Cook, 22, agreed to join the Raiders on Tuesday with his signature heading off interest from at least one other Ovens and Murray club.

Raiders coach Corey Lambert said he expected the 186cm, 91kg powerful centre-half forward would form a lethal pairing with former Doug Strang Medallist Adam Prior in attack.

“Talking to people down that way he is rated as their (Williamstown’s) most important player,” he said.

“We are absolutely stoked to have a player of his calibre join the club.

“Having two gun forwards is huge for the club and exciting for the players.

“It is a credit to Dave Nichol that we have been able to get a player like him to the club, he just worked super hard.”

Williamstown general manager Brendan Curry said Cook joined the Seagulls in 2005 and had developed into a strong VFL player.

He said his versatility and his strong hands were his greatest assets and believes he would be a formidable opponent in the O and M.

“He has played with us for four years and played in the finals series in 2007 but was really unlucky last year when he broke his ankle just before the finals,” he said.

“He started to really influence games last season and we’re disappointed to lose him but he will be a really good player in the O and M.

“He is a great mark, he is tough, is really versatile and he can really hurt people with his physical play.”

Cook was put on the Raiders’ recruiting radar by Prior, who has played two games alongside him with the Wanderers Eagles in the Northern Territory Football League.

He is due to play his third game for the Eagles on Saturday in a bid to qualify for the finals series.

But Lambert said he would play in the Raiders’ opening practice game against North Albury on March 7.

“He talked to Adam about what Albury-Wodonga was like and said he might be interested in a bit of a change,” Lambert said.

“As soon as Adam told us we got onto him and it has gone from there.”

The Raiders have strong ties to Williamstown with Chairman of Selectors Dave Nichol a friend of Seagulls president Trevor Monti.

“It’s very refreshing for a player to want to play for the club and not want to go anywhere else,” Nichol said.