Matt Cook is set to retire at the end of the 2021 season.
The 34-year-old has had a brilliant career which included six seasons with the Tigers between 2015 and 2020, making 115 appearances in Cas colours.
Cook played a huge part in the Tigers team during his time at Wheldon Road, with Castleford finishing in the top five of the Super League table on four occasions in this period, including the League Leaders’ Shield in 2017 when the Fords’ finished 1st in the top-flight for the first time in the club’s history.
A veteran of almost 300 matches, Cook’s career began with Bradford Bulls where he won the 2006 World Club Challenge before moving to Hull Kingston Rovers. In the capital, he became captain of London Broncos before joining Castleford, and in this what will be his final season, Matt has been a Widnes Vikings player, and at an international level, he has two England appearances to his name.
Head Coach at Castleford Tigers Daryl Powell commented on Cook’s retirement saying: “Cooky has got such a great sense of humour. When we used to do the jokey skits in our camps, he always absolutely annihilated me with his sense of humour. I respected him that much that I didn’t worry about that stuff, I just found it really funny.
“As a player, he was class here, an impact-type player who came off the bench and was explosive. He was quick and scored some really great tries for us with his speed and ability to make a break around the middle. I always talk about the kind of people that we sign at the club, and he is one of those outstanding people that we build on.”
“He’s had an awesome career, such a good bloke and personality, always had a smile and I would like to wish him all the best. No doubt he will be awesome with whatever he does next.”
