Paul Cooke stayed inside all week leading up to the Hull derby
Thursday 14 July 2016 13:15, UK
Paul Cooke says he stocked his cupboards two weeks ahead of a Hull derby to avoid leaving the house in the build-up.
When Hull KR joined Super League in 2007 after gaining promotion from the Championship, Cooke was playing for Hull FC. The Black and Whites won that year's first derby between the two before Cooke made a sensational mid-season switch to their bitter rivals following contract issues between him and the Hull board.
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The move created a stir in the rugby-mad city, adding venom to the second Hull derby which was won by the Robins. Though Cooke says he doesn't regret the move, it made him a targeted man during one of the biggest rivalries in the game. So much so that the 35-year-old would avoid being seen in the city in the week leading up to each derby.
"It was a difficult week, I won't lie about that," said Cooke. "It was a difficult week if I left the house!
"I got in my car, went to training, and came home from training. I had food and stuff in the house so I didn't have to leave the house too much.
"I was really fortunate to play in a lot of Hull derbies where I was able to influence the result and stick two fingers up to the people I felt had disrespected me a little bit, including the board members at Hull and supporters."
"If I did it would just be a walk to the local shops and risk any abuse that way, but I didn't have to do that too much - I prepared for the derby a couple of weeks in advance with regards to what I had in the cupboards."
Growing up in Hull gave Cooke all the motivation he needed to play in the derby, and his club switch gave him even more motivation to win.
"I'm a local boy so playing in those derbies games was really important to me.
"Certainly after the stick I took it was more important to play well because my life would have been difficult for quite a number of months afterwards had I lost some of those games. So I was really fortunate to win most of them and not take too much stick after them.
"I was really fortunate to play in a lot of Hull derbies where I was able to influence the result and stick two fingers up to the people I felt had disrespected me a little bit, including the board members at Hull and supporters."
After playing at the top level for over a decade for the Hull clubs as well as the Wildcats, Cooke says nothing comes close to the Hull derby.
"I played for Wakefield against Castleford which is probably the most intense game for those two clubs as close rivals, but it in no way compares to the Hull and Hull KR game.
"There's no genuine hatred, there's just dislike for each other at every level. At board level there's a dislike for each other, at fan level and player level.
"In particular with the supporters there is a massive divide. Mondays are really important after derby days."
Cooke joins the Sky Sports pundit team for the broadcast of this Thursday's derby, a game he says each player is lucky to take part in.
"The ones that are fortunate enough to be picked out there get to influence a Hull derby and go down in history. There's been many of them and many remembered."
However the man now on Leigh's coaching staff warned both sides against letting emotions dictate the way they play the game.
"Regardless of the intensity of the game it is another game that you have to manage," said Cooke. "Even though the levels of expectation and intensity are a little higher it's still a game where the players have to remain calm.
"Certainly the team that sticks to the processes and sticks to what the coaches are asking of them generally win these games.
"The games aren't won by the best side on paper or the form team on paper, they're won by the team that can execute best on the day and that involves remaining really calm and cool under more pressure than normal games."
With two games remaining in the regular season Cooke feels that Hull KR have left too much to do in order to reach the Super 8s this year, especially with the added motivation Hull FC have to claim a repeat last year's derby spoils.
"I don't think Hull KR will make the Super 8s but I there's a lot riding on it - if they lose this one they are consigned to the Middle 8s.
"It's almost a year ago to the day that this derby was played last season and Hull FC made the Super 8s while Hull KR were consigned to the Middle 8s because of the result.
"Hull FC are playing for something a little different this year but the motivation of putting their nearest and dearest at risk of relegation is motivation enough."
Paul Cooke joins us for Thursday's broadcast of the Hull derby - tune in to Sky Sports 2 from 7.30pm to watch the action. Catch the match for £6.99 on NOW TV. No contract.
