Brooks is the next Andrew Johns?!?

[beachtiger]

First let me say that I understand Brooks is still only young but the constant comparison to Joey is putting too much pressure on the young bloke!

The next Joey Johns clearly has the ability in attack but he needs to start spending some time on his defensive technique which makes up 50% of the game, if he doesn't get that under control then he will end up like many young blokes before him with plenty of potential and that is a player that has potential but doesn't deliver!

I understand in today's game the defensive technique is to wrap up the ball high to prevent an offload and slow the play the ball but as a smaller player surely your technique needs to be more "old school" around the waist to chop the player down and at the very least stop the movement. Brooks seems to think he is still in u20's where he can go high and lock the ball up but fails to recognise the players he comes up against are up to 20+ kgs heavier, more skillful and more adept to "swatting" off a smaller player!

The kid has an amazing amount of talent and vision in attack but unless he gets his defensive technique in check I think he will leak more points than he can compensate for.

:sign:

 

[Love_the_WestsTigers]

He probably needed a senior partner next to him (Hell surely not Anasta but)
If he is having a bad day at the office his partner can take the pressure off him but right no there is no escape
Every flaw, missed tackle or bad kick will look twice as bad.

 

[Geo]

Joey had plenty of up's and downs early in his career….Luke can tackle..all teams work on isolating halves it's up to our defensive coaches to come up with the structure so it doesn't happen ..the right edge defence has been a worry for a few weeks now....

 

[Flippedy]

Couldn't agree more, beachtiger. He is nowhere near being the next Andrew Johns at this stage and I wish the comparisons in the media would stop. If anyone should be compared to Johns, it's Ben Hunt - plays a lot like Johns and is miles ahead of young Luke at the moment.

 

[beachtiger]

He probably needed a senior partner next to him (Hell surely not Anasta but)
If he is having a bad day at the office his partner can take the pressure off him but right no there is no escape
Every flaw, missed tackle or bad kick will look twice as bad.

I think this is one of the main reasons for his defensive liabilities being highlighted and something I probably don't give enough thought to.

 

[beachtiger]

Joey had plenty of up's and downs early in his career….Luke can tackle..all teams work on isolating halves it's up to our defensive coaches to come up with the structure so it doesn't happen ..the right edge defence has been a worry for a few weeks now....

Coludnt agree more Geo but I just think his technique of going high to wrap up the ball isn't suited to his build and experience, you watch a lot of Joey's early games and he is an old school style around the waist to chop the player down, if they get a quick play the ball because of it then so be it, at least the movement has been stopped and the defensive structure has an opportunity to reset, as opposed to the outside man having to come in and cover and therefore crating an overlap.

 

[Marshall_magic]

Brooks' attack has come along well this year, he's laying on tries consistently, and looking the goods. His defence is still a little shoddy, but he's improving. He's never going to be a great defender, but as he continues to develop his game he will gain confidence in defence. He's a much better player than he was 12 months ago.

 

[Tbone]

I think i heard comparisons 2 years a go when he was breaking through, but cant say i have heard any since other than references digging up that initial comparison to be honest.

 

[boonboon]

Brooks' attack has come along well this year, he's laying on tries consistently, and looking the goods. His defence is still a little shoddy, but he's improving. He's never going to be a great defender, but as he continues to develop his game he will gain confidence in defence. He's a much better player than he was 12 months ago.

Agreed I have been impressed with him this year, regularly laying on tries, great backing up in which he kind of reminds me of Terry Lamb in that he is always backing up. His kicking game is good in an era where the changes to rules like the 7 tackles off a dead in goal has changed kicking games significantly.

It is his defence and he does need to work on it but I am sure he is and has been.

 

[Gary_Bakerloo]

Once he gets a decent hooker that doesn't think he runs the team, Brooks will improve out of sight.

 

[underdog]

Joey Johns took FOUR YEARS in the top grade to hit his straps remember that douchebaggy red hair? - yeah, that was 4 years into his career - that's about 100 games.

Brooks has played 29 games. Stop being a bunch of ass-clowns about it, and cut him some slack.

This is why the likes of Miller, Mullaney, (even though I hated the miserable little guy) and even Lazarus get lynched quickly - no faith in the system.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

This is why the likes of Miller, Mullaney, (even though I hated the miserable little guy) and even Lazarus get lynched quickly - no faith in the system.

Probably because they were all crap.

 

[stevetiger]

This is why the likes of Miller, Mullaney, (even though I hated the miserable little guy) and even Lazarus get lynched quickly - no faith in the system.

Probably because they were all crap.

Yep. Don't tell me that Brooks and Moses are at those guys level. I reckon Brooks and Moses look a lot better.

I'm prepared to give our young halves a lot more time at this point.

 

[Tiger_In_The_Gong]

Brooks has played 29 games. Stop being a bunch of ass-clowns about it, and cut him some slack.

:roll

 

[underdog]

This is why the likes of Miller, Mullaney, (even though I hated the miserable little guy) and even Lazarus get lynched quickly - no faith in the system.

Probably because they were all crap.

Disagree on Miller, and Lazarus was not given enough time to showcase his wares.

Mullaney - Yeah ok, I'll pay that. The kid could sniff out a try, but I remember him completely dogging a tackle on Moltzen when Moltzen scored a try - when he played for the Eels in that game we won 51-26.

Then of course there was the crap with his mother talking to the papers saying it unfair her son can't get a go. :roll

 

[Knuckles]

Its a shame we can't get someone like Scott Prince to mentor Brooksey in the halves. Having two rookies in the 6 and 7 against the big boys is too much to ask. In the meantime, we'll just have to be patient and hope they eventually come good.

 

[Milky]

Gee i hope we dump both Moses and Brooks then they move to other clubs, i hope they then shine and become Australian representatives. just so all of you can be happy. Brooks was classy in the first half, he led the team around the park, how on earth is Moses supposed to shine with Lawrence outside of him? You are all kidding yourselves.

 

[Goose]

The comparison to immortals are always impossible to maintain.

I must confess he reminds me of Joey, has a lot of similarities asthetically, the big bum, the step at the line looks similar, with the big head move, even the double pump looks similar. Comparisons are going to happen, but it is hard on the poor kid. He has a long way to go.

Yesterday highlighted everything good and bad about him, the first 25 he looked all class. Then he missed a few terrible tackles that created dramas.

 

[Snake]

He needs an experienced partner ,it is a huge ask to have 2 rookie halves I do not think there has ever been a combination like this before in the top grade ..there is always one rookie only in a halves pairing. I feel a bit for the young guy because the club is asking a lot IMO.

 

[jirskyr]

It was a woeful miss on Wighton, but Woodsie did no better on Boyd, nor Buchanan/Sue on FPN.