Cook was born in Warrington, Cheshire, England. Cook represented England at all levels up to under-19s in rugby union and up to under-18s in rugby league. He represented the England Academy rugby league side where he scored two tries in the record-breaking win over Australia. As a junior, he played for Bedford Swifts when they were both a rugby league and rugby union side.
Playing career
2000s
Cook signed for Super League club the Bradford Bulls from Saracens during December 2003. In 2005, Cook made his Super League début for the Bradford Bulls against St. Helens on Monday 28 March 2005, and he went on to make several appearances off the bench. In 2006, Cook started the season with a 30-10 victory over National Rugby League premiers the Wests Tigers in the 2006 World Club Challenge. He also played in the Challenge Cup round victory over Hull F.C. where he was awarded the man of the match. At the end of 2006's Super League XI he played in the play-off semi-final loss against Hull FC, and made his England début on Sunday 22 October 2006 against France national rugby league team and earned a second cap against Tonga national rugby league team leading to the team winning the Federation Shield competition. In 2007, Cook established a regular bench spot and made his first starting game against the Leeds Rhinos in the controversial Millennium Magic Weekend match. In 2008, Cook had a brief loan spell at the Castleford Tigers before his parent club the Bradford Bulls called him back. He played just 3 games for the Castleford Tigers where he also scored a try on his début against Hull F.C. on Friday 11 April 2008. On 1 September 2009 Cook signed for the Hull Kingston Rovers on a 2-year contract, starting with the 2010 season.
2010s
In 2010, Cook made his Hull Kingston Rovers début on 7 February against Salford Red Devils. He also played in the club's first ever play-off win with a 24-04 victory over local rivals Hull F.C. In 2011, Cook found his game time limited but still managed to score an impressive 5-tries in only 10 games for the Robins. On the 1 of September 2011 Cook signed for London Broncos on a 3-year contract, starting with the 2012 season. In 2012, Cook made his London Broncos début on 12 February against Warrington Wolves. In 2013, Cooks dreams of playing at Wembley Stadium in the Challenge Cup final came to an end when the team came crashing to an embarrassing 70-0 record semi-final defeat by Wigan Warriors. In 2014, after the club narrowly avoided going into administration at the end of 2013, Cook was handed the tough challenge of leading a young and inexperienced London Broncos team that sadly resulted in their relegation to Championship. On the 1 September 2014 Cook signed for Castleford Tigers on a 3-year contract, starting with the 2015 season. In 2015, Cook made his second Castleford Tigers début on 27 February against St. Helens. In 2016, having played the majority of the season's fixtures Cook was relieved to have scored his only try of the season in the last fixture of the campaign, happily avoiding the dreaded traditional rugby league forfeit of having to do a nude run. In 2017, Cook made history with the Castleford Tigers when they topped the league for the first time in the club's 91-year history winning the League Leaders' Shield. Cook also played in his and the Castleford Tigers first Super League Grand Final in 2017 against the Leeds Rhinos. Unfortunately on his and the Castleford Tigers maiden Grand final he had to settle for a runners-up medal at Old Trafford.
