club remains to be seen, but this is unlikely to be the last we see of Cook in the sport.