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Luke Brooks reveals defensive woes were mental demons he must tackle
Nathan Ryan
FOX SPORTS
December 04, 2014 2:00PM
MIND over matter.
This is the new mantra Luke Brooks will be taking into his defensive game next year as he urgently looks to put an end to the defensive woes which plagued him throughout 2014.
Following his first full season in the NRL, the 19-year-old Wests Tigers halfback finished the year with 101 missed tackles, the most of any player in the competition.
So it should come as no surprise, defence is a key area he plans on addressing ahead of the new season.
“I know I can tackle it’s just consistently tackling and not missing heaps of tackles like I did last year,” Brooks told Foxsports.com.au.
“I think defence is in your mind. If you don’t have the right mindset going into the game I think you might struggle so that’s something I’ve got to work on.”
A target for much bigger opponents, Brooks says the solution is simple. Instead of adding more size to his 88 kilogram frame, the answer lies in changing his mindset toward tackling.
“Getting your mind right before the game – knowing you’re going to have big boys running at you and they’re going to be running at you all game,” he said when asked how he plans to beat his defensive issues.
“Also making the first tackle of the game. A good one puts you in good stead for the rest of the game. If your defence is on, your attack just rolls off that.”
Signed until the end of 2017, the Tigers have shown enormous faith in the former Australian Schoolboy. Earlier in the year Benji Marshall said he felt sorry for Brooks due to the amount of pressure being placed on the young prodigy so early in his career. According to Brooks, the expectation just comes with the territory.
“I didn’t feel too much pressure,” he said.
“I guess it doesn’t really get to me. Playing in the halves, there was always going to be pressure on me. I think you just get used to it.
“When the team starts losing they have to blame someone. When they start pointing the finger – it’s something you just have to get used to.”
Compared to the immortal Andrew Johns on the back of a dream debut in 2013, Brooks says he has had no issue staying grounded.
“I was trying not to listen to any of that stuff,” he said.
“I was just trying to focus on what my job was for the team. People around me helped me out a lot with that. It was good, It was not too hard to not listen to the media and what they are saying about you.”
A huge force in keeping him focused was former coach Mick Potter who publicly backed the Dally M Rookie of the Year throughout the season.
“He gave me a lot of confidence and told me that he would back me,” Brooks said of Potter.
“All the coaching staff and players as well were good for support, and family helps keep you grounded. When you have a bad game they’ll tell you that you had a bad game so it’s good.”
Finishing 13th with just 10 wins for the year, Brooks said he “learned a lot from the losses” and the importance of consistency in his own game as well as a team.
He also learned a lot about his body as niggling injuries crept their way in at the back end of the season.
“It’s all good now,” he said of his niggles.
“It was good to get a bit of a break over the off-season. I’m feeling refreshed and everything is feeling good.
“It was a bit like (the year took a toll on the body) towards the end of the season. For the first 20 or so rounds I thought my body was handling it all right and then I had a few little injuries but nothing major.”
When asked about his goals for 2015 he said: “I’m more concentrating on our goal as a team – as a team the top eight is something we are looking to make.
“Personally the first thing that comes to mind is consistency.”
Nathan Ryan
FOX SPORTS
December 04, 2014 2:00PM
MIND over matter.
This is the new mantra Luke Brooks will be taking into his defensive game next year as he urgently looks to put an end to the defensive woes which plagued him throughout 2014.
Following his first full season in the NRL, the 19-year-old Wests Tigers halfback finished the year with 101 missed tackles, the most of any player in the competition.
So it should come as no surprise, defence is a key area he plans on addressing ahead of the new season.
“I know I can tackle it’s just consistently tackling and not missing heaps of tackles like I did last year,” Brooks told Foxsports.com.au.
“I think defence is in your mind. If you don’t have the right mindset going into the game I think you might struggle so that’s something I’ve got to work on.”
A target for much bigger opponents, Brooks says the solution is simple. Instead of adding more size to his 88 kilogram frame, the answer lies in changing his mindset toward tackling.
“Getting your mind right before the game – knowing you’re going to have big boys running at you and they’re going to be running at you all game,” he said when asked how he plans to beat his defensive issues.
“Also making the first tackle of the game. A good one puts you in good stead for the rest of the game. If your defence is on, your attack just rolls off that.”
Signed until the end of 2017, the Tigers have shown enormous faith in the former Australian Schoolboy. Earlier in the year Benji Marshall said he felt sorry for Brooks due to the amount of pressure being placed on the young prodigy so early in his career. According to Brooks, the expectation just comes with the territory.
“I didn’t feel too much pressure,” he said.
“I guess it doesn’t really get to me. Playing in the halves, there was always going to be pressure on me. I think you just get used to it.
“When the team starts losing they have to blame someone. When they start pointing the finger – it’s something you just have to get used to.”
Compared to the immortal Andrew Johns on the back of a dream debut in 2013, Brooks says he has had no issue staying grounded.
“I was trying not to listen to any of that stuff,” he said.
“I was just trying to focus on what my job was for the team. People around me helped me out a lot with that. It was good, It was not too hard to not listen to the media and what they are saying about you.”
A huge force in keeping him focused was former coach Mick Potter who publicly backed the Dally M Rookie of the Year throughout the season.
“He gave me a lot of confidence and told me that he would back me,” Brooks said of Potter.
“All the coaching staff and players as well were good for support, and family helps keep you grounded. When you have a bad game they’ll tell you that you had a bad game so it’s good.”
Finishing 13th with just 10 wins for the year, Brooks said he “learned a lot from the losses” and the importance of consistency in his own game as well as a team.
He also learned a lot about his body as niggling injuries crept their way in at the back end of the season.
“It’s all good now,” he said of his niggles.
“It was good to get a bit of a break over the off-season. I’m feeling refreshed and everything is feeling good.
“It was a bit like (the year took a toll on the body) towards the end of the season. For the first 20 or so rounds I thought my body was handling it all right and then I had a few little injuries but nothing major.”
When asked about his goals for 2015 he said: “I’m more concentrating on our goal as a team – as a team the top eight is something we are looking to make.
“Personally the first thing that comes to mind is consistency.”
