Matt Cook hoping to earn another year at Castleford

Veteran forward Matt Cook is hoping the return of the Super League season will enable him to earn a new deal at Castleford.

Cook, 33, is out of contract at the end of the year, which marks the sixth season of his spell with the Tigers, and injury had prevented him from playing prior to the lockdown caused by coronavirus.

Speaking at the time, he told the club’s magazine ROAR: “It would be great to play for another season the priority for me now is just to get back on the field this season.

“Back end of last year I felt great! I still felt like I was doing a good job still and able to play at the top level and right at the start of pre-season, I felt great coming back in for the hard slog that pre-season is. So, the injury has been frustrating, and it does make maybe you doubt yourself at times.

“Hopefully, I can prove to the coaches and myself that I have another year in me at the top-flight with Castleford Tigers.”

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Cook was a World Club Challenge winner earlier in his career with Bradford, spending a brief spell on loan at Castleford back in 2008, before moving on to Hull KR and London.

Fellow forwards Grant Millington and Mike McMeeken are also out of contract at the end of the year, with McMeeken linked with a move to Catalans.

Castleford are still waiting to hear who their first fixture of the restart will be against on the weekend of August 8/9.

Super League resumes on August 2, with one of Cook’s former clubs, Hull KR, taking on Toronto Wolfpack in a triple header that also sees champions St Helens face Catalans and Huddersfield play Leeds.

A revised full-fixture list, containing 15 rounds, is expected to be released early next week.