Brooks.... what is he good for??

[bigsiro]

I know it has been said before, but I really think Brooks would make a good 9.
Too much pressure to be the chief playmaker I think - from the team perspective, and the fans. At 9, he is a third option and as a third option he would be handy.
His quick darts would be effective out of dummy half, he is already a good tackler (but would need to be a bit better) and he would offer yet another option to kick or put in a cheeky grubber.
His passing would prob need to improve but I reckon we should groom him to take over from Grant when the inevitable occurs there.

 

[bigsiro]

Timing on those posts!!
Wow.

 

[clontarfkid]

I know it has been said before, but I really think Brooks would make a good 9.
Too much pressure to be the chief playmaker might I think - from the team perspective, and the fans. At 9, he is a third option and as a third option he would be handy.
His quick darts would be effective out of dummy half, he is already a good tackler (but would need to be a bit better) and he would offer yet another option to kick or put in a cheeky grubber.
His passing would prob need to improve but I reckon we should groom him to take over from Grant when the inevitable occurs there.

A LOT of similiarities between Brooks and Hunt tbh...except about half a million dollars!!
But they both lack a little vision,are confidence players.arent great organisers or leaders...Grants has been great,but if hes not staying(and I dont think he will)we may wish to flirt with this at some stage when appropriate

 

[bathursttiger1]

It boggles the mind to think that it seems the majority of people that have had a gutfull of Brooks so desperately want Marshall as the alternative. The very bloke that has proven time and time again he can't lead a team to finals football, is hit and miss with his attack and is atrocious defensively. It's never Benji's fault. But it's always Brooks fault.

I don't want Benji or Reynolds ...time for a massive upgrade and major overhaul

Exactly Happy, we have tried and tried that combo, stop flogging a dead horse, bring in 2 new halves

Who?

 

[851]

It boggles the mind to think that it seems the majority of people that have had a gutfull of Brooks so desperately want Marshall as the alternative. The very bloke that has proven time and time again he can't lead a team to finals football, is hit and miss with his attack and is atrocious defensively. It's never Benji's fault. But it's always Brooks fault.

I don't want Benji or Reynolds ...time for a massive upgrade and major overhaul

Exactly Happy, we have tried and tried that combo, stop flogging a dead horse, bring in 2 new halves

Who?

Walters and Madden, people will laugh, but doing the same thing over and over hoping for a different result is madness, and we proved it doesn't work

 

[happy_tiger]

Is brooks a 9 ?

He’d make a good 9 imo

When he is 18th man we know we have a squad that might be a premiership chance

 

[hobbo1]

Is brooks a 9 ?

He’d make a good 9 imo

When he is 18th man we know we have a squad that might be a premiership chance

Nah
When your mate changes his avatar we know we’re top 4

 

[Spud_Murphy]

Is brooks a 9 ?

He’d make a good 9 imo

Yep I said this yesterday in another thread or maybe it was this one I can’t remember lol. Anyway I think he has the perfect attributes for a hooker - he can pass, defend well, he has a bit of speed and can run the ball. Imagine him scooting out of dummy half catching tired forwards off guard. Someone has to replace Harry at hooker next year - works for me. Then we can finally concentrate on finding a real halfback who can control the team.

 

[hobbo1]

Is brooks a 9 ?

He’d make a good 9 imo

Yep I said this yesterday in another thread or maybe it was this one I can’t remember lol. Anyway I think he has the perfect attributes for a hooker - he can pass, defend well, he has a bit of speed and can run the ball. Imagine him scooting out of dummy half catching tired forwards off guard. Someone has to replace Harry at hooker next year - works for me. Then we can finally concentrate on finding a real halfback who can control the team.

I agree
He’d just need to work on throwing a 20 meter spiral pass on both sides
Even I can do that ?

 

[Russell]

When Pearce or Mann go left they can hit Ponga or Best.

Moses or Brown can hit Jennings or Sivva.

You gain a lot of confidence with that firepower at your disposal,

Well Pearce can, you'd need a crow bar to get the ball off Mann.

 

[Needaname]

When Pearce or Mann go left they can hit Ponga or Best.

Moses or Brown can hit Jennings or Sivva.

You gain a lot of confidence with that firepower at your disposal,

Well Pearce can, you'd need a crow bar to get the ball off Mann.

Best team example of a traditional Half / 5/8 combo.
Pearce touches the ball almost more than Macca in that side. Mann is the sidekick.
But is it effective for them? Yet to be determined.

 

[Curaeus]

Might be worth moving Brooks to five-eighth and playing Benji at 7 against the Broncs. Brooks can sure defend and has speed and strike power. Benji is no stranger to half and can manage a game better than most. Brisbane won't be any pushover after rolling over the Dogs.

 

[JC99]

Might be worth moving Brooks to five-eighth and playing Benji at 7 against the Broncs. Brooks can sure defend and has speed and strike power. Benji is no stranger to half and can manage a game better than most. Brisbane won't be any pushover after rolling over the Dogs.

I don’t think Benji is a game manager at all. We desperately lack one of those and good controlling halves are a dying breed. We need to sign Andrew Johns as a halves coach

 

[balmain boy]

Walters is a smaller version of Brooks. We don't need him in the halves. He's a backup hooker.
Madden is an organiser with a good long kicking game. Is he up to first grade? Who knows. The lack of CC is very disappointing for the likes of him as he can't push his case. But if we drop Brooks he's the only option we have. He has the potential skillset that we lack, playing Walters just because he's played a handful of games is just stupid.

Can't see Brooks getting dropped yet though. Madge took off Harry when he could have taken either Brooks or Reynolds off and both were awful. But rather than hook one he moved Reynolds to hooker and then to lock when Grant came back on

 

[Tiger5150]

Walters is a smaller version of Brooks. We don't need him in the halves. He's a backup hooker.
Madden is an organiser with a good long kicking game. Is he up to first grade? Who knows. The lack of CC is very disappointing for the likes of him as he can't push his case. But if we drop Brooks he's the only option we have. He has the potential skillset that we lack, playing Walters just because he's played a handful of games is just stupid.

Can't see Brooks getting dropped yet though. Madge took off Harry when he could have taken either Brooks or Reynolds off and both were awful. But rather than hook one he moved Reynolds to hooker and then to lock when Grant came back on

Was Reynolds at lock when Grant came back on? I assumed he got dragged, I didnt see him get involved at all afterwards.

 

[tony soprano]

Walters is a smaller version of Brooks. We don't need him in the halves. He's a backup hooker.
Madden is an organiser with a good long kicking game. Is he up to first grade? Who knows. The lack of CC is very disappointing for the likes of him as he can't push his case. But if we drop Brooks he's the only option we have. He has the potential skillset that we lack, playing Walters just because he's played a handful of games is just stupid.

Can't see Brooks getting dropped yet though. Madge took off Harry when he could have taken either Brooks or Reynolds off and both were awful. But rather than hook one he moved Reynolds to hooker and then to lock when Grant came back on

Walters is a 6.

 

[Tiger5150]

Walters is a smaller version of Brooks. We don't need him in the halves. He's a backup hooker.
Madden is an organiser with a good long kicking game. Is he up to first grade? Who knows. The lack of CC is very disappointing for the likes of him as he can't push his case. But if we drop Brooks he's the only option we have. He has the potential skillset that we lack, playing Walters just because he's played a handful of games is just stupid.

Can't see Brooks getting dropped yet though. Madge took off Harry when he could have taken either Brooks or Reynolds off and both were awful. But rather than hook one he moved Reynolds to hooker and then to lock when Grant came back on

Walters is a 6.

I reckon he is better at 9. Second best 9 we have (fit) right now

 

[pawsandclaws1]

Walters is a smaller version of Brooks. We don't need him in the halves. He's a backup hooker.
Madden is an organiser with a good long kicking game. Is he up to first grade? Who knows. The lack of CC is very disappointing for the likes of him as he can't push his case. But if we drop Brooks he's the only option we have. He has the potential skillset that we lack, playing Walters just because he's played a handful of games is just stupid.

Can't see Brooks getting dropped yet though. Madge took off Harry when he could have taken either Brooks or Reynolds off and both were awful. But rather than hook one he moved Reynolds to hooker and then to lock when Grant came back on

Madden and Brooks should be paired with Benji on from the interchange. We have to achieve something from this year and introducing a young half into the NRL is a good start. He played well in the trial against the big Penrith trial.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

One thing I found interesting at HT in the Souths game, we got the penalty and Brooks wanted to kick for touch. Reynolds just stood waiting. Doueihi says something and Brooks hesitates. Dou says something again, Brooks gestures at the sideline again, then points up for what would have been "a bomb". Dou says something again, Brooks looks to the sideline, gestures to the corner again and then lines up for his kick.

And I'm wondering to myself why doesn't he just go and kick it already, why is he listening to the fullback for hail-mary that he'll have to kick on minute 40. Just take the ball and kick it.

Gave some insight into exactly how much control Brooks has of his side - either he hesitated because he wasn't sure, or because people were trying to get in his ear.

And I'd say that's my major criticism of Brooks, though I am not overly critical, is he hesitates a little too often and it can cost him in critical moments. Cooper Cronk is a Grade-A knob, but I don't think I ever saw him flinch or hestitate.

I would put this down to his personality. You hear him interviews and he still sounds scared of his own shadow after nearly a decade in first grade. He’s never warmed to the spotlight. Which is fine. However, I believe he takes that personality onto the field which is a huge setback. He has no killer instinct. For example, Freddie Mercury was the most private, quiet person you’d ever come across off the stage. On it, totally different person. Brooks is the same man in and off the field.

 

[turkeytiger03]

How we all gonna feel about Madge if he doesn’t drop Brooks?

Brooks doesn’t need to be dropped just moved.

Think he needs both to be honest ... a few weeks out to get head around things and to learn something up in the box with Madge maybe. I do believe he has a future with us .... but he has to grow his game and show it when he gets his chance again.
I would like to either see
6 Marshall
7 Madden
Or
6 Walters
7 Marshall