Brooks Bashers Bore Me

[stryker 69]

He is worth a lot more than that. I don't know how much he is on but his salary gets inflated all the time. In a time when real wages aren't rising at all Brooks has managed to buck the trend big time. Alternatively the stories about his salary are lies. I'd have punt that his reported salary is a lot less than what people state.

Why would you be correct as opposed to journalists and other commentators who have sources, such as agents and club staffers, feeding them information? Are you somehow involved in player contracts?

 

[BAGNF05]

For the first 65 minutes he was good. He was creating chances and was defending well. Even his short kicking was on point.
That’s why everyone was so happy when the binning occurred as we were on top and now had the advantage. Brooks was breaking their line, he and Madden were troubling them with kicks, Toa was terrorising their defence, Garner was closing down their attack. Keep doing what you were doing and the Warriors would fold.

I expected him to lead. Did you ever see Joey, Cooper, Thursty or Locky stand around waiting for the ball to come to them in a situation like this? These guys took over and ran every play through their hands until they scored and won. Brooksy doesn’t ever do this. His passiveness in high pressure footy causes us to miss finals. Don’t get me wrong, the young blokes stuffed that game up royally. Saying that, we still should have won and would have if Luke’s last 15 minutes were better. After 170 NRL games, that’s not too much to expect.

He’s not those players, period. We agree on that.

Did those players ever play in a completely hopeless team?

I fear Joey may have physically assaulted Daine Laurie.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

I expected him to lead. Did you ever see Joey, Cooper, Thursty or Locky stand around waiting for the ball to come to them in a situation like this? These guys took over and ran every play through their hands until they scored and won.

Why are you comparing him to these guys? If it were that easy, every halfback would do it and the ones you named would not stand out.

 

[Tim Sheens]

I forget what thread I’m on.
Though I will say the only way Brooks gets moved on from the team it will be when we decide to run with a team of forwards and have Hastings play as a ball playing lock in the halfback position whom occasionally kicks.
It’s sad however for this team it may be the best thing for the entire squad to develop some resilience.
I do think this game showed that swapping him and Hastings around last weekend was a big mistake as Brooks speed created a lot more space for both Gildart and Toa in the game.
Imagine if we had Tuliagi instead of Seyfarth on the edge.

Read a post from Holly? on the Ambush Facebook page stating that the halves swapped sides to assist defensively because of Hastings carrying an injury. Found it weird though that the changed back once the game was already lost and cannot imagine said injury improvement during the match.

Have always seen Hastings as that modern rule, little wrestle/6 again style lock and still think he might end up in that role, but happy for him to remain in the halves if better suited to WT needs there even when Doueihi is back

Also happy in the circumstances to watch Madden run around again these next couple of weeks to make a decent evaluation of him, already having shown that he can handle a bit of defence. Would further look at running him off the bench for impact at nine or allowing Hastings to have stints in the lock role upon his return.

 

[stryker 69]

Why are you comparing him to these guys? If it were that easy, every halfback would do it and the ones you named would not stand out.

Most experienced halves do get their teams home in those situations. He ain’t a kid anymore, he isn’t still learning his trade, he is fully qualified.

 

[earl]

Why would you be correct as opposed to journalists and other commentators who have sources, such as agents and club staffers, feeding them information? Are you somehow involved in player contracts?

Fair criticism. I remember his contract being about 500k or thereabouts. The upgrades that have been suggested since then have gone from 700k to 1 million without any proof to back it up.

So I'll flip it back to you. Do you have any proof that his contract is above 500k ?

 

[BAGNF05]

Most experienced halves do get their teams home in those situations. He ain’t a kid anymore, he isn’t still learning his trade, he is fully qualified.

Name the ones playing in dreadful teams.

 

[balmain boy]

He's not a halfback. Simple as that. Doesn't organise, doesn't kick well, takes the wrong options. He could be a decent utility, maybe even a hooker. But he's not a half

 

[earl]

Most experienced halves do get their teams home in those situations. He ain’t a kid anymore, he isn’t still learning his trade, he is fully qualified.

Agreed but he isn't a top tier player.

Your comment is also clearly false. Not even top tier halfbacks get their teams home all the time in those situations. Not even Johns and Thurston.

 

[stryker 69]

I get it. I keep trying to say this. He isn't that player. He isn't a great player. He is an average halfback.

I saw those players win games. They were special. Brooks isn't.

Correct, so why the hell do we keep him on the books? It has been evident that this stuff isn’t his wheelhouse for at least 5 years now. We had the chance to move him on this year and the club blocked it. For all we know, Madden and Hastings could be excellent together. Maybe Madden and Doueihi. Maybe Hastings and Doueihi. By the time we give some of those combos a proper shot, season 2023 could be gone.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Correct, so why the hell do we keep him on the books?

Because we have never been in a position to find anyone better.

 

[Tim Sheens]

For the first 65 minutes he was good. He was creating chances and was defending well. Even his short kicking was on point.
That’s why everyone was so happy when the binning occurred as we were on top and now had the advantage. Brooks was breaking their line, he and Madden were troubling them with kicks, Toa was terrorising their defence, Garner was closing down their attack. Keep doing what you were doing and the Warriors would fold.

I expected him to lead. Did you ever see Joey, Cooper, Thursty or Locky stand around waiting for the ball to come to them in a situation like this? These guys took over and ran every play through their hands until they scored and won. Brooksy doesn’t ever do this. His passiveness in high pressure footy causes us to miss finals. Don’t get me wrong, the young blokes stuffed that game up royally. Saying that, we still should have won and would have if Luke’s last 15 minutes were better. After 170 NRL games, that’s not too much to expect.

Reasonable debate is fine and that was an objective post.

 

[BAGNF05]

He's not a halfback. Simple as that. Doesn't organise, doesn't kick well, takes the wrong options. He could be a decent utility, maybe even a hooker. But he's not a half

You went to the movies last night didn’t you? Because you didn’t watch the football. Troll.

 

[Fade.To.Black]

No fate but what you make.

Luke isn't a winner.
NEXT.

I'd have Sarah Connor at this club in a heartbeat!

 

[earl]

Correct, so why the hell do we keep him on the books? It has been evident that this stuff isn’t his wheelhouse for at least 5 years now. We had the chance to move him on this year and the club blocked it. For all we know, Madden and Hastings could be excellent together. Maybe Madden and Doueihi. Maybe Hastings and Doueihi. By the time we give some of those combos a proper shot, season 2023 could be gone.

I basically agree. We don't owe him anything. We also have 3 really good options now in Doueihi, Hastings and Madden.

It's up to the coaching staff to work out where we play these guys.

He has been a sure pick for years and we've been poor. He cops way too much attention. I don't like it. That doesn't mean he should be a sure pick in our team.

I don't know what the best options for our halves are. The problem I have with Brooks is that he plays well for instance in 2 games this year but puss in the other.

 

[clokan]

Luckily, we had a guy out there who has played over 170 NRL games, who had been in this position before and who was the captain. He knows what to do, he will call the shots, the lads will take his cue and implement his game plan….

Not saying he had a great game, but Brook's did put the ball on a platter for Laurie.

 

[stryker 69]

Fair criticism. I remember his contract being about 500k or thereabouts. The upgrades that have been suggested since then have gone from 700k to 1 million without any proof to back it up.

So I'll flip it back to you. Do you have any proof that his contract is above 500k ?

He was on that sort of dough when Moses was still here. As for his current deal, I wouldn’t have a clue, but reports have been around the 800-850 mark consistently for a quite a while and that sounds market value.

 

[earl]

He was on that sort of dough when Moses was still here. As for his current deal, I wouldn’t have a clue, but reports have been around the 800-850 mark consistently for a quite a while and that sounds market value.

I think we can safely state that people are lying about his salary. It's definitely not a big issue because if we get a decent half we will be paying him Brooks salary.

The question is does Brooks fit into our top team ? I'm not sure.

 

[stryker 69]

I basically agree. We don't owe him anything. We also have 3 really good options now in Doueihi, Hastings and Madden.

It's up to the coaching staff to work out where we play these guys.

He has been a sure pick for years and we've been poor. He cops way too much attention. I don't like it. That doesn't mean he should be a sure pick in our team.

I don't know what the best options for our halves are. The problem I have with Brooks is that he plays well for instance in 2 games this year but puss in the other.

He has been such a mainstay at this club that no other combos have had a real crack. I would like to think that Hastings has enough mongrel in him that he would have told all those pricks to stop scooting last night and give him the damned ball. I also think Doueihi would have done this. Conjecture for sure, but I want to see if it is real as soon as we can.

 

[tigerballs]

Would have set up the match winner if Laurie could catch a ball. He had his ups and downs tonight, but he had a few good moments, putting To‘a and Gildart away on two separate occasions. And would have had 2 try assists if he had any luck.

If Hastings plays we probably win and Brooks is man of the match.