'Next Joey' Luke Brooks is a Wests Tigers keeper

[balmain boy]

One has to remember that both Brooks and Moses are local boys! Playing for Holy Cross and then Balmain, the same as many Tigers players have before. The fact they were fans before the even signed up for the WT's NYC team or even Balmain Sg ball would suggest that they should have a strong loyalty to their local club.

Brooks has mentioned the 05 grand final before and how it impacted him. As long as we offer something reasonable to compensate him for how much he plays he should be 99% sure to re-sign.

I imagine the sticking point with his manager would be salary v bonuses. His agent would still want to get the best deal for his client, even if his passion is for the club. The player would prefer a guaranteed larger salary whereas the club may prefer to offer a young player a small base plus incentives based around how much first grade he plays. Which, even though he seems like a young star isn't guaranteed as can be seen by the aforementioned list of next Andrew Johns' or SBW's…

We'd want to be offering a decent base salary, which gets a guaranteed increase each year if certain agreed targets are met. Plus match/try/win bonuses on top, so if he's playing a lot, ie well, he gets paid well. If he bottles it he only gets the base.

I have the utmost confidence he's going nowhere. In any case as he's under contract for another 18 months the Knights couldn't have even talked to him, much less offer a contract. If they have they'll get screwed big time, and we may even get compo for free!

 

[sheer64]

Farah rates him big time and that will do me

I think this is a very good point and why we should retain him at the Tigers. Not all junior players have the support of the senior players let alone the captain. Potter I feel knows his potential as well, so barring injuries I feel he will succeed in first grade, and no better place to do this than at the mighty Wests Tigers!

 

[Justo]

Be good for the club to get a halves coach, someone like Johns (or better still, bring Sterlo out of retirement) to take this young kid under their wing - Look how DCE has improved which is no coincidence.

 

[Eye_Of_Da_Tiger]

He certainly does sound like what all of us here have been praying for!

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

I know the kid is good, but by Jesus would this hype be hard to live up to.

Hope he takes it in his stride and doesn't crack under the pressure.

 

[quintus]

His father was a good first grade player for the mighty Balmain Tigers and I'm sure David will have a lot of influence on his son staying at Wests Tigers. Betcha….

 

[supercoach]

His father was a good first grade player for the mighty Balmain Tigers and I'm sure David will have a lot of influence on his son staying at Wests Tigers. Betcha….

Sorry to tell you but he is no relation to David Brooks, thought the same a few years ago when i first start hearing about him, but the fact is he is no relation (so I have been told)

 

[jmp7875]

if the dogs can pay 1 million over 3 years for a 19 yr old front rower,i think we should be at looking at offering the same
to keep this great talent at the tigers..

 

[jctiger]

His father was a good first grade player for the mighty Balmain Tigers and I'm sure David will have a lot of influence on his son staying at Wests Tigers. Betcha….

Sorry to tell you but he is no relation to David Brooks, thought the same a few years ago when i first start hearing about him, but the fact is he is no relation (so I have been told)

Your right Supercoach, it says their not related on the Weststigers Website

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[Peaches]

I don't want the next Joey Johns. I want Luke Brooks and every other player to be themselves and successful.

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[quintus]

Sorry men….I was told he was Brooksies son by someone I've known for years so just presumed that he was.

 

[WestsSupporter]

Just wanted to say that DCE was lowly rated. Most people said that Kieran Foran made him look good. He had to spend a year in QLD cup cause of it.

 

[LaT]

Just wanted to say that DCE was lowly rated. Most people said that Kieran Foran made him look good. He had to spend a year in QLD cup cause of it.

Don't know how low rated he was considering Manly's plan was always to punt Hodkinson (a decent halfback in his own right) in order to bring in an unproven DCE.

Manly's plan seemed to be about development/succession rather than not rating him.

 

[tigermaniac]

Just wanted to say that DCE was lowly rated. Most people said that Kieran Foran made him look good. He had to spend a year in QLD cup cause of it.

Don't know how low rated he was considering Manly's plan was always to punt Hodkinson (a decent halfback in his own right) in order to bring in an unproven DCE.

Manly's plan seemed to be about development/succession rather than not rating him.

LaT I don't think Manly punted Hodkinson, more like the Bulldogs poached him.

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[LaT]

Yeah maybe they did. My memory might be playing tricks on me. I just remember hearing about DCE being this great big prospect and how my Manly mates didn't care about Hodkinson leaving.

 

[innsaneink]

Remember reading somewhere years ago he went to Tassie to run in I guess it was national titles - little A's I think, came home and played a starring role in his teams GF win the next day…think it was brooks.
Getting all the yearbooks and reading about the juniors in balmain over a decade, he was hard to miss, always featured.

Im sure he'll have a level headed parent nearby keeping him grounded, a lot of pressure on the young bloke

 

[jirskyr]

Yeah maybe they did. My memory might be playing tricks on me. I just remember hearing about DCE being this great big prospect and how my Manly mates didn't care about Hodkinson leaving.

My mail is that you are correct. My old man knew one of the lower-grade coaches at Manly, said the club watched both Hodkinson and DCE develop, decided to keep only one and let the other take offers. DCE was the decision.

 

[tom620]

Did anyone notice the comment on Benji's benching?
\
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Potter also deserves credit for the loyalty he has shown his players after it was revealed in The Sunday Telegraph that the real reason for Benji's benching back in round 10 was because he broke the club's strict no-alcohol policy while on the medical list.

Potter chose to keep that out of the media and as a result wore the brunt of the criticism after the Tigers were flogged 54-10 by Souths.

But that defeat proved a turning point in their season and it's no coincidence Benji's form has improved significantly since.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/nrl-premiership/the-nrls-next-dominant-halfback-luke-brooks-is-a-wests-tigers-keeper-at-the-expense-of-benji/story-fn2mcuj6-1226673547991#.UdPnsIH76QA

Thats news to me - an infringment led to the benching. Did I miss something?

 

[Snake]

Official website photos show Brooks training with the NRL team this week, probable not to far off for a start. Don,t like big wraps seen it all to many times over the years just creates a perception that puts pressure on when not needed.

 

[LCA]

I don't want the next Joey Johns. I want Luke Brooks and every other player to be themselves and successful.

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Hell, one Andrew Johns is enough, surely? Why would you wish it upon anyone to lead as troubled and tarnished a life as Andrew Johns? I agree that Luke Brooks can define his own standard.