The inevitable Luke Brooks thread..

[Lauren]

Cheers @bigsiro and @Magpie1969.

As a child we had a dog and cat both called Cliffy (obviously named after him) and I swear they were treated better than us kids. Never felt inclined to watch them (Manly) much though.
BTW had to get some further feedback on the remark and they still firmly believe that the Brooks and Garner combo was reminiscent of Lyons and Menzies.
So here's hoping we can get Brooks up to that level.

 

[mike]

Cheers @bigsiro and @Magpie1969.

As a child we had a dog and cat both called Cliffy (obviously named after him) and I swear it was treated better than us kids. Never felt inclined to watch them (Manly) much though.
BTW had to get some further feedback on the remark and they still firmly believe that the Brooks and Garner combo was reminiscent of Lyons and Menzies.
So here's hoping we can get Brooks up to that level.

They are both young so who knows. A fair way to go at the moment to equal Lyons and Menzies but time is in their side.

 

[Magpie1969]

Lauren - I have watch NRL since 1977 and watch a number of quality half backs. Brooks is a solid NRL player but not the quality to win us a premiership. Feel like the number of coaches he has played under has been to his disadvantage. I believe his skill set is a running 5/8 but needs a dominate half back along side him. Still believe a change of clubs would benefit his career.

 

[TrueTiger]

I reckon Brooks looks much more effective when garner is outside. For some reason it didn't click with LL and the left side seems to lack fluency and potency.

Funny you say that, last year many family members(all Manly supporters) made comparisons of Brooks and Garner with Beaver Menzies and Cliffy Lyons. Never watched em play so couldn't really offer an feedback on it though.

It’s a close call. ?

Brooks also had a great combination kicking ingoal for Tedesco.

To be fair Cliffy was one of the most penetrating and devious 5/8’s I’ve ever seen. Loved watching him play, holding the ball out front and drifting. He was a special player.
And Beaver was arguably the greatest hole-running second-rower of the modern era.
It’s not comparing apples and oranges, it’s comparing truffles to gruel. ?

Siro I played against Cliff Lyons when he was still playing for the Gundagai Tigers....he had NRL written all over him...the moves and speed he had as a playmaker was a pleasure to watch...even if you were at the recieving end...had many a beer at the Criterion hotel after the game with him...
Beaver was a great backrower to watch...I didnt have anything to do with him at all,but he was great to watch...

 

[Lauren]

Lauren - I have watch NRL since 1977 and watch a number of quality half backs. Brooks is a solid NRL player but not the quality to win us a premiership. Feel like the number of coaches he has played under has been to his disadvantage. I believe his skill set is a running 5/8 but needs a dominate half back along side him. Still believe a change of clubs would benefit his career.

Can't help but feel little depressed after reading that tbh. Plus, it only makes me realise we let a generational player go (in Tedesco) and they're a little hard to come by....

 

[tony soprano]

Lauren - I have watch NRL since 1977 and watch a number of quality half backs. Brooks is a solid NRL player but not the quality to win us a premiership. Feel like the number of coaches he has played under has been to his disadvantage. I believe his skill set is a running 5/8 but needs a dominate half back along side him. Still believe a change of clubs would benefit his career.

Can't help but feel little depressed after reading that tbh. Plus, it only makes me realise we let a generational player go (in Tedesco) and they're a little hard to come by....

We’ve banked way too hard on him scary we signed him on a long deal recently

 

[Rugba]

The NRL really lacks quality half backs. Interesting to hear the Forum Members thoughts why there has been a deterioration over the last couple of season's?

I have many theories
1) quality of coaches in the game . The 6 again rule showing limitations of some ie Seibold
2) the move toward split halves has been real problem , halves not being able to play both sides of the field affects development
3) robotic attacking structure with all sides essentially playing the 4th tackle settler on the line . Teams essentially play for the one attacking raid on the line with too many settlers in between
4) flat attacking structures ( really miss the old sheens attacks), teams rarely attack with depth and have players running onto the ball at speed giving options to halves. Notice the depth used on the ties tigers scored against eels especially last try
5) too much ill informed and conceived commentary by media , players get praised or crucified solely on the end result of the win , even when the player does the exact same things in a loss or a win. Add to that too much sensationalist / click bait reporting that shapes opinions on players and performances
6) the destruction of reserve grade and players debuting in first grade too soon

I look at brooks and not a fan , think he is ordinary but he has one thing lacking to make him one of the best halves , he needs to be selfish . I truly believe he has not been helped by his hookers or halves partners. Reynolds is selfish player and will do what he wants , Benji being Benji will get it always , Farah was selfish and ran the show , even grant who is the tigers best I believe overplays his hands and it does affect brooks. Yes grant can make massive metres but there are times when the opposition have opened up instead of him taking the easy yards , that’s when he should get ball to the halves to launch attacking raids.
That opinion I may be wrong but I feel all the above contribute

 

[mike]

Lauren - I have watch NRL since 1977 and watch a number of quality half backs. Brooks is a solid NRL player but not the quality to win us a premiership. Feel like the number of coaches he has played under has been to his disadvantage. I believe his skill set is a running 5/8 but needs a dominate half back along side him. Still believe a change of clubs would benefit his career.

Can't help but feel little depressed after reading that tbh. Plus, it only makes me realise we let a generational player go (in Tedesco) and they're a little hard to come by....

Don’t feel down. I think the game now actually suites Brooks. He just doesn’t know it yet. That’s why I suggested a sports psychologist. He could end up being one of the greats if he gets his headspace right.

 

[Lauren]

Lauren - I have watch NRL since 1977 and watch a number of quality half backs. Brooks is a solid NRL player but not the quality to win us a premiership. Feel like the number of coaches he has played under has been to his disadvantage. I believe his skill set is a running 5/8 but needs a dominate half back along side him. Still believe a change of clubs would benefit his career.

Can't help but feel little depressed after reading that tbh. Plus, it only makes me realise we let a generational player go (in Tedesco) and they're a little hard to come by....

Don’t feel down. I think the game now actually suites Brooks. He just doesn’t know it yet. That’s why I suggested a sports psychologist. He could end up being one of the greats if he gets his headspace right.

Thanks @mike, felt the exact same when the reformatted comp started up.
I've noticed players like Nikorima, Dufty and Papenhuyzen take their game to the another level and see that it's cos it suits their playing styles or strengths.
It's really hard to watch him so low in confidence especially since I feel he still has the world at his feet, with this huge mental hurdle in his path.
I still have every faith that our club's future is looking brighter and don't wish to believe that it's incapable of developing a successful team.

 

[bigsiro]

Lauren - I have watch NRL since 1977 and watch a number of quality half backs. Brooks is a solid NRL player but not the quality to win us a premiership. Feel like the number of coaches he has played under has been to his disadvantage. I believe his skill set is a running 5/8 but needs a dominate half back along side him. Still believe a change of clubs would benefit his career.

Can't help but feel little depressed after reading that tbh. Plus, it only makes me realise we let a generational player go (in Tedesco) and they're a little hard to come by....

What can we all say? It IS depressing.
We have all followed Brooks his whole career and many of us from when he was lower grades and killing it. The guy had future star all over him.
It sucks how he never got there. And I agree with @Magpie1969 re his current skill set, but it wasn’t just all the changing coaches which adversely affected him, but the losses of teddy and moses were big too - also made him change his game.
Unfortunately for brooks it was for the worse.
While the other two, well....
And so yes, letting Teddy go was tragic. Beyond tragic. It was the nail in the coffin to our short-term future chances of success. And we all knew it. It really hurt.
Even now I can barely watch a Roosters game (not that I liked them anyway).

 

[Harvey]

I wish he would get more involved. For all the discussion around it being his team I have never seen him take ownership.

He is happy to sit back and let others take control and make cameo appearances through last tackle kicks, crash balls and runs. All the attacking movements seem to come off someone else.

He needs to get his confidence up and want to be "the man". I actually think that he is a good player, he had a great passing and kicking game and they are not skills that you lose, but rather choose not to use.

 

[TYGA]

Brooks needs to work on his game and Madge is the first coach to call him out on his deficiencies. Has to study the game and train hard has the talent.

 

[Russell]

Lauren - I have watch NRL since 1977 and watch a number of quality half backs. Brooks is a solid NRL player but not the quality to win us a premiership. Feel like the number of coaches he has played under has been to his disadvantage. I believe his skill set is a running 5/8 but needs a dominate half back along side him. Still believe a change of clubs would benefit his career.

Can't help but feel little depressed after reading that tbh. Plus, it only makes me realise we let a generational player go (in Tedesco) and they're a little hard to come by....

The problem Lauren (as most of us know) we did not let him go - he slammed the door in our face.

 

[Eca]

I wish he would get more involved. For all the discussion around it being his team I have never seen him take ownership.

He is happy to sit back and let others take control and make cameo appearances through last tackle kicks, crash balls and runs. All the attacking movements seem to come off someone else.

He needs to get his confidence up and want to be "the man". I actually think that he is a good player, he had a great passing and kicking game and they are not skills that you lose, but rather choose not to use.

This!
In an attacking set of six, he seem to touch the ball way less in comparison to DCE, Cleary. Not sure if it's him not demanding the ball enough or our atrack structure is heavily biased towards BJ/Nof side.
It's frustrating to watch and it also leads to Mbye/Talau having low involvement in attack.
I recall Farah saying Brooks went off at him for not giving him the ball quickly in one of the raids not sure what year, why can't he be more like that now, it's supposedly his team.

 

[Telltails]

We are capable of winning games with Brooks at half -despite his flaws - if the rest of the team match the opposition.
Very simple to point out the qualities of on in form teams with Nathan Cleary and DCE leading them around but both have failed to be the difference between winning and losing if the players around them are not firing - I.e. Penrith last year, DCE a couple of weeks ago without TT Walker and numerous other players got hammered by St George- not his fault. You can't ignore the players around them that add to the quality of their performance.
Replacing Brooks with either of those players would be a win for the club but they are not available
- replacing Brooks with rejects from other clubs I.e. Green, Sezer, will make jack difference to our success if the rest of the team does not give them a platform.
Maguire dropping Brooks was definitely a wake up call it's up to him now to get his position back - he is good enough if he wants it badly enough.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

So Keary is about to sign a new contract worth $2.8m over three years or $930k over year. This represents an increase of $200kpa. His new deal is less than what 8 other halves currently receive. This new deal iimo is much less than his market value.

When you consider Reynolds and Mbye are receiving similar and for a much longer period than Keary, it just highlights the lousy value we receive from them. We should be receiving Keary like performances but get Jennings equivalency.

This ongoing criticism of Brooks imo is misdirected. Our team will never be we want while we have two players not performing to their renumeration. Both have been poor buys.

David Nofoaluma in defence reminds me of a junior cricket batsman when beaten in flight attempting to come down the pitch to a leg spin bowler. He is so out of sync with the ball/other defenders it would be amusing if it always didnlt cost us a try.

 

[bigsiro]

@pawsandclaws1 The figure Roosters disclose they are paying Keary and what he is actually getting paid are two totally different figures.
I wouldn’t believe a word of what you read regarding many player “salaries”.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

@pawsandclaws1 The figure Roosters disclose they are paying Keary and what he is actually getting paid are two totally different figures.
I wouldn’t believe a word of what you read regarding many player “salaries”.

That is what is out there in the media. If you have proof it is incorrect write to Peter V'landys.

Regardless, it doesn't change the fact that Reynolds and Mbye are receiving money similar to Keary. Keary is a far better player. Mbye missed four tackles and cost us four tries against Souths. Kindergarten performance and why hasn't he been dropped? Double standard?

 

[bigsiro]

@pawsandclaws1 The figure Roosters disclose they are paying Keary and what he is actually getting paid are two totally different figures.
I wouldn’t believe a word of what you read regarding many player “salaries”.

That is what is out there in the media. If you have proof it is incorrect write to Peter V'landys.

Regardless, it doesn't change the fact that Reynolds and Mbye are receiving money similar to Keary. Keary is a far better player. Mbye missed four tackles and cost us four tries against Souths. Kindergarten performance and why hasn't he been dropped? Double standard?

Paws how old are you?
I just need some context.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

@pawsandclaws1 The figure Roosters disclose they are paying Keary and what he is actually getting paid are two totally different figures.
I wouldn’t believe a word of what you read regarding many player “salaries”.

@pawsandclaws1 The figure Roosters disclose they are paying Keary and what he is actually getting paid are two totally different figures.
I wouldn’t believe a word of what you read regarding many player “salaries”.

Since when do clubs disclose any salaries. It’s all media speculation.