Troy Cooley was originally a pace bowler for Tasmania in interstate competition. At the time of his ascent into first class ranks in the mid-1980s, the tall and wiry Cooley was regarded as one of the speediest bowlers that his state had ever produced. His disarming pace made him a star player in Launceston club cricket and encouraged many to think that he would be a success in higher company too. As a number of other bowlers of express pace both before and after him have discovered, though, the demands that domestic cricket made of him to sustain his accuracy and control (as well as speed) over longer periods did not agree with him nearly as readily. He was plagued by a tendency to overstep the bowling crease regularly and to struggle for line and length once batsmen had worked their way on top of him.

After retiring, Cooley, with an emphasis on fitness, passion for the sport and an engaging manner, soon became a respected bowling coach and in 2000 was appointed as assistant coach at the Australian Cricket Academy in Adelaide. In 2003, Cooley was lured to England to work with Rod Marsh at the newly-established ECB Academy, and he soon got involved as the bowling coach for the national team. In 2005 he was widely credited as being a key part of the development of England's Ashes-winning side. That led to him being hired to fulfill the same role with the Australian side at the end of his contract in May 2006.
Cricinfo staff July 2006