Why Maguire is standing by Brooks

[AdelaideTiger]

Brooks is a confidence player. If Madge has confidence in Brooks that's a tremendous help for Brooks.

The idea of the confidence player always makes wonder, who isn't a confidence player? You could probably count on one hand the players in the league that are immune to inconsistency.

In saying that, I don't actually disagree haha, he has had a dip in confidence which is particularly disappointing because our forward pack is starting to fire.

 

[JC99]

What other options are there at the moment. We need to sign some gun kid from reserves who can make an impact otherwise we need to stick with Brooks, no good halves to sign at the moment.

If he finds his form from last year we will be fine and that’s what Madge is trying to do hopefully

 

[Spud_Murphy]

Geez I like Madge’s faith in the guy, but I think that Brooks has been around long enough for us all to see he doesn’t really have what it takes to be a top flite halfback. Slightly above average? Yes, he’s had some good games, but he is far from being a consistent, influential halfback. I guess there is some hope he will eventually develop into one, Cleary has taken a couple of years to get to the level he is playing at now, but he is younger and hasn’t been playing first grade as long as Brooks has.

Still I’m not the coach, Madge is, and if he thinks he can develop him then good luck to him. All I know is, that if there is no real change in the way he plays in coming seasons then Madge’s declaration that Brooks will be our long term halfback doesn’t make me feel too happy.

Its not as if we're spoilt for choice....no real options but to persevere

Yes that’s true, hopefully someone from the lower grades, who is actually a real confident and gifted playmaker will step up into grade and take to it like a duck to water, sooner rather than later.

 

[bigsiro]

Look, I really like Madge. I like the work ethic and I like what he brings to an organisation.
But this faith in Brooks just throws me !
I agree with you @Snake and I worry that the insistence on sticking with Brooks is going to be the ultimate reason Madge’s time here will be no different to other previous coaches who had the same false confidence. And that really sucks.

 

[hsvjones]

Brooks has never been dropped before so i say lets see how this turns out.
Coach clearly knows more then us so will trust him and if it doesn't work he will make the change if needed.

 

[hobbo1]

Shame. I liked Madge 🤣

😂
Brooks will see him out the door

 

[bigsiro]

Brooks has never been dropped before so i say lets see how this turns out.
Coach clearly knows more then us so will trust him and if it doesn't work he will make the change if needed.

I’m so over this “trust the coach” bs. If us Tigers fans have learnt anything it’s that blindly trusting in coaches is a mistake.

I never trusted Taylor and I regretted trusting Cleary.

A Coach has gotta earn trust from players and fans alike.

If he continually makes decisions that are proven to be detrimental (like keeping a halfback on the bench to no effect whatsoever) then he is not on a path to gaining trust. Brooks is either in the run-on team or he is not in the 17. End of.

I like Madge and want to trust him. We all want to trust him. No doubt.

 

[Tigerbuck63]

Keep flogging that dead horse Madge .. that horse has truely bolted and so will your career if you keep persisting with it !

There are 6 quality halfbacks in the Comp from what i can see.
Rabbits, Sharks, Manly, Panthers, Eels, Knights.
Others need more experience or don't game manage consistency.
The average age is 28 with Brooks being 25 now coming up to 150 games.
My thinking is that Madge will try and develop him for the remainder of this season and next and if no improvement like Moses in 2018 where the eels said happy for you to look elsewhere he changed his game to a higher level in 2019.
I am hoping for our sake that 2021 is a defining year for him.
Let's just see what happens as this is really the 1st coach that is making him and all players accountable, we have been a basket case prior and this has stifled his development.

 

[JC99]

People seem to have forgotten Brooks is back to back player of the year. He was very good last season and madge is trying to get him back to that. First coach to ever drop him and he’s changing our culture and signing young talents. Gotta let him keep building our club

 

[happy_tiger]

At last, some sensible text on this forum about Brooks

Is it though , if he was a prop , or hadn't had the next "Andrew Johns " comparisons would we had persevered this long

26 at the end of the season and can't displace a 35 year old whose lost his greatest strength many years ago or a player who is a utility at best and is about the same age and hasn't proven he is is a consistent NRL player

Where do we finally draw the line with him ...I ask that seriously

This debate continues to populate the forum and I get it.
My opinion is he is an excellent player but not a complete player. Some of the points of view about getting rid of him are, imo, ridiculous. He is a very good half. He has played behind a crap forward pack for years. He has had little strike power outside him. He is better than many in defence, short kicking game, running to the line. His match awareness is below average and needs to improve or be supplemented by a game managing halves partner. But I’d he worth keeping? Absolutely. Is he in our top 13? Absolutely

He doesn't have the crappiest pack now ...so what excuse or you going to use for that ...he not used to having a crap pack

Too many times in a game when he should run he is looking to pass .....other times when it opens up wider or inside he runs when he should have passed

This is season 8 ....who else have we given 8 seasons to get better or become consistent

 

[851]

As far as Benji goes, he is a club legend and has been the main face of the WTs for many,many years,if he really does have the loyalty and interest of the club at heart,he will retire after this year and let the younger guys develope as he did when he first came into the fg team…he would definately have plenty of guidance and experience to share with them at training and behind the scenes as well preferably in an assistant coaching role…

I 100% agree it is time to go, and I have said many times, but like I said 2 months ago, Benji has designs on playing again and not only is it wrong, it is also a disruption this year.
And on Brooks, it has finally been put out in the open, game management, something people on here believe is a myth, has been called to account, I hope Brooks can do it, but I really have my doubts.

 

[happy_tiger]

At last, some sensible text on this forum about Brooks

Is it though , if he was a prop , or hadn't had the next "Andrew Johns " comparisons would we had persevered this long

26 at the end of the season and can't displace a 35 year old whose lost his greatest strength many years ago or a player who is a utility at best and is about the same age and hasn't proven he is is a consistent NRL player

Where do we finally draw the line with him ...I ask that seriously

This debate continues to populate the forum and I get it.
My opinion is he is an excellent player but not a complete player. Some of the points of view about getting rid of him are, imo, ridiculous. He is a very good half. He has played behind a crap forward pack for years. He has had little strike power outside him. He is better than many in defence, short kicking game, running to the line. His match awareness is below average and needs to improve or be supplemented by a game managing halves partner. But I’d he worth keeping? Absolutely. Is he in our top 13? Absolutely

2ndly Brooks is a confidence player ...this is screwing him up even more

 

[851]

It seems Madge wants him to be the one to displace Marshall and force his hand not to play him.
In the first 60 minutes Brooks will sit on the bench and study Marshall’s game and the way he will organise the play. Then he gets his 20mins audition to close out the game.
No doubt Brooks can play 80mins but he needs to be playing the full 80 like he will now play the last 20.
Last week was a write off with injuries.

Maybe you are right, but then Benji should be taken off so Brooks can do this, with Benji still on the field it never works for Brooks, and looking to the future it makes sense

 

[hobbo1]

Former Dally M halfback of the year ousts former Premiership wining coach 😂

 

[Tim Sheens]

For my two bobs worth, I will be surprised if the coach doesn't have Brooks on for most of this evening's match, that is if he doesn't start.

 

[tigerbalm]

"Fans have always loved Brooks for being a junior and the only one to stay put when his good mates James Tedesco, Aaron Woods and Mitch Moses departed in 2017"


Love when journos write stuff like this. Proves they do zero research.

I often wonder if the opinion of this place represents the greater fan base. I have 2 mates who are die hard fans and we all generally agree with each other on all things Wests. I visit here and listen to a podcast hosted by two blokes from the forum so my exposure to feel of the fans is limited. Maybe the joruno is right and the opinion of the forum is the outlier and most fans love brooks. Doubt it, if they have eyes and half a brain but you never know.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

"Fans have always loved Brooks for being a junior and the only one to stay put when his good mates James Tedesco, Aaron Woods and Mitch Moses departed in 2017"


Love when journos write stuff like this. Proves they do zero research.

I often wonder if the opinion of this place represents the greater fan base. I have 2 mates who are die hard fans and we all generally agree with each other on all things Wests. I visit here and listen to a podcast hosted by two blokes from the forum so my exposure to feel of the fans is limited. Maybe the joruno is right and the opinion of the forum is the outlier and most fans love brooks. Doubt it, if they have eyes and half a brain but you never know.

I think it’s good snapshot among the hardcores

 

[hsvjones]

Brooks has never been dropped before so i say lets see how this turns out.
Coach clearly knows more then us so will trust him and if it doesn't work he will make the change if needed.

I’m so over this “trust the coach” bs. If us Tigers fans have learnt anything it’s that blindly trusting in coaches is a mistake.

I never trusted Taylor and I regretted trusting Cleary.

A Coach has gotta earn trust from players and fans alike.

If he continually makes decisions that are proven to be detrimental (like keeping a halfback on the bench to no effect whatsoever) then he is not on a path to gaining trust. Brooks is either in the run-on team or he is not in the 17. End of.

I like Madge and want to trust him. We all want to trust him. No doubt.

We need a utility on the bench so if Brooks started we would have Walters or Josh as 14.
I agree with you that he needs to be dropped all together all not at all but its hard not to trust the coach.. He has earned it in my eyes.
McGuire took over this club and was left with over paid players, Injured players, Salary cap problems and has done a outstanding job with what he has been given.. If another coach took over this team I have no doubt we would be in the bottom 3 teams and there would be excuses everywhere for it..
Our past coaches have been inexperienced (excluding Sheens) and never had control of the team or the culture.
I truely think the players respect him and understand what he is trying to do for the club as he has won 2 titles as a coach and is the current NZ coach.. They don't get these out as participation awards you earn them

 

[sleeve]

Brooks is just jaded and will come back to his best.He is faster and tackles better then Mybe,Douehi,Benji,Reynolds,Jennings,Walters and would play in all of those positions these players are in at and at a higher level,but in the meantime he is slowed down by these slow and in some cases underperforming players.Cronk would look poor playing with this lot!

 

[earl]

Look, I really like Madge. I like the work ethic and I like what he brings to an organisation.
But this faith in Brooks just throws me !
I agree with you @Snake and I worry that the insistence on sticking with Brooks is going to be the ultimate reason Madge’s time here will be no different to other previous coaches who had the same false confidence. And that really sucks.

Madge will back Brooks and he will give him opportunities but if Brooks doesn't deliver the coach will get rid of him. I think Maguire operates like he is trying to build a team to win the comp. Madge won't support Brooks if he has a better option.