Ultimately...the halves.

[jirskyr]

Ash Taylor has been a huge disappointment for the Titans but yesterday at 12-0 down he produced a 40/20 which got them back into the game. He doesn't make that play we win comfortably. When was the last time Brooks came up with a match turning moment like that.

Last week when he put Harry Grant over.

Sorry disagree, nowhere near comparable incidents.

Explain how? Brooks takes the line on and sets up the first try. Second try he lands the bomb for Jennings to score. Benji kicked 1 goal so that's 10 point platform directly applied to Brooks inside the first 10 mins. We win by 12.

Or are you only specifically talking about 40/20s?

 

[Celtic_Tiger]

Ash Taylor has been a huge disappointment for the Titans but yesterday at 12-0 down he produced a 40/20 which got them back into the game. He doesn't make that play we win comfortably. When was the last time Brooks came up with a match turning moment like that.

Last week when he put Harry Grant over.

Sorry disagree, nowhere near comparable incidents.

Explain how? Brooks takes the line on and sets up the first try. Second try he lands the bomb for Jennings to score. Benji kicked 1 goal so that's 10 point platform directly applied to Brooks inside the first 10 mins. We win by 12.

Or are you only specifically talking about 40/20s?

No I’m talking about individual clutch plays that shift momentum in games.

The incidents you have mentioned were team tries with others involved in getting us in position to score, Brooks played a major role obviously, but they are not comparable to a moment of individual brilliance by a half turning the games momentum on its head. I’d actually say Benjis chip through and tackle for a repeat set was more of a momentum shifter.

40/20s are excellent examples of how a half can turn a game on his own and all good halves are capable of delivering them at vital moments in games.

 

[jirskyr]

Ash Taylor has been a huge disappointment for the Titans but yesterday at 12-0 down he produced a 40/20 which got them back into the game. He doesn't make that play we win comfortably. When was the last time Brooks came up with a match turning moment like that.

Last week when he put Harry Grant over.

Sorry disagree, nowhere near comparable incidents.

Explain how? Brooks takes the line on and sets up the first try. Second try he lands the bomb for Jennings to score. Benji kicked 1 goal so that's 10 point platform directly applied to Brooks inside the first 10 mins. We win by 12.

Or are you only specifically talking about 40/20s?

No I’m talking about individual clutch plays that shift momentum in games.

The incidents you have mentioned were team tries with others involved in getting us in position to score, Brooks played a major role obviously, but they are not comparable to a moment of individual brilliance by a half turning the games momentum on its head. I’d actually say Benjis chip through and tackle for a repeat set was more of a momentum shifter.

40/20s are excellent examples of how a half can turn a game on his own and all good halves are capable of delivering them at vital moments in games.

Well that's very one-eyed. Brooks individually set up both tries last week, nothing team about the first one, he did it all himself.

Ash Taylor kicks one 40/20 yeah, and it gets the Titans back in the match. But we took the match back from them in the second half and Ash had nothing for it until Tigers let Titans gain ascendancy. Where was Ash Taylor in the final 10 mins for the Titans when they wanted a field goal, or when he missed the conversion of Kelly's 69th minute try? Where was Taylor when Kelly put in a miracle kick for Sami?

40/20s a grand but nobody ever kicks more than 5 a year; mostly halves max out at 2 or 3 in a season. They barely rate a blip on the radar of defining a season.

How about Rd 20 2019, Tigers beat Cowboys? Brooks sets up Momirovski to score, 16-0, then steals the ball off Kyle Feldt to save a try? Then a short ball to Lawrence on 74 mins to seal it.

How about Rd 19 2019, Tigers beat Knights by 2 at Newcastle? Knights up 12-6 with 5 to go in first half, Brooks makes an individual line break and puts Thompson over for 12-12 at HT. 16 to go, Brooks throws the out-ball to get Mbye on to Momirovski, Tigers extend the lead to 6, ultimately win by 2.

How about Rd 15 2019 vs Rabbits, Brooks kicks for Thompson to score and level 8-8 on half-time, throws the last pass that gets MCK into open space for the match-winner.

How about Rd 14 2019 vs Cowboys, Brooks gets the ball in golden point, runs it and puts Lawrence through a hole, he's tackled under the posts and Benji slots the FG the next play?

Brooks is not the best half going around but there are plenty of clutch moments if you care to remember or research them. And don't come arguing about Luke Brooks failing to be "clutch", then using Ash Taylor as your example, because Taylor has all the talent in the world and has been an ongoing disappointment.

 

[Geo]

Ash Taylor has been a huge disappointment for the Titans but yesterday at 12-0 down he produced a 40/20 which got them back into the game. He doesn't make that play we win comfortably. When was the last time Brooks came up with a match turning moment like that.

Last week when he put Harry Grant over.

Sorry disagree, nowhere near comparable incidents.

Explain how? Brooks takes the line on and sets up the first try. Second try he lands the bomb for Jennings to score. Benji kicked 1 goal so that's 10 point platform directly applied to Brooks inside the first 10 mins. We win by 12.

Or are you only specifically talking about 40/20s?

No I’m talking about individual clutch plays that shift momentum in games.

The incidents you have mentioned were team tries with others involved in getting us in position to score, Brooks played a major role obviously, but they are not comparable to a moment of individual brilliance by a half turning the games momentum on its head. I’d actually say Benjis chip through and tackle for a repeat set was more of a momentum shifter.

40/20s are excellent examples of how a half can turn a game on his own and all good halves are capable of delivering them at vital moments in games.

Well that's very one-eyed. Brooks individually set up both tries last week, nothing team about the first one, he did it all himself.

Ash Taylor kicks one 40/20 yeah, and it gets the Titans back in the match. But we took the match back from them in the second half and Ash had nothing for it until Tigers let Titans gain ascendancy. Where was Ash Taylor in the final 10 mins for the Titans when they wanted a field goal, or when he missed the conversion of Kelly's 69th minute try? Where was Taylor when Kelly put in a miracle kick for Sami?

40/20s a grand but nobody ever kicks more than 5 a year; mostly halves max out at 2 or 3 in a season. They barely rate a blip on the radar of defining a season.

How about Rd 20 2019, Tigers beat Cowboys? Brooks sets up Momirovski to score, 16-0, then steals the ball off Kyle Feldt to save a try? Then a short ball to Lawrence on 74 mins to seal it.

How about Rd 19 2019, Tigers beat Knights by 2 at Newcastle? Knights up 12-6 with 5 to go in first half, Brooks makes an individual line break and puts Thompson over for 12-12 at HT. 16 to go, Brooks throws the out-ball to get Mbye on to Momirovski, Tigers extend the lead to 6, ultimately win by 2.

How about Rd 15 2019 vs Rabbits, Brooks kicks for Thompson to score and level 8-8 on half-time, throws the last pass that gets MCK into open space for the match-winner.

How about Rd 14 2019 vs Cowboys, Brooks gets the ball in golden point, runs it and puts Lawrence through a hole, he's tackled under the posts and Benji slots the FG the next play?

Brooks is not the best half going around but there are plenty of clutch moments if you care to remember or research them. And don't come arguing about Luke Brooks failing to be "clutch", then using Ash Taylor as your example, because Taylor has all the talent in the world and has been an ongoing disappointment.

but @hobbo1 told me Brooks never does any of that stuff...

 

[supercoach]

What the team is missing is Farah’s kicking game deep into the corners from Dummy half. At present we get to the 5fh put a bomb up, a total lottery and predictable. Okay it’s a good every now and than, but the name of the game is build and sustain pressure

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Wouldn't mind seeing a kick to the corner every now and then. We fight our way ten inside halfway and then predictably hoist it in the hope the backs spill it which they seldom do and they start their set 20-30m from their own line. Pin it to the corner post and make them work it back from 10m out. We never seem to turn the back three around from long distance.

Short game is fine, we force a number of dropouts etc. We have to get there first though.

 

[Hangonaminute]

I'd like to see Brooks dropped even if just for the shock value of sending a message to the whole team that the coach will drop anyone who isn't performing.

Won't happen though

 

[jadtiger]

I'd like to see Brooks dropped even if just for the shock value of sending a message to the whole team that the coach will drop anyone who isn't performing.

Won't happen though

Benji needs to be dropped before Brooks, at least Brooks tackles

 

[TrueTiger]

Wouldn't mind seeing a kick to the corner every now and then. We fight our way ten inside halfway and then predictably hoist it in the hope the backs spill it which they seldom do and they start their set 20-30m from their own line. Pin it to the corner post and make them work it back from 10m out. We never seem to turn the back three around from long distance.

Short game is fine, we force a number of dropouts etc. We have to get there first though.

CB, lets be honest,your evaluation is spot on,but isn't that Brooks and Benjis job to survey field position and where to place a tactical kick to give us the great field position we need to instigate a well organised attack?
I could be wrong but great defence leads to great attack,most of the games we either lack one or both,this is up to Brooks and Benji to lay the platform for a win,Benj had it and Brooks may not have it...It must be sorted this season otherwise next year will be the same or worse if we don't find that consistency..

 

[Geo]

A kick is only as good as it's chase...

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

A kick is only as good as it's chase...

True. It's only as good as its field position as well.

I'm not solely blaming the halves. It's a bit more complex than just pinning on one or two players. It would help to have a bit more variety in 5th tackle options though which despite always being a reasonable supporter of Brooks, I have always thought this was an issue when not inside the opposition 20.

Need something a little more than hoisting a bomb from 40-50m out and expecting the kick chase to always get a result.

 

[Geo]

A kick is only as good as it's chase...

True. It's only as good as its field position as well.

I'm not solely blaming the halves. It's a bit more complex than just pinning on one or two players. It would help to have a bit more variety in 5th tackle options though which despite always being a reasonable supporter of Brooks, I have always thought this was an issue when not inside the opposition 20.

Need something a little more than hoisting a bomb from 40-50m out and expecting the kick chase to always get a result.

Titans for the most part started sets well inside the 20m..every Club in the NRL uses that kick from the half way range....the thing that annoys me is most of the time our blokes do not contest the kick rather wait till the opposition catch it then tackle them...

The opposite applies in reverse..see Jennings ..exactly the same kick was put up by the Titans they had blokes there competing for the ball whist our bloke looked on..

 

[Russell]

This team is going nowhere with Brooks as 1/2 .

Do you have these responses on a rotational system.

Sure seems so.

 

[hobbo1]

Ash Taylor has been a huge disappointment for the Titans but yesterday at 12-0 down he produced a 40/20 which got them back into the game. He doesn't make that play we win comfortably. When was the last time Brooks came up with a match turning moment like that.

Last week when he put Harry Grant over.

Sorry disagree, nowhere near comparable incidents.

Explain how? Brooks takes the line on and sets up the first try. Second try he lands the bomb for Jennings to score. Benji kicked 1 goal so that's 10 point platform directly applied to Brooks inside the first 10 mins. We win by 12.

Or are you only specifically talking about 40/20s?

No I’m talking about individual clutch plays that shift momentum in games.

The incidents you have mentioned were team tries with others involved in getting us in position to score, Brooks played a major role obviously, but they are not comparable to a moment of individual brilliance by a half turning the games momentum on its head. I’d actually say Benjis chip through and tackle for a repeat set was more of a momentum shifter.

40/20s are excellent examples of how a half can turn a game on his own and all good halves are capable of delivering them at vital moments in games.

Well that's very one-eyed. Brooks individually set up both tries last week, nothing team about the first one, he did it all himself.

Ash Taylor kicks one 40/20 yeah, and it gets the Titans back in the match. But we took the match back from them in the second half and Ash had nothing for it until Tigers let Titans gain ascendancy. Where was Ash Taylor in the final 10 mins for the Titans when they wanted a field goal, or when he missed the conversion of Kelly's 69th minute try? Where was Taylor when Kelly put in a miracle kick for Sami?

40/20s a grand but nobody ever kicks more than 5 a year; mostly halves max out at 2 or 3 in a season. They barely rate a blip on the radar of defining a season.

How about Rd 20 2019, Tigers beat Cowboys? Brooks sets up Momirovski to score, 16-0, then steals the ball off Kyle Feldt to save a try? Then a short ball to Lawrence on 74 mins to seal it.

How about Rd 19 2019, Tigers beat Knights by 2 at Newcastle? Knights up 12-6 with 5 to go in first half, Brooks makes an individual line break and puts Thompson over for 12-12 at HT. 16 to go, Brooks throws the out-ball to get Mbye on to Momirovski, Tigers extend the lead to 6, ultimately win by 2.

How about Rd 15 2019 vs Rabbits, Brooks kicks for Thompson to score and level 8-8 on half-time, throws the last pass that gets MCK into open space for the match-winner.

How about Rd 14 2019 vs Cowboys, Brooks gets the ball in golden point, runs it and puts Lawrence through a hole, he's tackled under the posts and Benji slots the FG the next play?

Brooks is not the best half going around but there are plenty of clutch moments if you care to remember or research them. And don't come arguing about Luke Brooks failing to be "clutch", then using Ash Taylor as your example, because Taylor has all the talent in the world and has been an ongoing disappointment.

but @hobbo1 told me Brooks never does any of that stuff...

Brooks is a nuffie ...done nothing in 7 years !

Looks more like a model than a footy player.

Make sure at 4pm he’s not on the list !

??

 

[Russell]

Ash Taylor has been a huge disappointment for the Titans but yesterday at 12-0 down he produced a 40/20 which got them back into the game. He doesn't make that play we win comfortably. When was the last time Brooks came up with a match turning moment like that.

Last week when he put Harry Grant over.

Sorry disagree, nowhere near comparable incidents.

Explain how? Brooks takes the line on and sets up the first try. Second try he lands the bomb for Jennings to score. Benji kicked 1 goal so that's 10 point platform directly applied to Brooks inside the first 10 mins. We win by 12.

Or are you only specifically talking about 40/20s?

No I’m talking about individual clutch plays that shift momentum in games.

The incidents you have mentioned were team tries with others involved in getting us in position to score, Brooks played a major role obviously, but they are not comparable to a moment of individual brilliance by a half turning the games momentum on its head. I’d actually say Benjis chip through and tackle for a repeat set was more of a momentum shifter.

40/20s are excellent examples of how a half can turn a game on his own and all good halves are capable of delivering them at vital moments in games.

Well that's very one-eyed. Brooks individually set up both tries last week, nothing team about the first one, he did it all himself.

Ash Taylor kicks one 40/20 yeah, and it gets the Titans back in the match. But we took the match back from them in the second half and Ash had nothing for it until Tigers let Titans gain ascendancy. Where was Ash Taylor in the final 10 mins for the Titans when they wanted a field goal, or when he missed the conversion of Kelly's 69th minute try? Where was Taylor when Kelly put in a miracle kick for Sami?

40/20s a grand but nobody ever kicks more than 5 a year; mostly halves max out at 2 or 3 in a season. They barely rate a blip on the radar of defining a season.

How about Rd 20 2019, Tigers beat Cowboys? Brooks sets up Momirovski to score, 16-0, then steals the ball off Kyle Feldt to save a try? Then a short ball to Lawrence on 74 mins to seal it.

How about Rd 19 2019, Tigers beat Knights by 2 at Newcastle? Knights up 12-6 with 5 to go in first half, Brooks makes an individual line break and puts Thompson over for 12-12 at HT. 16 to go, Brooks throws the out-ball to get Mbye on to Momirovski, Tigers extend the lead to 6, ultimately win by 2.

How about Rd 15 2019 vs Rabbits, Brooks kicks for Thompson to score and level 8-8 on half-time, throws the last pass that gets MCK into open space for the match-winner.

How about Rd 14 2019 vs Cowboys, Brooks gets the ball in golden point, runs it and puts Lawrence through a hole, he's tackled under the posts and Benji slots the FG the next play?

Brooks is not the best half going around but there are plenty of clutch moments if you care to remember or research them. And don't come arguing about Luke Brooks failing to be "clutch", then using Ash Taylor as your example, because Taylor has all the talent in the world and has been an ongoing disappointment.

I think your argument just went down the drain CT big time.

 

[Russell]

I'd like to see Brooks dropped even if just for the shock value of sending a message to the whole team that the coach will drop anyone who isn't performing.

Won't happen though

Benji needs to be dropped before Brooks, at least Brooks tackles

That's rubbish, he made mistakes sure, but he WON the game with the field goal with a couple of minutes to go, the rest of the team, then let him and themselves down.

Great idea, drop the guy who won the game. what about the dropping the other twelve that lost it?

 

[jirskyr]

A kick is only as good as it's chase...

True. It's only as good as its field position as well.

I'm not solely blaming the halves. It's a bit more complex than just pinning on one or two players. It would help to have a bit more variety in 5th tackle options though which despite always being a reasonable supporter of Brooks, I have always thought this was an issue when not inside the opposition 20.

Need something a little more than hoisting a bomb from 40-50m out and expecting the kick chase to always get a result.

Titans for the most part started sets well inside the 20m..every Club in the NRL uses that kick from the half way range....the thing that annoys me is most of the time our blokes do not contest the kick rather wait till the opposition catch it then tackle them...

The opposite applies in reverse..see Jennings ..exactly the same kick was put up by the Titans they had blokes there competing for the ball whist our bloke looked on..

Not just kick attack pressure but kick defence pressure. Titans made more effort to get onto Brooks and Benji and cut down their kicking time. When they didnt, e.g. the Douiehi kick for Nofo, you can see how more time lets you land the football better.

Tigers on the other hand failed to put any pressure on Taylor's kicks at all. Barely saw anyone getting out of marker to pressure the kick. And I can understand some of why - players are not match fit and Harry Grant has only played a handful of games himself (often it's the hooker applying kick pressure). Tigers current forward rotation lacks for explosive speed, so we don't really have cattle that can get off the mark and pressure the kicker either.

That's why I was advocating for Lawrence to be brought on earlier, Walters also. It worked out just right against Cronulla, but against Titans we had a real energy drop in the back 20 of both halves; we needed some fresh and mobile legs to get up in defence, pressure the kicker and stop the momentum that Titans were building at the back end.

 

[trentrunciman]

I'd like to see Brooks dropped even if just for the shock value of sending a message to the whole team that the coach will drop anyone who isn't performing.

Won't happen though

To be honest i think Brooksy is developing a great 1-2 punch with Harry.

 

[TheDaBoss]

the 20 40 rule seems to have been forgoten

 

[Celtic_Tiger]

Ash Taylor has been a huge disappointment for the Titans but yesterday at 12-0 down he produced a 40/20 which got them back into the game. He doesn't make that play we win comfortably. When was the last time Brooks came up with a match turning moment like that.

Last week when he put Harry Grant over.

Sorry disagree, nowhere near comparable incidents.

Explain how? Brooks takes the line on and sets up the first try. Second try he lands the bomb for Jennings to score. Benji kicked 1 goal so that's 10 point platform directly applied to Brooks inside the first 10 mins. We win by 12.

Or are you only specifically talking about 40/20s?

No I’m talking about individual clutch plays that shift momentum in games.

The incidents you have mentioned were team tries with others involved in getting us in position to score, Brooks played a major role obviously, but they are not comparable to a moment of individual brilliance by a half turning the games momentum on its head. I’d actually say Benjis chip through and tackle for a repeat set was more of a momentum shifter.

40/20s are excellent examples of how a half can turn a game on his own and all good halves are capable of delivering them at vital moments in games.

Well that's very one-eyed. Brooks individually set up both tries last week, nothing team about the first one, he did it all himself.

Ash Taylor kicks one 40/20 yeah, and it gets the Titans back in the match. But we took the match back from them in the second half and Ash had nothing for it until Tigers let Titans gain ascendancy. Where was Ash Taylor in the final 10 mins for the Titans when they wanted a field goal, or when he missed the conversion of Kelly's 69th minute try? Where was Taylor when Kelly put in a miracle kick for Sami?

40/20s a grand but nobody ever kicks more than 5 a year; mostly halves max out at 2 or 3 in a season. They barely rate a blip on the radar of defining a season.

How about Rd 20 2019, Tigers beat Cowboys? Brooks sets up Momirovski to score, 16-0, then steals the ball off Kyle Feldt to save a try? Then a short ball to Lawrence on 74 mins to seal it.

How about Rd 19 2019, Tigers beat Knights by 2 at Newcastle? Knights up 12-6 with 5 to go in first half, Brooks makes an individual line break and puts Thompson over for 12-12 at HT. 16 to go, Brooks throws the out-ball to get Mbye on to Momirovski, Tigers extend the lead to 6, ultimately win by 2.

How about Rd 15 2019 vs Rabbits, Brooks kicks for Thompson to score and level 8-8 on half-time, throws the last pass that gets MCK into open space for the match-winner.

How about Rd 14 2019 vs Cowboys, Brooks gets the ball in golden point, runs it and puts Lawrence through a hole, he's tackled under the posts and Benji slots the FG the next play?

Brooks is not the best half going around but there are plenty of clutch moments if you care to remember or research them. And don't come arguing about Luke Brooks failing to be "clutch", then using Ash Taylor as your example, because Taylor has all the talent in the world and has been an ongoing disappointment.

I think you've missed the point about Ash Taylor. The point is that a half who is generally perceived to be rubbish and on his way out is still able to produce a match turning moment of the kind I don't believe Brooks is capable of.

Your list of tries and try assists is great and nobody is saying Brooks has never done anything good or had any good games, that would be clearly false but he hasn't improved to anywhere near a level he should have for a player of his experience and status. His short kicking game is still frustratingly awful and our lack of repeat sets and the amount of seven tackle sets we are giving up is really what kills us in tight contests. We must be the worst in the comp.

We are sitting here this week wondering why we are displaying the same old deficiencies year on year despite changing rosters and coaches multiple times. We could start with the very few common factors through those years and Brooks is one of them.

He's not a terrible player and he's clearly trying his best but after years and years of mediocrity being dished up surely it's clear that he's never going to develop into one of the games best halves and persevering with him for years and years more will pretty much guarantee the same outcome.