Brooks: What exactly has gone wrong?

[TrueTiger]

I think there are valid reasons why Brooks may not have developed the way some critics expect over the last 6 seasons. Not having a regular coach, lack of consistent quality spine members, forwards that are dominated week after week etc. However last season he performed to the best of his ability each week and deserved the votes from his fellow teammates. The question in this topic is what has happened this year, why the drop in form?
It seems to me that he has not responded well to Madges ruthless selections or the style of footy Madge seems to want. Maybe threatening some guys doesn’t work and they need a different approach. The fire and brimstone, hard task master, style doesn’t work for everyone. Maybe it has drained his confidence and he is afraid to step up in case he makes mistakes. Sometimes players need to feel the coach and team have confidence in them and their place is secure, then they can focus on their roles without that added pressure.
Many quality halves have gone through some big form slumps i hope for his first sake and the Tigers that he is able to fix this.
I should add that the woes of the team are not solely on Brooks, there are many problems with our roster that are resulting in what we are seeing on the field.

Mate,Madge resigned Brooks and has always said he is a very good footballer...Brooks has even said Madge is
very approachable and talks to the players....If Brooks cant handle the hard training required for NRL level Players,then maybe he should revise his own situation and career as it stands...

 

[Magpie1969]

Love everyone's opinion and they are all correct. I think most would agree that you have to draw a line in the sand and make the hard decision to part ways. Brooks is not our answer going forward but in an East or Melbourne side who have had success and players who are leaders around him Brooks potential could be realised. Both mentioned clubs would have an associate mentor which we struggle with.

Run up the White flag, admit by actions that WTs' suck but the Roosters or Storm don't. It doesn't read like much if a business model and we wonder why we cannot attract top talent!

You're 100% correct. Remember he has played 142 games in the top grade Bellamy would most likely play him as a running 5/8 and not half back. Remember he turned Cooper Cronk from centre to half back with Matty John's as mentor. CC comes across as a winner whilst Brooks just wants to be part of the gang. I would love Storm and Easts success at WT and believe we can investing in juniors but if players aren't working move them on. Storm move players on like Curtis Scott cause he does not match their native of success. George Rose another one.

When was cronk a centre?

When he first came to Storm. They lost Matt Orford to Manly and needed a half back to partner Scott Hill in 2006

 

[earl]

What went wrong is we waited too long to realise he wasnt going to be a player who could elevate us to the top 8.

What about the disintegration of the player roster since he came into the team? We were never headed to the 8 with a failure to replace like for like. It is most unfair to lump the failures of the Club onto one of players whom stayed.

There are no doubt more but look at the quality -


Woods, Simona, JAC, Moses, Tedesco, Sironen x 2, Brown, Suli. Papenhuyzen left without playing NRL?

Yes exactly and we put all our eggs in the Brooks basket to lead us into the future.

It's more pressure than his ability can over come.

Not his fault but neither is he the answer going forward.

We are crying out for a half who takes ownership of this teams fortunes. **We are looking for energy, leadership and the ability to execute his talent under pressure.**

That isn't Luke Brooks.

Apologies of that upsets his fans. I like the guy but we are well past keeping players because they are likeable.

I'm a Brooks fan but I don't see him having the ability to do the bolded past consistently. He can do it though. He kicked a field goal against the Dogs to win us the game.

I think Brooks can be a really good team player as a lower paid half.

 

[nrlsurvivor]

Love everyone's opinion and they are all correct. I think most would agree that you have to draw a line in the sand and make the hard decision to part ways. Brooks is not our answer going forward but in an East or Melbourne side who have had success and players who are leaders around him Brooks potential could be realised. Both mentioned clubs would have an associate mentor which we struggle with.

Run up the White flag, admit by actions that WTs' suck but the Roosters or Storm don't. It doesn't read like much if a business model and we wonder why we cannot attract top talent!

You're 100% correct. Remember he has played 142 games in the top grade Bellamy would most likely play him as a running 5/8 and not half back. Remember he turned Cooper Cronk from centre to half back with Matty John's as mentor. CC comes across as a winner whilst Brooks just wants to be part of the gang. I would love Storm and Easts success at WT and believe we can investing in juniors but if players aren't working move them on. Storm move players on like Curtis Scott cause he does not match their native of success. George Rose another one.

When was cronk a centre?

I think he was a Hooker

 

[Harvey]

I might get flamed for this but i think he needs Moses and or teddy there too. Brooks is talented but i don't think he's on the same level as Moses but i still believe they compliment each other. I loved watching them play at HC; schoolboys and NYC. I know they struggled tohether when they were first in grade but they were young as hell

I don't think that Doueihi, Talua, Mbye, Benji, Huth, Garner, Packer etc are on par with
Gutho, Sivo, Blake, Brown, Brown, Matterson (or Lane), Paulo or RCG.

Even saying that my biggest concern is that Brooks seems to play to a script, not what is happening in the game. I actually think that he is following directions and if what he is doing is not part of the coaches plan, he should be dropped.

I think that he has been told to manage the game while Benji creates the spark. If not he is gone.

 

[Strider]

Moses will be a NSW half probably one day. Maybe this year. What's the difference Moses and Brooks. They were about equal at Tigers. Is Moses much more naturally gifted and developed his game himself or is it the coaching?

 

[mike]

Moses will be a NSW half probably one day. Maybe this year. What's the difference Moses and Brooks. They were about equal at Tigers. Is Moses much more naturally gifted and developed his game himself or is it the coaching?

Brooks never will.

 

[The_Patriot]

Anyone that talks about the forward pack is oblivious to the issues he has. He's been a player with great attacking skills and instincts, but now these have deserted him. Nothing really to do with the pack. There are many many times when our pack has been on top and yet our awful kicks and attacking options have killed our momentum.
He has lost all confidence in his ability. The chip over the top was a good sign in a way that he is trying to find that spark again.
He's never had any issues getting 15 odd try assists a season with our previous squads, which were no better than our current squad. It's his execution and decision making which has regressed.
His bombs aren't high enough. Benji and doueihi can put up some great torpedo bombs yet Brooks has still never even tried to do one. He doesn't kick to the corners anymore and 90% of his kicks are taken comfortably on the full by opponents, under no pressure and usually 25m out from their own line. That's a poor end to most sets.

He's just a mentally fragile player who often crumbles under pressure. Game pressure, or competitive pressure from a team mate like Benji or Robbie. He's no leader, he's no halfback. He could be an adequate sidekick for a club with a dominant half, but he will never be a dominant half on his own merit. He simply doesn't have the temperament for it.

This is the truth of the matter

Sad but true

 

[The_Patriot]

What went wrong is we waited too long to realise he wasnt going to be a player who could elevate us to the top 8.

What about the disintegration of the player roster since he came into the team? We were never headed to the 8 with a failure to replace like for like. It is most unfair to lump the failures of the Club onto one of players whom stayed.

There are no doubt more but look at the quality -


Woods, Simona, JAC, Moses, Tedesco, Sironen x 2, Brown, Suli. Papenhuyzen left without playing NRL?

Yes exactly and we put all our eggs in the Brooks basket to lead us into the future.

It's more pressure than his ability can over come.

Not his fault but neither is he the answer going forward.

We are crying out for a half who takes ownership of this teams fortunes. **We are looking for energy, leadership and the ability to execute his talent under pressure.**

That isn't Luke Brooks.

Apologies of that upsets his fans. I like the guy but we are well past keeping players because they are likeable.

I'm a Brooks fan but I don't see him having the ability to do the bolded past consistently. He can do it though. He kicked a field goal against the Dogs to win us the game.

I think Brooks can be a really good team player as a lower paid half.

And that's how we finish 9th.

 

[earl]

Moses will be a NSW half probably one day. Maybe this year. What's the difference Moses and Brooks. They were about equal at Tigers. Is Moses much more naturally gifted and developed his game himself or is it the coaching?

Coaching is overrated. Talent and hard work will Trump, who is a convicted Rapist and Felon everything else. If we had the most talented team in the comp we'd win the comp.

 

[earl]

What went wrong is we waited too long to realise he wasnt going to be a player who could elevate us to the top 8.

What about the disintegration of the player roster since he came into the team? We were never headed to the 8 with a failure to replace like for like. It is most unfair to lump the failures of the Club onto one of players whom stayed.

There are no doubt more but look at the quality -


Woods, Simona, JAC, Moses, Tedesco, Sironen x 2, Brown, Suli. Papenhuyzen left without playing NRL?

Yes exactly and we put all our eggs in the Brooks basket to lead us into the future.

It's more pressure than his ability can over come.

Not his fault but neither is he the answer going forward.

We are crying out for a half who takes ownership of this teams fortunes. **We are looking for energy, leadership and the ability to execute his talent under pressure.**

That isn't Luke Brooks.

Apologies of that upsets his fans. I like the guy but we are well past keeping players because they are likeable.

I'm a Brooks fan but I don't see him having the ability to do the bolded past consistently. He can do it though. He kicked a field goal against the Dogs to win us the game.

I think Brooks can be a really good team player as a lower paid half.

And that's how we finish 9th.

How many teams have two top quality halves ? The rorters have Keary (top quality) and Flanagan (unproven and lower paid half).

I think we could win the comp with Brooks in our team but we would need a significantly better half alongside him.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

What went wrong is we waited too long to realise he wasnt going to be a player who could elevate us to the top 8.

What about the disintegration of the player roster since he came into the team? We were never headed to the 8 with a failure to replace like for like. It is most unfair to lump the failures of the Club onto one of players whom stayed.

There are no doubt more but look at the quality -


Woods, Simona, JAC, Moses, Tedesco, Sironen x 2, Brown, Suli. Papenhuyzen left without playing NRL?

Yes exactly and we put all our eggs in the Brooks basket to lead us into the future.

It's more pressure than his ability can over come.

Not his fault but neither is he the answer going forward.

We are crying out for a half who takes ownership of this teams fortunes. **We are looking for energy, leadership and the ability to execute his talent under pressure.**

That isn't Luke Brooks.

Apologies of that upsets his fans. I like the guy but we are well past keeping players because they are likeable.

I'm a Brooks fan but I don't see him having the ability to do the bolded past consistently. He can do it though. He kicked a field goal against the Dogs to win us the game.

I think Brooks can be a really good team player as a lower paid half.

And that's how we finish 9th.

How many teams have two top quality halves ? The rorters have Keary (top quality) and Flanagan (unproven and lower paid half).

I think we could win the comp with Brooks in our team but we would need a significantly better half alongside him.

The Broncos won the comp with Shane Perry at halfback. Perry struggled to make the Magpies side of 1999. Spent most of it in reserve grade.

 

[The_Patriot]

@Earl said in [Brooks: What exactly has gone wrong?](/post/1212975):

**I think we could win the comp with Brooks in our team**

And this is where i leave the chat.

 

[earl]

What went wrong is we waited too long to realise he wasnt going to be a player who could elevate us to the top 8.

What about the disintegration of the player roster since he came into the team? We were never headed to the 8 with a failure to replace like for like. It is most unfair to lump the failures of the Club onto one of players whom stayed.

There are no doubt more but look at the quality -


Woods, Simona, JAC, Moses, Tedesco, Sironen x 2, Brown, Suli. Papenhuyzen left without playing NRL?

Yes exactly and we put all our eggs in the Brooks basket to lead us into the future.

It's more pressure than his ability can over come.

Not his fault but neither is he the answer going forward.

We are crying out for a half who takes ownership of this teams fortunes. **We are looking for energy, leadership and the ability to execute his talent under pressure.**

That isn't Luke Brooks.

Apologies of that upsets his fans. I like the guy but we are well past keeping players because they are likeable.

I'm a Brooks fan but I don't see him having the ability to do the bolded past consistently. He can do it though. He kicked a field goal against the Dogs to win us the game.

I think Brooks can be a really good team player as a lower paid half.

And that's how we finish 9th.

How many teams have two top quality halves ? The rorters have Keary (top quality) and Flanagan (unproven and lower paid half).

I think we could win the comp with Brooks in our team but we would need a significantly better half alongside him.

The Broncos won the comp with Shane Perry at halfback. Perry struggled to make the Magpies side of 1999. Spent most of it in reserve grade.

Of course. You don't need Wally Lewis and Andrew Johns as your halves to win the comp. It'd help but if you gave them a dud set of forwards and outside backs they wouldn't be able to do much.

This isn't an excuse for Brooks performances in any way whatsoever. It's just that Brooks to me is a NRL level player. He has a lot of great attributes. The problem is that he also isn't anywhere someone like Johns or Lewis.

 

[jrtiger]

anyone think these comments in Kent's article today were about Brooks?

"Coach Michael Maguire called a player into his office at a crucial point this season and tried to get an understanding why the player failed to contribute to the gameplay the way the coach preferred, which obviously drew an unsatisfactory response.

Still, Maguire was eager to hear his defence.

“You don’t coach the way I like to play,” admitted the player.

Maguire had two choices at this. He could reach across and slowly throttle the player, simultaneously removing the player from his roster but with the added benefit of also creating considerable salary cap relief, or he could take the more diplomatic approach, which isn’t generally regarded as a strong point.

“How many finals games have you played?” asked the coach, who finally chose the latter, the jury still out whether it was for the better.

“None,” said the player.

“Well, how about you try it my way.”

 

[Aesopian]

anyone think these comments in Kent's article today were about Brooks?

"Coach Michael Maguire called a player into his office at a crucial point this season and tried to get an understanding why the player failed to contribute to the gameplay the way the coach preferred, which obviously drew an unsatisfactory response.

Still, Maguire was eager to hear his defence.

“You don’t coach the way I like to play,” admitted the player.

Maguire had two choices at this. He could reach across and slowly throttle the player, simultaneously removing the player from his roster but with the added benefit of also creating considerable salary cap relief, or he could take the more diplomatic approach, which isn’t generally regarded as a strong point.

“How many finals games have you played?” asked the coach, who finally chose the latter, the jury still out whether it was for the better.

“None,” said the player.

“Well, how about you try it my way.”

Kent's a DT stooge. Loves to pile on whoever is the flavor of the month.

Doubt anyone at the club would feed him worthwhile info, especially personal stuff that goes on between players and the coaching staff.

I wouldn't believe a word that he spits out. Him and his mate Pooper are cheap gossip columnists

 

[ElleryHanley]

anyone think these comments in Kent's article today were about Brooks?

"Coach Michael Maguire called a player into his office at a crucial point this season and tried to get an understanding why the player failed to contribute to the gameplay the way the coach preferred, which obviously drew an unsatisfactory response.

Still, Maguire was eager to hear his defence.

“You don’t coach the way I like to play,” admitted the player.

Maguire had two choices at this. He could reach across and slowly throttle the player, simultaneously removing the player from his roster but with the added benefit of also creating considerable salary cap relief, or he could take the more diplomatic approach, which isn’t generally regarded as a strong point.

“How many finals games have you played?” asked the coach, who finally chose the latter, the jury still out whether it was for the better.

“None,” said the player.

“Well, how about you try it my way.”

Could be Brooks...but could also be Nofa...or half our pack.

 

[jadtiger]

anyone think these comments in Kent's article today were about Brooks?

"Coach Michael Maguire called a player into his office at a crucial point this season and tried to get an understanding why the player failed to contribute to the gameplay the way the coach preferred, which obviously drew an unsatisfactory response.

Still, Maguire was eager to hear his defence.

“You don’t coach the way I like to play,” admitted the player.

Maguire had two choices at this. He could reach across and slowly throttle the player, simultaneously removing the player from his roster but with the added benefit of also creating considerable salary cap relief, or he could take the more diplomatic approach, which isn’t generally regarded as a strong point.

“How many finals games have you played?” asked the coach, who finally chose the latter, the jury still out whether it was for the better.

“None,” said the player.

“Well, how about you try it my way.”

Could be Brooks...but could also be Nofa...or half our pack.

I doubt it would be Nofo,he has been one of our better players during the season

 

[TYGA]

If that is true this will be the first player released.
What a disgraceful attitude.

 

[Guest]

anyone think these comments in Kent's article today were about Brooks?

"Coach Michael Maguire called a player into his office at a crucial point this season and tried to get an understanding why the player failed to contribute to the gameplay the way the coach preferred, which obviously drew an unsatisfactory response.

Still, Maguire was eager to hear his defence.

“You don’t coach the way I like to play,” admitted the player.

Maguire had two choices at this. He could reach across and slowly throttle the player, simultaneously removing the player from his roster but with the added benefit of also creating considerable salary cap relief, or he could take the more diplomatic approach, which isn’t generally regarded as a strong point.

“How many finals games have you played?” asked the coach, who finally chose the latter, the jury still out whether it was for the better.

“None,” said the player.

“Well, how about you try it my way.”

Could be Brooks...but could also be Nofa...or half our pack.

My money is on Brooks. Nofo puts in every week, hard to see him taking the mickey.