View source for Troy Cook

{{Short description|Australian rules footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Troy Cook
| image = Troy_Cook.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = 
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1976|8|12|df=y}}
| birth_place = 
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| originalteam = [[Perth Football Club|Perth]] ([[West Australian Football Club|WAFL]])
| debutdate = Round 3, {{start date|1997|4|11|df=y}}
| debutteam = [[Sydney Swans|Sydney]]
| debutopponent = [[Melbourne Football Club|Melbourne]]
| debutstadium = [[Sydney Cricket Ground|SCG]]
| height = 176 cm
| weight = 82 kg
| position = 
| statsend = 2007
| years1 = 1994–1996, 2004-2010
| club1 = [[Perth Football Club|Perth]]
| games_goals1 = 108 (13)
| years2 = 1997–1999
| club2 = [[Sydney Swans|Sydney]]
| games_goals2 = {{0}}43 (11)
| years3 = 2000–2007
| club3 = [[Fremantle Football Club|Fremantle]]
| games_goals3 = 150 (66)
| games_goalstotal = 301 (90)
| careerhighlights = * [[Doig Medal]]: 2000
*[[AFL Rising Star]] nominee: [[1997 AFL Rising Star|1997]]
*[[Geoff Christian Medal]] 2000
*[[Fremantle Football Club Life Members|Fremantle Life Member]]: 2007
* {{AFL Fre}} 25 since ‘95 Team
}}

'''Troy Cook''' (born 12 August 1976) is an [[Australian rules football]]er. Cook played for the [[Perth Football Club]] in the [[West Australian Football League]] as well as the [[Fremantle Football Club]] in the [[Australian Football League]].

==Early career==
Cook grew up in [[Carnarvon, Western Australia|Carnarvon]] where he played for the Warriors FC and he spent his last year of school and underage football with St Patricks in [[Geraldton, Western Australia|Geraldton]]. In 1993 he was a member of the WA Under 18 team playing alongside future team-mates [[Shaun McManus]] and [[Peter F. Bell|Peter Bell]]. Cook played 40 games for [[Perth Football Club|Perth]] in the [[West Australian Football League]] between 1994 & 1996 and was runner-up in the [[Sandover Medal]] in 1996.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=1-5545-0-0-0&sID=222369|title=Aboriginal Football: West Australian Football League}}</ref>

==Sydney Swans==
At the [[1996 AFL Draft]] Cook was chosen at pick 26 by the [[Sydney Swans|Swans]]. Cook spent the next 3 years developing his skills under coach [[Rodney Eade]]. During his time at [[Sydney Swans|Sydney]] he perfected one of his greatest assets, his tackling. He also worked with assistant coach [[Damian Drum]] who he would later meet again at [[Fremantle Football Club|Fremantle]].{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

==Fremantle Dockers==
On his return to WA in 2000 Cook immediately showed he was determined to be a part of the Fremantle line-up with a strong pre-season and impressive early form. By the end of the season he had played all 22 games, lead the club in disposals and was named the club champion.<ref>{{Ref AFL Encyc|4th|124}}</ref>

===2003 onwards===
Cook played all 88 regular season games (a club record for consecutive games at the time) in his first four seasons at Fremantle, but broke his ankle in the final round of 2003, forcing him to miss Fremantle's first ever finals match.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=nstore&docID=AGE030901KRHT91OVRS9|title=Dockers' Cook out of finals|first=Peter |last=Ker|date=1 September 2003|work=[[The Age]]}}</ref>

Recovering from the broken ankle, he started the 2004 season in the WAFL before eventually playing 18 games. He missed two games late in the season with a hamstring strain and was used mainly in defence. As hard at the ball as ever and, despite his slow start to the season, was fifth on Fremantle's tackles list.

On 26 August 2007 Cook announced that 2007 will be his final season of AFL football. He played his 150th and final match in Round 22, 2007, against Port Adelaide, earning him life membership of the Fremantle Dockers.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=12&ContentID=38319|publisher=The West Australian|title=Fremantle lose two loyal servants|date=24 August 2007|access-date=25 August 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927192435/http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=12&ContentID=38319 |archive-date = 27 September 2007}}</ref>

He played for the Perth Football Club in the WAFL, and retired in the middle of the 2010 season, after playing a total of 301 games for Sydney, Fremantle and Perth. He also played two games for Western Australia.<ref>{{cite news|title='Perfect' retirement for family man Cook|date=10 June 2010|first=Chris |last=Pike|url=http://www.watoday.com.au/sport/wa-football/perfect-retirement-for-family-man-cook-20100610-xyw8.html#ixzz2Uai91XwA}}</ref>

==Director of football at Perth Football Club==
On 14 December 2016 it was announced that Troy Cook had been appointed the director of football at the [[Perth Football Club]] following a poor on-and-off-field record in recent seasons.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://thewest.com.au/sport/wafl/former-docker-troy-cook-takes-control-of-demons-football-department-ng-b88329535z| title = Former Docker Troy Cook takes control of Demons football department {{!}} The West Australian| date = 14 December 2016}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
<!-- *{{Fremplayer|ref=13243}} -->
*{{AFL Tables}}
*{{AustralianFootball}}
*{{WAFL FootyFacts}}

{{Doig Medal}}
{{2003 Indigenous All-Stars squad}}
{{2007 Indigenous All-Stars squad}}
{{1997 Western Australia State of Origin players}}
{{1998 Western Australia State of Origin players}}
{{1997 AFL Rising Star nominees}}
{{1996 AFL national draft}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cook, Troy}}
[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:Fremantle Football Club players]]
[[Category:Doig Medal winners]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sydney Swans players]]
[[Category:Perth Football Club players]]
[[Category:Indigenous Australians from Western Australia]]
[[Category:Indigenous Australian players of Australian rules football]]
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from Western Australia]]
[[Category:People from Carnarvon, Western Australia]]
[[Category:Western Australian State of Origin players]]