Brooks this week

[LCA]

I hope we see a slightly smaller Brooks in 2016\. He has a big backside, big thighs and is half-a-metre slower than he used to be. His lack of line breaks is a worry, and to me, it all comes back to his lack of explosive speed. And, I agree he has not improved at the same rate as Moses, particularly over the last few half of the season. Just my thoughts…...

 

[Pawsandclaws]

Both are extremely talented and young. They also play behind a pack usually not in the ascendency which makes it hard even for the most experienced halves. Hunt is what 25 or 26 now and Austin is near that as well.

 

[Shaggytiger]

I think Brooks has had a really tough year. Every team has their big men running at him week in week out and for a young bloke I think physically he has stood up well but mentally a bit rattled.
Beau Scott was at him all day without much protection from our forwards and to Lukes credit he stood up to him and got a few good shots of his own in.
Experience wise, the whole team is going to benefit from another year and off season under their belts and I can expect to see a much better showing from Brooks on 2016.

 

[jirskyr]

I hope we see a slightly smaller Brooks in 2016\. He has a big backside, big thighs and is half-a-metre slower than he used to be. His lack of line breaks is a worry, and to me, it all comes back to his lack of explosive speed. And, I agree he has not improved at the same rate as Moses, particularly over the last few half of the season. Just my thoughts…...

I think that size is just how he is? It's not easy to reduce bum and leg bulk if your muscles are naturally that size.

 

[cktiger]

I hope we see a slightly smaller Brooks in 2016\. He has a big backside, big thighs and is half-a-metre slower than he used to be. His lack of line breaks is a worry, and to me, it all comes back to his lack of explosive speed. And, I agree he has not improved at the same rate as Moses, particularly over the last few half of the season. Just my thoughts…...

I think that size is just how he is? It's not easy to reduce bum and leg bulk if your muscles are naturally that size.

Andrew Johns went ok with a big backside. :laughing:
It said in the injury update Brooks has a problem with his thumb and is off for x-rays .
Maybe a reason he didn't want the ball so much in the second half.
Also think that Moses now seems to be getting the ball on a pretty even basis so we are not seeing quite as much as him.
Brooks and Moses are different styles of players and if both can learn to complement each other (and I think they will) we will be in for a hell of a ride over the coming years.

 

[bp_tiger]

he just did not seem to want to take the line on last night, there were times he could have pinned his ears back but instead throw a dum pass.

 

[Russell]

I think we are being too hard on him.

This is effectively his second year - and the syndrome has rested on his shoulders. Every team has had their biggest forwards running at him. Having said that his defence has improved.

I see Brooks and Moses as a marriage in excellence. They complement each other (not so much this season because both have been coming to grips with NRL) but they did in the lower grades. Moses is the playmaker with extraordinary finesse, Brooks is more the man who takes on the line. This is the way they have played in the past.

Over the last few weeks JT has taken the shackles off Moses and he is playing the style of game he has always played. Brooks was doing the playmakers job which has recently been reduced because of Moses.

Everyone suddenly is saying he is doing nothing, he has gone into his shell. He is now trying to come to grips with this running to the line style like he used to do in the lower grades. It will take time to work that out as in the lower grades he didn't have players like Scott ready to smash him. He'll get there - he has to work out a way of overcoming the watchdog that the other teams put on him.

 

[greatodensraven]

he just did not seem to want to take the line on last night, there were times he could have pinned his ears back but instead throw a dum pass.

Wasn't it best game sure but I only recall one time where I thought he had a chance to run it but decided to pass, ie. Uate's intercept where Simona caught him & threw him over the sideline (Timmys a gun isn't he). I thought there was a massive gap opening up on the inside & he should've stepped off his left & went for it instead of passing. Mind you if Uate didn't intercept we had the overlap & may have scored anyway.

I thought the Knights defence cramped him for space a lot & on a few occasions he chose to run it instead of throwing a hospital pass like he had been doing earlier in the year. It was his kicking game (or lack of) that bothered me yesterday. He & Moses need to step this up a few notches esp in games where we're losing the ruck.

 

[tig_prmz]

brooks will get there- he has tremendous understanding of the game

this loss can't be blamed on him at all imo- it was the forwards plain and simple- and to a degree farah's two very costly mistakes.

It's comments like this that really annoy me. No offense to you personally "tig", I like your contributions to the forum overall. But you say "this loss can't be blamed on Brooks" . …When did chippofftheoldblock blame Brooks for the loss? I think many foumers do this, as soon as someone says a bad word about a player they start making out like that player is being soley blamed for the loss. Annoys the crap out of me.

Sorry, like I said not totally against you Tig, but this is a good example of a pet hate of mine and I can't stand it.

Unless someone says "so and so cost us the game"....criticism of them doesn't necessarily mean they are being blamed for the loss

apologies to the OP if he didn't mean that but reading between the lines, i thought that's what he meant.

understand what you're saying KS- as hypocritical as it sounds, i dont like people doing that either, never realised i did that too LOL. apologies anyway.

 

[tig_prmz]

there are a couple of tips i hope the coaching staff drills into him

1\. he needs to go low in tackles unless obviously he is forced to wrap up the ball. we saw him make a few good tackles down low- he needs to do that on a more regular basis.
2\. when running the ball, he needs to keep in mind his support runners. as someone said, his explosive speed is an asset and also something that lets him down because none of his teammates catch up to him and luke gets drilled.
3\. as crappy as it sounds, he needs to play more to a structure.. intercepts, 1 on 1 strips etc. will come but more than anything, he needs to learn to tough it out first and then go for the low % plays. you wouldn't want anyone to go not go with their instincts but he needs to tone it down a bit with that.

 

[Magpie_Magic]

The halves have had the luxury of playing except for yesterday behind a pack going forward and have not especially Brooks taken advantage.

I'm hoping if he gets the kicking duties next year that will give him a lift in confidence that will help restof his game.

 

[cunno]

I think it was Brooks' debut game when we played against the dragons at the SCG, Brooks has a great game and showed what he could do but since then he hasn't replicated this form. His defence has improved but attack wise Moses has stolen the show and maybe that's notmBrooks problem but rather how Jt wants the emphasis?

 

[pHyR3]

I think it was Brooks' debut game when we played against the dragons at the SCG, Brooks has a great game and showed what he could do but since then he hasn't replicated this form. His defence has improved but attack wise Moses has stolen the show and maybe that's notmBrooks problem but rather how Jt wants the emphasis?

ive always said moses was the better player, was getting nervous with that prediction this year when moses was having 0 impact and brooks was still going okay following up from a rookie of the year season.

brooks will hopefully learn to control the game better and organise players. a lot of 'off the ball' stuff while moses is a bit more flashy.

experience is crucial. halves (imo) is the HARDEST position for an inexperienced player in terms of learning the ropes. theres a reason no 19 year old half has rocked up and started dominating consistently within a year or two in the last 20 years without another experienced bloke pairing him and moses/brooks wont be exceptions. cronk and DCE hadnt even debuted at this age for example. JT was playing off the bench for 2-3 years. Lockyer was at fullback. the list goes on.

 

[Chipofftheoldblock]

Guys, i think we are missing the point abit. What I was trying to say is that he needs to learn how to control the game and move our plays to focus on the oppositions weak points. Not just in yesterday's game but other games i just thought players were looking for someone to guide and direct them to an objective during the sets and that is where Brooks needs to step up.
Brooks and Moses should (and will hopefully) compliment themselves as Brooks should be the organiser/director/conductor and Moses the runner/attacker. Although his defence has improved, as mentioned by other members on here, his attack has declined even though he still has 15 try assists to his name this year.
I am hoping that next year he will grow more into the role and become more dominate in taking the game by the scruff of the neck. Just remember game plans usually go out the window after about 10min so you need to adjust on the run and pick out weak spots in the opposition to get back into the game.
I do also think if we had strong experienced 2nd rower inside Brooks, he would be much better off and have more confidence.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

He has gone backwards this year.