Braith Anasta key to Luke Brooks' NRL rise, says Wests Tiger

[Black_n_White]

Moses is thicker than Preston. Campbell had a playing weight of 75 kgs, Moses is already bigger. Shoulder problems, seriously, we won a premiership off the back of a player with polystyrene shoulders… i dont know where you could possibly be going with this...

 

[happy_tiger]

Still think Benji's biggest problem was his technique He seemed to be almost coming up on an angle instead of driving the shoulder into the player

I don't think he was scared at all in the early days , but I think he was fearful in almost every situation (even diving to score ) that he would reinjure his shoulder after the Penrith shoulder injury

The time he injured it v Penrith (can't remember which one of the Pulatua boys it was ) he put a really solid shot on him and he was absolutely on the rampage close to the line .

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Bwaif is past it. Will always secretly hope he pulls it out of the fire for us, but the head says he won't.

Give Austin a go, we're crucifying this kid after a poor nines tournament where virtually the whole team was bad.

 

[versa]

I'll give it six weeks before he is dropped, unless he's drastically improved from last year which seems impossible.

Braith may be a model professional but he's a player on the slide, and simply not good enough anymore.

We should get an idea from this weekends trial , but that is my point

Who else can we put in a 6

Austin has had 16 games Moltzen is injured and Moses isn't ready yet physically or mentally

We have to hope the football gods smile on Braith and give him one last good season in the sun
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you're comparing Austin, a guy stuck behind average halves at Penrith, to DCE and Foran?? why don't we show some faith in Mulcahy or Eddy Paea. Anasta and Brooks, at least for a few weeks sounds like a good start for me.

Both were good in that last trial, but Austin was very poor in defence in 9s and offered almost nothing in attack or kicking. We'll be able to make a better decision by next week, but I think Anasta will start in Round 1

Yes penrith did have pretty average halves but Austin was injured with a foot injury and he also played more back row there. But to be honest I don't remember Manly have any halves after Orford & Lyon. So DCE and Foran didn't have much competition there also. I hope one day these brooks & Austin get a crack. As for Austin d it was pretty crap but so was the whole teams. Plus 25-0 you not doing any attacking at all. 9's is nothing like the real thing. If it Brisbane will play cowboys in gf. Doubt it very much

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[Guest]

There was an article in RLW released yesterday regarding Anasta and Austin. According to the article Potter is in two minds as to who will get the round 1 gig. Anasta was the pre-season favorite but Austin has impressed Potter and all the coaching staff with how professional and how hard he has worked, plus he impressed in the Panthers trial.

I reckon if he stands out ahead of Anasta tomorrow night he may just get a run in round 1.

 

[alexaki]

I was at the Panthers trial and Austin was super impressive….he got MOM apparently.

I understand why Potter favors Anasta, makes sense, but I agree with Willow, if Austin pulls off another top notch game tomorrow night especially pairing with Brooks he will be hard to overlook for the No6 in Rd1....Even if Anasta does start at 6 in RD1, Austin will keep the pressure on him i'm sure.

 

[Defiant]

Anasta's baby is due on the dragons game day, Enough reason to give Austin first shot imo.

 

[tigertye]

Preston Campbell

Good point BnW, Presto was a freak and showed that small dudes can make it. IMO the game is changing and more and more teams are opting for bigger sides. Many wingers and centres are built like backrowers, they're athletes. There's still going to be small guys who are good players (Barba, Milford, Hodgo, Campbell, Srama, etc) but I seriously believe it would be a huge risk playing a "growing" young man with a decent history of injuries too early just to possibly win a few more games. If he were to suffer a serious injury it could potentially shatter his confidence and put his progress back months or even years. I think waiting for his body to fill out and not rushing him in is a safer option. The team may suffer without his attacking skills for now, but in the long term would it be better to lessen chance of injury?

I think people get too impatient with young guns and want to rush them in because the current players in that position may not offer as much or be out of form. Understandably. We just have to trust that the coaching staff know when the time is right, and that they grab the opportunity in the same way Brooks did.

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[Russell]

Well, obviously not too many have heard of the Tortoise and the Hare. The key word for 2014 is patience. patience and more patience (Hang on is that three key words).

What Brooks knows is a little, his experience is limited, his combination with other team members is also limited and his body is not going to be used to being smashed by giant forwards and I mean smashed. I think he is going to be a really good player from what I have seen - he has a lot to learn and pray tell who is he going to learn this from - Austin, Moses and Sironen. I don't think so; they have nearly as much to learn as him.

We have no one better than a former SOO player who has played more than 250 NRL games etc, - his name is Anasta. He maybe a little slower (so was Joey at the end, so was Cliff Lyons at the end), played injured and out of position last year to help the team out, but he is the most experienced player in the team. As such he is the ideal person to help Brooks learn the NRL game (totally different to anything he has played before) - in fact it is like chalk and cheese. He will take him under his wing and this kid will be a champion but not this year. He will learn, Anasta will teach and he will hold his own at 6 whilst doing this.

Austin and Moses will have their turn and they will be good players as well if they knuckle down, work hard and listen. They are not the 6 we need at the moment - one learner at a time please and I don't care what they did at Manly. I think this kid will be better but let us keep the pressure off, give him time to learn the game, learn to guide the team, build the combinations, improve his kicking game and defence.

He will reap the rewards but we will reap much more from the patience we show - another few Premierships.

 

[Russell]

Well, obviously not too many have heard of the Tortoise and the Hare. The key word for 2014 is patience. patience and more patience (Hang on is that three key words).

What Brooks knows is a little, his experience is limited, his combination with other team members is also limited and his body is not going to be used to being smashed by giant forwards and I mean smashed. I think he is going to be a really good player from what I have seen - he has a lot to learn and pray tell who is he going to learn this from - Austin, Moses and Sironen. I don't think so; they have nearly as much to learn as him.

We have no one better than a former SOO player who has played more than 250 NRL games etc, - his name is Anasta. He maybe a little slower (so was Joey at the end, so was Cliff Lyons at the end), played injured and out of position last year to help the team out, but he is the most experienced player in the team. As such he is the ideal person to help Brooks learn the NRL game (totally different to anything he has played before) - in fact it is like chalk and cheese. He will take him under his wing and this kid will be a champion but not this year. He will learn, Anasta will teach and he will hold his own at 6 whilst doing this.

Austin and Moses will have their turn and they will be good players as well if they knuckle down, work hard and listen. They are not the 6 we need at the moment - one learner at a time please and I don't care what they did at Manly. I think this kid will be better but let us keep the pressure off, give him time to learn the game, learn to guide the team, build the combinations, improve his kicking game and defence.

He will reap the rewards but we will reap much more from the patience we show - another few Premierships.

 

[stevetiger]

Brooks is decently built for his age for a halfback. Moses' frame is still way too small to deal with the weekly grind of rugby league.

Did anyone ever watch Hodgo ? He was never big and he went pretty well.

You won't know how well he will hold up until he is given a chance. Its sometimes hard to tell based on looks who is going to be tough and who isn't.

A different sport but there are boxers and fighters with knockout power who aren't necessarily big or look the part.

Give the kid a go if he looks the best rugby league player in that position.

 

[quintus]

Anasta is the man to guide Brooks through this most difficult period in his NRL baptism of fire. We should be thankful that we have such an experienced 5/8 on our books. I hope those in doubt have the courage to admit that they were way off the mark when we trounce our most fancied opponents in the competition proper. I will say again that we will be somewhere in the top eight…I have no doubt about that. What do you think about that Daddy?

 

[Knuckles]

I'll give it six weeks before he is dropped, unless he's drastically improved from last year which seems impossible.

Braith may be a model professional but he's a player on the slide, and simply not good enough anymore.

That's if he lasts six weeks …. He's bound to get injured again.
Austin won't have to wait too long.

 

[phil1986]

Still think Benji's biggest problem was his technique He seemed to be almost coming up on an angle instead of driving the shoulder into the player

I don't think he was scared at all in the early days , but I think he was fearful in almost every situation (even diving to score ) that he would reinjure his shoulder after the Penrith shoulder injury

The time he injured it v Penrith (can't remember which one of the Pulatua boys it was ) he put a really solid shot on him and he was absolutely on the rampage close to the line .

Agree happy, I won't lie ive had 3 recos,
My tackling technique change dramatically.

Everything from the approach to the commitment and movement.

It was inevitable, psychological and physically for him.

Poor bloke was always on the back foot.

Mind you, I never looked as bad as benji I'm defence, but also I was a lot bigger when playing.

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[PYMBLEPETE]

Its a bit of an unknown isn't it?
He didn't get many chances in the halves last year. When he played 5/8 against the Dragons when Brooks debuted I thought he went alright. That's his recent form so I am going with that.

 

[cktiger]

I wouldn't read much into the comments by Potter - just another story to keep the fans happy.
If Braith has always been the key to Brooks future success then how come Moltzen was going to be our five eighth before getting injured.
Braith going to keep him stready from the back row or bench?

 

[NT_Tiger]

I agree with tigertye ^. Patience.

I also agree with Russell re Anasta ^, to a point. In theory Anasta has the experience needed to guide & mentor Brooks. I'm just not sure he's up to the game anymore. I tend to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and I would love to see Anasta succeed alongside Brooks, because it would be a win-win for the Tigers, but I'm worried that he will be a bit of a speed hump and actually slow Brooks down. I'll keep an open mind, but I too think we'll see Austin sooner rather than later.

 

[Paris_Cobbs]

Looks to me like Braith has lost confidence and is avoiding contact. Last year he registered the lowest tackle counts in the team, by miles, no matter where he was playing. It is true that we don't have many options - on top of those already mentioned, Sirro is out and the only other one is Fulton. Don't forget that Liam played a season at 5/8 in the English Super League. We seem to have a surfeit of options in the backrows. Maybe Liam could protect Brooks from having to make too many tackles. Also, the guy Brooks has to combine with is Farah not whoever the 5/8 is.
I just think that Braith has to earn a spot in first grade and he has not remotely done that. I'd much rather go with Austin or Fulton.
PS What is a stress fracture of the back - doesn't sound good?

 

[pHyR3]

I wouldn't read much into the comments by Potter - just another story to keep the fans happy.
If Braith has always been the key to Brooks future success then how come Moltzen was going to be our five eighth before getting injured.
Braith going to keep him stready from the back row or bench?

i dont think he was. he was gonna be up there with austin, competing for that spot but he wasn't guarunteed at all.

after his injury though, Potter and co. can say whatever they like about him being "the number 1 pick" as it is really irrelevant.

 

[Eddie]

I don't mind having Braith their alongside Brooks for large parts of the year. I'm not exicted about it by any means, however in the position we are in I can live with it. No one can question his vast experience and professionalism. 2014 is a development year and no one really expects us to do any damage in the competition. A bit of an old head in the team and at training isint the worst thing in the world for a team trying to find its way.

We all know Anasta's best football is well behind him. Although last year he really had no chance playing in different positions and not having a clue what Benji was doing. Maybe he might be servicable in a young side. Anyway he will probably get injured at some stage and I think he will certainly retire at seasons end. So I am not to fussed either way, Austin and Moses are there ready to pounce in the near future.