Luke Brooks

[hobbo1]

Brooks would cop less flak if he just had a crack ..
Lacks the smarts in the opposition 20 imo ..
shame really .

For all his faults..not having a crack is not one of them IMO..

You know what I meant ..

Just last week looking long and playing short to Utoikamanu and Tuilagi was smart..IMO..

It’s his kicking game that is lacking imo
Last game in the opposition 10-20 he looked lost ..left it to Doueihi to try and create something..

 

[bathursttiger1]

Balmain legend Steve Roach’s advice for Tigers halfback Luke Brooks
The Wests Tigers have struggled again this year and a club legend has imparted some intriguing advice to one of their star players.

Matthew Sullivan
AUGUST 16, 20211:09P

Balmain legend Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach believes Wests Tigers halfback Luke Brooks should “move on” from the club at the end of the season and get a fresh start elsewhere.

The Tigers have struggled again this season and face an uphill battle to make the top eight and get their first taste of finals action since 2011.

While Brooks has been solid this season, he has struggled to reach his potential during his time with the Tigers and is still yet to play in a finals game after nine seasons at the club.

“My personal opinion (is) I think he’s stale,” Roach told news.com.au.

“If I was him, I’d probably be looking to move on.

“I reckon there would be a lot of clubs that would be interested. He’s shown good signs, he’s a good player.

“I think he’s hard done by. I think he’s a pretty good player Luke Brooks.

“You put him in one of those top-flight sides, a lot of people would be talking about him. He won the halfback of the year only a few years ago.

“I just feel sorry for him because he’s the poor bugger that cops all the flak every time the Tigers get beat. He’s the one that seems to cop the raw end of the stick.”

Brooks has two years left on his contract, which is said to be worth around $900,000 a year.

But his future is uncertain after the Tigers signed former Manly and Roosters playmaker Jackson Hastings on a two-year deal starting next season.

Roach believes the Tigers are in desperate need of a star playmaker to give their attack some spark.

“Have a look at the spines that are running in the top four,” he said.

“We lack a genuine game-breaker. You have a look at the sides that are up the top of the competition, they’ve got one or two in their side.”

Roach, who was part of the legendary Balmain side of the 1980s, said the Tigers’ inability to attract a big-name recruit is his biggest concern.

“I’d like to see the recruitment get better and I’d also like to see that the Tigers can actually sign top-notch players,” he said.

“I think that when you have a look at the poor old Tigers when they go on the market to try and buy players to try and go after some big names, a lot of the managers and so forth are using the Tigers as a springboard to get more money from other clubs.

“Everyone that comes on the market we seem to talk to but we never seem to get them.

“I don’t know whether they can do any more than make good offers to good players that are on the market but you’ve got to have a reason for them to want to got there.”

The Tigers have missed out on several big-name recruits in recent times, most notably Tevita Pangai Junior, who decided to join the Canterbury Bulldogs from next year after the Tigers reportedly offered him a lucrative contract.

Roach said the Tigers will continue to be a middle-of-the-table side unless they find a way to improve their roster and add some star power.

“It’s going to be a long road for them and unless Tim Sheens comes and gets their recruitment right and we can attract the right players, we’re going to struggle a little bit,” he said.

“They’ll improve as players but until they get that X-factor player or a couple of players, otherwise you’re virtually making up the numbers every year.”

After a scrappy win over the Cowboys on Saturday, the Tigers are 13th on the ladder but are only one win outside the top eight.

They would have to win at least two of their remaining three games against the Sharks, Panthers and Bulldogs to have any chance of sneaking into the finals.

The third episode of the documentary series ‘Wild Wests: Tales from Tiger Town’ tracking the Tigers’ season will be shown at 7.30pm (AEST) on Monday on Fox League and Kayo.

Only last week Blocker and Rent-A-Quote were talking about how good for players to be a One club player, even quoting Tim Brasher regetting not staying at Balmain.
Flip-Flop Blocker what even is needed to get attention.

 

[Tiger5150]

If you want to know what is going on with Brooks, watch the first 20/30 mins of last weeks game and then the whole second half.

Brooks looked great in that first 30 mins and was ineffectual in the second half (in attack, his defence was outstanding). Now look at the speed of the runners supporting him. In that first 20mins our attack support was screaming onto the ball and he always had players approaching the line at speed and choices.

In that second half, that speed in attack was totally gone and Brooks is left floating across teh field looking/begging for a runner and at best he had one to chose from or run himself.

It couldnt have been clearer last week IMO. I also think fitness is an issue for our team (god knows how)

 

[Harvey]

If you want to know what is going on with Brooks, watch the first 20/30 mins of last weeks game and then the whole second half.

Brooks looked great in that first 30 mins and was ineffectual in the second half (in attack, his defence was outstanding). Now look at the speed of the runners supporting him. In that first 20mins our attack support was screaming onto the ball and he always had players approaching the line at speed and choices.

In that second half, that speed in attack was totally gone and Brooks is left floating across teh field looking/begging for a runner and at best he had one to chose from or run himself.

It couldnt have been clearer last week IMO. I also think fitness is an issue for our team (god knows how)

I have thought the same thing around our fitness levels. No idea if it is fact or not but a remember one of the Maguire Souths stories was that they were getting flogged so hard at training, they were flat and fatigued come game day

 

[dazza65]

Yawn…. Who cares move on, not worth the brainpower thinking about Blocker….

 

[Tiger-ferret]

If you want to know what is going on with Brooks, watch the first 20/30 mins of last weeks game and then the whole second half.

Brooks looked great in that first 30 mins and was ineffectual in the second half (in attack, his defence was outstanding). Now look at the speed of the runners supporting him. In that first 20mins our attack support was screaming onto the ball and he always had players approaching the line at speed and choices.

In that second half, that speed in attack was totally gone and Brooks is left floating across teh field looking/begging for a runner and at best he had one to chose from or run himself.

It couldnt have been clearer last week IMO. I also think fitness is an issue for our team (god knows how)

I have thought the same thing around our fitness levels. No idea if it is fact or not but a remember one of the Maguire Souths stories was that they were getting flogged so hard at training, they were flat and fatigued come game day

I’ve had a theory for many years…

I just reckon our “sports science” is not as advanced. We just can’t keep up with the top teams over 80. Not even warriors where we just died in the but last 15 minutes.

 

[JC99]

Brooks would cop less flak if he just had a crack ..
Lacks the smarts in the opposition 20 imo ..
shame really .

For all his faults..not having a crack is not one of them IMO..

You know what I meant ..

Just last week looking long and playing short to Utoikamanu and Tuilagi was smart..IMO..

It’s his kicking game that is lacking imo
Last game in the opposition 10-20 he looked lost ..left it to Doueihi to try and create something..

His kicking game is some of the worst in the league. He's played over 150 games and has still shown absolutely no game management or control, that's the issue with him.

 

[italian_stallion]

I have a mate that does the video analysis for the nsw cup team, spoke to him a few weeks ago he told me that the NSW cup team is levels above the nrl team in terms of fitness, and that the current squad isn’t fit. He also believes that a few of the boys are going to be great I.e Tuilagi, Simpkon’s and dias

 

[Harvey]

If you want to know what is going on with Brooks, watch the first 20/30 mins of last weeks game and then the whole second half.

Brooks looked great in that first 30 mins and was ineffectual in the second half (in attack, his defence was outstanding). Now look at the speed of the runners supporting him. In that first 20mins our attack support was screaming onto the ball and he always had players approaching the line at speed and choices.

In that second half, that speed in attack was totally gone and Brooks is left floating across teh field looking/begging for a runner and at best he had one to chose from or run himself.

It couldnt have been clearer last week IMO. I also think fitness is an issue for our team (god knows how)

I have thought the same thing around our fitness levels. No idea if it is fact or not but a remember one of the Maguire Souths stories was that they were getting flogged so hard at training, they were flat and fatigued come game day

I’ve had a theory for many years…

I just reckon our “sports science” is not as advanced. We just can’t keep up with the top teams over 80. Not even warriors where we just died in the but last 15 minutes.

I think much the same and am hoping the COE improves things. We do not look at strong as other teams.

Players that leave look stronger when they turn out for their new club.

 

[JC99]

Can't disagree with Blocker, Brooks and Tigers parting ways would probably be beneficial for both parties

Can't see another club picking up Brooks as he's on big money and on a long term deal

 

[StarswithStripes]

Blocker drives me nuts with his disdain for 1/2 of our club that he once played for.
To see him constantly refer to the Weststigers as tigers in that article, and then to see the muppet that wrote it refer to our club as the tigers constantly, is also annoying. Sullivan correctly refers to Canterbury Bulldogs as Canterbury Bulldogs . . . but calls WT the tigers.

When someone asks me who I follow I just say Tigers ..don’t see the issue

Yeah I was from the Magpie side of the venture but I call them Tigers. Not a biggie for me.

 

[Geo]

Blocker drives me nuts with his disdain for 1/2 of our club that he once played for.
To see him constantly refer to the Weststigers as tigers in that article, and then to see the muppet that wrote it refer to our club as the tigers constantly, is also annoying. Sullivan correctly refers to Canterbury Bulldogs as Canterbury Bulldogs . . . but calls WT the tigers.

Every one always forgets Bankstown..

 

[aturkey]

Blocker drives me nuts with his disdain for 1/2 of our club that he once played for.
To see him constantly refer to the Weststigers as tigers in that article, and then to see the muppet that wrote it refer to our club as the tigers constantly, is also annoying. Sullivan correctly refers to Canterbury Bulldogs as Canterbury Bulldogs . . . but calls WT the tigers.

When someone asks me who I follow I just say Tigers ..don’t see the issue

Yeah I was from the Magpie side of the venture but I call them Tigers. Not a biggie for me.

No one born after 1995 actually gives a S about this boring semantics BS. We are the Tigers. We are Wests. We are the Tigpies. God, who cares. Move on.

 

[BAGNF05]

Can't disagree with Blocker, Brooks and Tigers parting ways would probably be beneficial for both parties

Can't see another club picking up Brooks as he's on big money and on a long term deal

Disagree mate, halves don’t grow on trees and he’s better than our team make him look, few teams would take him for sure, I could see top 8 teams Raiders, Rabbitohs, Knights entertaining him.

 

[JC99]

Can't disagree with Blocker, Brooks and Tigers parting ways would probably be beneficial for both parties

Can't see another club picking up Brooks as he's on big money and on a long term deal

Disagree mate, halves don’t grow on trees and he’s better than our team make him look, few teams would take him for sure, I could see top 8 teams Raiders, Rabbitohs, Knights entertaining him.

Raiders would be the only one to have a think about signing him because they lost Williams but even then his price and contract length is a big deterrent

 

[jirskyr]

I hate how Blocker says "we" when referring to the tigers but is constantly bagging the club out. When on Fox he is horrible and has nothing constructive to say during a game involving us.

He has always stated the tigers are, "his team"
But like many former players, love having a crack at us.

It's a shame, really.

It's born out of frustration in watching us consistently struggle.

Nah, born out of wanting to keep a job in the media.

Laying the boot into wests is keeps the clicks coming and hacks in jobs.

In defence of Blocker, there are a significant number of forum regular posters who love having a crack at the club just as often as any media personality. I'd argue it's pretty common place amongst Tigers fans in general, with the lack of success.

 

[BAGNF05]

I hate how Blocker says "we" when referring to the tigers but is constantly bagging the club out. When on Fox he is horrible and has nothing constructive to say during a game involving us.

He has always stated the tigers are, "his team"
But like many former players, love having a crack at us.

It's a shame, really.

It's born out of frustration in watching us consistently struggle.

Nah, born out of wanting to keep a job in the media.

Laying the boot into wests is keeps the clicks coming and hacks in jobs.

In defence of Blocker, there are a significant number of forum regular posters who love having a crack at the club just as often as any media personality. I'd argue it's pretty common place amongst Tigers fans in general, with the lack of success.

Pascoe calls it ‘outside noise’

Reckons if they all pull together and ‘consolidate’ they’ll get through it. Maybe try the silo approach??

 

[jirskyr]

Blocker drives me nuts with his disdain for 1/2 of our club that he once played for.
To see him constantly refer to the Weststigers as tigers in that article, and then to see the muppet that wrote it refer to our club as the tigers constantly, is also annoying. Sullivan correctly refers to Canterbury Bulldogs as Canterbury Bulldogs . . . but calls WT the tigers.

When someone asks me who I follow I just say Tigers ..don’t see the issue

I don't see the issue either. In fact I see some irony - I think that people who react if someone says "Tigers" (only) are actually the ones who aren't over the merger. The ability to call the club any name at all and not have a negative reaction is the true indicator of merger acceptance.

One might argue that's easier to say if you were previously a "Tigers" supporter, but this isn't some minority / privilege thing - Wests Magpies are crushingly the dominant party in the merger now and the old Balmain only exists at the whim of Wests. And that's OK for me, because since 2020 I've been a Wests supporter for longer than I was a Balmain supporter.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Blocker drives me nuts with his disdain for 1/2 of our club that he once played for.
To see him constantly refer to the Weststigers as tigers in that article, and then to see the muppet that wrote it refer to our club as the tigers constantly, is also annoying. Sullivan correctly refers to Canterbury Bulldogs as Canterbury Bulldogs . . . but calls WT the tigers.

When someone asks me who I follow I just say Tigers ..don’t see the issue

I don't see the issue either. In fact I see some irony - I think that people who react if someone says "Tigers" (only) are actually the ones who aren't over the merger. The ability to call the club any name at all and not have a negative reaction is the true indicator of merger acceptance.

One might argue that's easier to say if you were previously a "Tigers" supporter, but this isn't some minority / privilege thing - Wests Magpies are crushingly the dominant party in the merger now and the old Balmain only exists at the whim of Wests. And that's OK for me, because since 2020 I've been a Wests supporter for longer than I was a Balmain supporter.

There has definitely been an imbalance. As an ex-Magpie, I have no issue with saying I’m a Tigers supporter. Do ex-Balmain supporters identify themselves as Wests supporters? I think that name on its own is still on the nose with a lot of people. More than happy to be proven wrong.

 

[BAGNF05]

Blocker drives me nuts with his disdain for 1/2 of our club that he once played for.
To see him constantly refer to the Weststigers as tigers in that article, and then to see the muppet that wrote it refer to our club as the tigers constantly, is also annoying. Sullivan correctly refers to Canterbury Bulldogs as Canterbury Bulldogs . . . but calls WT the tigers.

When someone asks me who I follow I just say Tigers ..don’t see the issue

I don't see the issue either. In fact I see some irony - I think that people who react if someone says "Tigers" (only) are actually the ones who aren't over the merger. The ability to call the club any name at all and not have a negative reaction is the true indicator of merger acceptance.

One might argue that's easier to say if you were previously a "Tigers" supporter, but this isn't some minority / privilege thing - Wests Magpies are crushingly the dominant party in the merger now and the old Balmain only exists at the whim of Wests. And that's OK for me, because since 2020 I've been a Wests supporter for longer than I was a Balmain supporter.

There has definitely been an imbalance. As an ex-Magpie, I have no issue with saying I’m a Tigers supporter. Do ex-Balmain supporters identify themselves as Wests supporters? I think that name on its own is still on the nose with a lot of people. More than happy to be proven wrong.

I supported Tigers in 05,10,11

Wests all the way the other years