Luke Brooks

[Tiger_Fanatic3]

Brooksy should be in the crowd next week

 

[Tiger_Fanatic3]

😂
http://gph.is/2fjyf48

 

[pawsandclaws1]

Adam Clune continues to impress at the Dragons. He is an organiser rather than the flashier type halfback. Madden is similar in the way he plays. I am not advocating he replace Brooks. What I am highlighting is that it is nice to see a scheming organising half in the NRL. He is a Wagga product via Illawarra Sports High.

 

[Honkylips]

I'd drop Brooks for Jock Madden tomorrow if I could. I've said it for years that Brooks tries hard but is useless.

 

[cktiger]

Gosh, what would we do without a Luke Brooks thread?
OK, sure I’ll admit he’s not the best half in the comp, but he’s our half.

How dare Brooks let Moses crab 40 meters across field and leave our defensive line staggered ! That’s Brooks fault!

Are you honestly happy with what Brooks contributes to the team ?

Are you honestly happy with our goal line defense?

Clearly our biggest issue out of yesterday imo

I wonder how much better Brooks would look if our defence was water tight?

I'm not sure that our defence has caused him to cease having a running and passing game as well as an effective kicking game.


I’m not saying that some posters have completely misdiagnosed the real issue we have. Just saying we’re very quick to throw the noose around someone’s neck.
I listened to Cronk’s post game commentary which agrees with my thoughts that our two halves need to be consistent and reliable to set the example of the team, but further to that the entire spine needs to have a few games together.
But our real issue is our defence. In the first quarter it looked like everyone was afraid to make a mistake. They looked like teenagers having their first dance with their first girlfriend.
Why don’t we put our six guns back in the holsters and take a deep breathe?
Brooks is not our real problem amigos.

He sure looks like a real problem.

 

[Alex Seyfarth's #1 Fan]

Luke played well again.

 

[tony soprano]

Have a look at JTJ highlights, and a lot of his try's are through pure speed pushing through after a short kick onto the in goal, have not seen one yet from AD or Brooks, other Teams use this as an option, and Parra did.

Brooks is petrified to place any short gruber kicks in fear of kicking it dead

 

[Tim Sheens]

Man, watching us vs Parra.

We were Pummled.

Not Brooks fault on that. He goy a few opportunities and helped us get 20 points. I cannot fault him.

Our defense too, it held a line. We were not Porus slop. Yes, parra had a creative attack and rattled us, but they employed tactics to rattle us Unlike say easts that will just pass the ball to a center/winger and stroll on through.

We did well, in a comp where people are loosing 40/0 we actually performed. Long way to go.

Why blame Brooks when its clear Andrew Johns couldnt have won that game for us.


Good summary. We were beaten but a much better team. Their forwards were incredible and for the most part we held them. Plenty of good signs in that game.

What about the wasted opportunities in our 1st 25 minutes ...we didn't even try and get repeat sets ....i***f we don't have one player we trust to get a kick into the opposition in goal in our Top 13 ......***

It's OK ...Brooks is a protected species ....and you know why ...because many on here would have to admit they have been wrong about Brooks ......they quicker you all own it the better for your health ......wwwwwrong

I agree with this part. Brooks needs to improve in this area of his game (and others).

His running game has disappeared completely ...what was the use of signing Roberts in particular if you don't have him taking the line on ..aiming at edge defenders and getting on their outside

Again ...this all could be Madge ....but if it is .....he is the wrong coach ...seriously most sets we throw Taylorball at the opposition ...just with AD amazing floating bombs ....but again the floating bombs fail ..and all we have done is set the opposition up on the 30 metre line and a chance to be in our 20 at the end of teh set

That isn't a good thing

From my seat, the above and the previously mentioned taking the tackle near the line on the last were quite obviously tactics from the get go.

It was batcrap predictable play, with the floating bombs failing miserably on the whole and especially when their attacking AD as the kicker created holes that weren't exploited.

Our misuse and waste of Roberts languishing outside of the TV cameras view is almost criminal. Still, our biggest problem lays in a middle that had given up about 15% extra meters with an even share of possession at half time and that continued after the break.

As for Brooks, he did his job.

 

[Guest]

I'd drop Brooks for Jock Madden tomorrow if I could. I've said it for years that Brooks tries hard but is useless.

Madden is certainly not a better player than Brooks at this stage of his career.

 

[BAGNF05]

When Brooks plays well he runs into the line and engages defenders. eg Last weeks flat ball to Stefano for the try - beautiful to watch.

Trouble is he doesn't do it all game, and in some games not at all. this week he was play making 3-10m from the defensive line. That gives us nothing.

Good and even average playmakers play close to the line all the time. Sometimes they run, sometimes they kick, sometimes they pass, and sometimes they get smashed. It makes the defence make a play and if they are good enough and the team structures are right a line break is make.

Brooks needs to play closer to the defensive line every play - he has the ability, but seems to be not there mentally.

Problem is he has Leilua on his side who likes early ball, that worked once for a nice try but I agree, we need to be playing more direct with support players pushing into holes.

Aside, our defense is where the real issues lie.

 

[JC99]

I would like for brooks to have more than one effective kick this week. Maybe force a dropout or simply just drop the high kick on the try line. Will go a big way to winning if we can force repeat sets and build pressure

Doueihis kicks are good but he can't be so reliant on them, eels quickly figured out the strategy was give it to Adam.

 

[jirskyr]

Well both sides of the ball we are diabolical yesterday …Brooks is our ball player he has to take ownership …we had 3 sets finish when we had great field position with a player basically get tackled without a shot fired one out without a kick

They were sets earlier in the match IIRC. I'm ok with a player running to ground on 5, so long as you defend hard the following set.

 

[jirskyr]

This thread interests me only because I wonder if anyone legitimately believes Jock Madden is an alternative to Brooks. From what I've seen of Madden, the answer is no.

After Madden there is nobody else close to being NRL standard, not unless we run out some cobbled halves pairing like Moses and Doueihi.

I'm all for giving Madden a run and, hell, why not drop Brooks and see what happens with an alternative strategy? Madge can do it and I won't be upset - most fans would cop it.

Buy my head and heart both tell me that Brooks' replacement would just get mauled, worse than Brooks. Until we sign a legitimate replacement, or some kid from the juniors gets old enough and good enough, Brooks it is... kind of pointless banging on about it every week.

 

[the_third]

When Brooks plays well he runs into the line and engages defenders. eg Last weeks flat ball to Stefano for the try - beautiful to watch.

Trouble is he doesn't do it all game, and in some games not at all. this week he was play making 3-10m from the defensive line. That gives us nothing.

Good and even average playmakers play close to the line all the time. Sometimes they run, sometimes they kick, sometimes they pass, and sometimes they get smashed. It makes the defence make a play and if they are good enough and the team structures are right a line break is make.

Brooks needs to play closer to the defensive line every play - he has the ability, but seems to be not there mentally.

Problem is he has Leilua on his side who likes early ball, that worked once for a nice try but I agree, we need to be playing more direct with support players pushing into holes.

Aside, our defense is where the real issues lie.

Fair point. But at the moment he doesn’t do enough (earn the right/ask questions or what ever) to give the early ball. He doesn’t create the indecision in the defence.

 

[the_third]

I would like for brooks to have more than one effective kick this week. Maybe force a dropout or simply just drop the high kick on the try line. Will go a big way to winning if we can force repeat sets and build pressure

Doueihis kicks are good but he can't be so reliant on them, eels quickly figured out the strategy was give it to Adam.

He’s played 150 games, surely it’s more than 2 effective kicks

 

[TrueTiger]

This thread interests me only because I wonder if anyone legitimately believes Jock Madden is an alternative to Brooks. From what I've seen of Madden, the answer is no.

After Madden there is nobody else close to being NRL standard, not unless we run out some cobbled halves pairing like Moses and Doueihi.

I'm all for giving Madden a run and, hell, why not drop Brooks and see what happens with an alternative strategy? Madge can do it and I won't be upset - most fans would cop it.

Buy my head and heart both tell me that Brooks' replacement would just get mauled, worse than Brooks. Until we sign a legitimate replacement, or some kid from the juniors gets old enough and good enough, Brooks it is... kind of pointless banging on about it every week.

I agree with your post jirskyr,I only really hope that AD and Brooks dont get injured or HIAs at the same time and their both out for a couple of weeks and if especially most want Mbye gone tommorrow...

Thats when we will really see how little quality depth we have in the halves...I like Madden but willow and others that have watched him have said he isnt quite up to NRL standard yet...it would truly be "throwing him to the wolves"

 

[jirskyr]

This thread interests me only because I wonder if anyone legitimately believes Jock Madden is an alternative to Brooks. From what I've seen of Madden, the answer is no.

After Madden there is nobody else close to being NRL standard, not unless we run out some cobbled halves pairing like Moses and Doueihi.

I'm all for giving Madden a run and, hell, why not drop Brooks and see what happens with an alternative strategy? Madge can do it and I won't be upset - most fans would cop it.

Buy my head and heart both tell me that Brooks' replacement would just get mauled, worse than Brooks. Until we sign a legitimate replacement, or some kid from the juniors gets old enough and good enough, Brooks it is... kind of pointless banging on about it every week.

I agree with your post jirskyr,I only really hope that AD and Brooks dont get injured or HIAs at the same time and their both out for a couple of weeks and if especially most want Mbye gone tommorrow...

Thats when we will really see how little quality depth we have in the halves...I like Madden but willow and others that have watched him have said he isnt quite up to NRL standard yet...it would truly be "throwing him to the wolves"

I think the reality is very few teams have halves depth.

Newcastle have been playing Kurt Mann until Ponga comes back, now they are down both Pearce and Mann. Souths have nobody after Benji, Penrith have Burton who is leaving. It's thin for most clubs, even the Roosters playing a kid who may or may not come good.

 

[tbones10]

willow and others that have watched him have said he isnt quite up to NRL standard yet…it would truly be “throwing him to the wolves”

Well the fact that there are 135 pages in this thread, a lot of people don't believe that Luke Brooks is up to NRL standard either, on current form, I'm one of them, what have we got to lose.Take you pick "throwing him to the wolves" or a "baptism of fire", lets see what this kid can do when the put under pressure with better quality players around him, so again what have we got to lose.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

I'd drop Brooks for Jock Madden tomorrow if I could. I've said it for years that Brooks tries hard but is useless.

Madden is certainly not a better player than Brooks at this stage of his career.

Madden's playing style is similar to Adam Clune. Clune is a hugely underrated player.

 

[BAGNF05]

When Brooks plays well he runs into the line and engages defenders. eg Last weeks flat ball to Stefano for the try - beautiful to watch.

Trouble is he doesn't do it all game, and in some games not at all. this week he was play making 3-10m from the defensive line. That gives us nothing.

Good and even average playmakers play close to the line all the time. Sometimes they run, sometimes they kick, sometimes they pass, and sometimes they get smashed. It makes the defence make a play and if they are good enough and the team structures are right a line break is make.

Brooks needs to play closer to the defensive line every play - he has the ability, but seems to be not there mentally.

Problem is he has Leilua on his side who likes early ball, that worked once for a nice try but I agree, we need to be playing more direct with support players pushing into holes.

Aside, our defense is where the real issues lie.

Fair point. But at the moment he doesn’t do enough (earn the right/ask questions or what ever) to give the early ball. He doesn’t create the indecision in the defence.

That’s the role of the entire team as a unit, not just him. On those two occasions we handed the ball over on the last, did ‘the team’ muscle up and hold Parra in their end or force a mistake ‘No’. Then AD had a pressure relieving kick and we had a dubious forward pass/ no try on a short side. And Parra gained momentum and despite getting close we were really out of the game from there because we kept leaking points. Could have been Jesus Christ in the number 7 and he would been flat out leading his team to 37 points against Parra. Brooksy is not there to stop a runaway train, as a unit we need to be running harder with the ball , winning the ruck in D and then picking moments to play. Changing the HB is a furphy.