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Cook sad to be sitting it out

12:30pm Friday 16th May 2008

Matt Cook is gutted he won't be smashing into his own team-mates on Sunday.

The Bulls second-rower is currently on a season-long loan at Castleford Tigers, where he has played three Super League matches on the bounce.

However, part of the agreement between the clubs states Cook can't face his employers, meaning he must sit out The Jungle beat.

"I'd have loved to have played," admits the 21-year-old.

"It'd have been a lot of fun and it'd have been nice to try and prove I deserve one of those Bradford back-row spots ahead of all the other lads there.

"It would have been a great opportunity but I can fully understand why they won't let me play.

"I'll just have to give some of the boys a bit of stick from the touchline!"

With David Solomona, Glenn Morrison, Jamie Langley, Chris Nero and Simon Finnigan, Steve McNamara could afford to release Cook when Cas boss Terry Matterson came calling last month.

He has made just four brief appearances off the bench this season, and only two starts since debuting for Bradford four years ago. He has already equalled that by starting the last couple for Cas against Catalans and Wakefield.

Moving to Super League's bottom club suddenly makes Cook - contracted at Odsal until 2009 - a big fish and he admitted: "Playing on a regular basis is what I needed. I'm definitely feeling the benefits, getting that experience and game time needed to develop. I was just coming off the bench for Bradford and not getting too long.

"Sometimes then you try too hard to make things happen and it can lead to errors.

"Now I'm getting a full game so I'm a lot more relaxed and able to express myself through my football."

Cook concedes the Tigers, whose only two victories have come with giant-killing acts on Leeds and St Helens, are intent on making up for their horrific derby loss against Wakefield in Cardiff.

"There's losing and there's only just losing where you've put everything in but Millennium Magic was an embarrassment," he said, after the 54-16 hammering.

"When you see even your own supporters are so disappointed you know it's bad. All the lads don't want to go through that again.

"Hopefully we can come away with a good win against Bradford and then Cas would have beaten the three top teams. It would grow us some confidence to turn the rest of the season around."

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