Cook: Did it for Wakes
Ryan Cook believes the young Magpie team battled to a win in honour of Wakelin's 250th.
Eight-game Magpie Ryan Cook spoke to CTV after the resilient 31-point victory over Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Friday night.
The first-half was a battle back and forth with the Magpies heading into the main break seven points ahead of the home side.
In the second half, Collingwood continued applying pressure and were able to hold Port Adelaide without a goal in the final term, giving the Magpies their second successive win.
“A great win. (We are) a young side and we had to get over the line for Wakes (Shane Wakelin)”, Cook said after the game.
“Dawesy (Chris Dawes) had a great impact on the game. They were pushing but we knew we would bounce back. We were a pretty young side but we got the job done.”
Cook (16 possessions, four tackles) had the job on Power midfielders Travis Boak and Domenic Cassisi for most of the night.
“Boak has very good fitness so I thought that would be a pretty good match-up for me because I am a pretty good endurance runner. I just tried to stay tight and knock him over.”
Cook kicked his first career AFL goal from a set shot, just outside the 50-meter arc, midway through the second quarter.
“I got that pass from Mag (Leon Davis) on about the fifty and I was looking for a pass off but Obe’s (Shane O’Bree) said go back and nail it and I said ‘Right oh’ I will’ and bang hit it sweet, didn’t I?”
“When Senior Whip (Scott Burns) said go back and have a crack I thought if he is backing me I am backing me.
“I feel pretty comfortable back there (VFL) and now stepping up to AFL, again, I am feeling pretty composed and it’s just good with all the older boys they get around you and give you that bit of confidence and I just want to keep going now. Two to go and we will see how we go with finals and you never know. We just need to keep battling away.”