Young star Brooks may have to wait for next year

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alexaki

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He is rated highly by Andrew Johns and has been re-signed by Wests Tigers on a long-term deal, but Luke Brooks might not be able to get an NRL game this season.
Brooks, the halfback trumpeted by the club as its long-term answer in the halves, could become the latest victim of second-tier salary-cap restrictions.
Tigers officials have confirmed that, while the club hopes to blood Brooks in the final rounds of the season, second-tier cap restrictions - which infamously denied Penrith fullback Matt Moylan a match earlier this year - may prevent it from doing so. The development came as the ARL Commission approved the terms of reference for a review of the salary cap, which will be carried out during the next four months.
Any changes to the second-tier salary cap as part of the review will be too late to guarantee Brooks a start this year. The teenager is playing Holden Cup, but is expected to be the club's first-choice No.7 at some stage next season. The club's coaching staff had planned to give the 18-year-old some experience at the top level this season.
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Fairfax Media understands Tigers coach Mick Potter plans to give Brooks his debut either in the round-22 match against Parramatta, in round 24 against St George Illawarra, or in the final round against North Queensland. But with Brooks part of the club's second-tier salary cap - which due to injuries this season the Tigers have exhausted - the coach is not guaranteed of being able to call on the youngster. Tigers officials must seek an exemption from the NRL's salary cap department in order to play him.
''Luke has been a standout in his NYC and State Cup teams, and we've invested in his long-term future,'' the Tigers' newly-installed chief executive Grant Mayer said. ''We would obviously look at giving him a taste of NRL football.''
The NRL's second-tier salary cap has been the subject of intense debate, largely because of the Panthers being forced to drop Moylan to NSW Cup against Wests Tigers in round 13\. The Tigers also had to seek an exemption to ensure Jarred Farlow, who had toiled in NSW Cup for several years, could debut that same weekend.
 
@Mulga Bill said:
Rookie of the year 2014 if he doesn't debut this year.
Well at least he would qualify.
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You can win Rookie of the year in your second season, provided you've played less than five games the year before.

_Posted using RoarFEED 2013_
 
Let him play out the year in NYC or NSW Cup. He will learn a lot more playing in a competitive side that has the chance to achieve something this year rather than getting flogged.

_Posted using RoarFEED 2013_
 
@Stripes96 said:
@Mulga Bill said:
Rookie of the year 2014 if he doesn't debut this year.
Well at least he would qualify.

You can win Rookie of the year in your second season, provided you've played less than five games the year before.

_Posted using RoarFEED 2013_
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Thanks for the clarification - appreciated
 
If he can play this year the only games i would pick him for are, the ones against the Titans, Eels, & Dragqueens. They are the games to Blood him in.
 
Why would it take 4 months to review the salary cap? Heck, i thought the review was already underway, but they have only just drafted the TOR. OMG this bloke Smith isn't exactly setting the world on fire.
 
Anasta should be the halves coach rather than player next year. Siro 6 and Brooks 7 for mine with Moses as cover for injuries. Based on lasts week game, Anasta is way past his prime as a player.
 
It might be a bit mean, but if Braith was to have a trip in the car park, accidentally drop a weight on his foot or something like that I won't be complaining too much … :wink:

Maybe we can call him the messiah then he'll likely be injured by next week anyway!

Ridiculous that the rules disallow the team coming 2nd last from playing a teenager at the end of the season. Regardless of cap space this should always be allowed. I would have no problem if Parra, the cows or dragons were also afforded this option.
 
@Balmain Boy said:
It might be a bit mean, but if Braith was to have a trip in the car park, accidentally drop a weight on his foot or something like that I won't be complaining too much … :wink:

Maybe we can call him the messiah then he'll likely be injured by next week anyway!

Ridiculous that the rules disallow the team coming 2nd last from playing a teenager at the end of the season. Regardless of cap space this should always be allowed. I would have no problem if Parra, the cows or dragons were also afforded this option.
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Injure his back moving gym equipment
 
@Balmain Boy said:
It might be a bit mean, but if Braith was to have a trip in the car park, accidentally drop a weight on his foot or something like that I won't be complaining too much … :wink:

Maybe we can call him the messiah then he'll likely be injured by next week anyway!

Ridiculous that the rules disallow the team coming 2nd last from playing a teenager at the end of the season. Regardless of cap space this should always be allowed. I would have no problem if Parra, the cows or dragons were also afforded this option.
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You can't have a rule for some but not all. Too messy, and prone to cause problems.

And wishing damage on someone is pretty lame.
 
Is this anything to do with the fact that mathematically we can still make the finals?

Maybe after another loss and it becomes impossible to make the 8 he may become eligible?
 
@weststigerman said:
Is this anything to do with the fact that mathematically we can still make the finals?

Maybe after another loss and it becomes impossible to make the 8 he may become eligible?
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That's what I believed to be the rule….that once you are out of calculation for the finals you can play whoever you want.
 
@owley girl said:
@Balmain Boy said:
It might be a bit mean, but if Braith was to have a trip in the car park, accidentally drop a weight on his foot or something like that I won't be complaining too much … :wink:

Maybe we can call him the messiah then he'll likely be injured by next week anyway!

Ridiculous that the rules disallow the team coming 2nd last from playing a teenager at the end of the season. Regardless of cap space this should always be allowed. I would have no problem if Parra, the cows or dragons were also afforded this option.

You can't have a rule for some but not all. Too messy, and prone to cause problems.

And wishing damage on someone is pretty lame.
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Of course I don't want anyone to get injured, just joking that it would help our cause. But hey, he's injury prone so you never know.

Allowing a handful of teams who mathematically can't make the finals to play a couple of teenagers hurts no-one.

Do you really think that the Storm or Souths would care if we were given an exemption to give Lovett or another youngster a run off the bench for 2 games at the end of the season? Or vice versa if we were a top 4 side and the wooden spooners wanted to give one of their young guys a shot.

Just because Brooks has a lot of potential shouldn't change things. It's only due to our massive injury toll (which wouldn't happen to many clubs every season) that this possible need for an exemption comes up.

If anything if help to even out the competition and make it stronger which is something Smith should be exploring due to the huge gap between the top and bottom clubs as shown this year.

Allowing weaker sides the ability to start catching up to the other teams fractionally earlier by blooding youngsters with a view to next season should be allowed, but their should be some limitations on which players can be included.
 
Exceptions should only ever be allowed if 2 teams are playing each other that can't make the finals - How would you feel if the Tigers were knocked out of the top 8 because of a loss playing a team who's star player is only playing because they are cheating the cap (approved or not its cheating the cap).

The salary cap is thier to make the comp even. They should not make exceptions unless aboslutley essential to field a team, they shouldn't give sponsors exemptions, there shouldn't be marquee players - all of these things are just a way for richer clubs to have a better team then poorer clubs and that would lead us to something like the EPL which is the most boring comp in the world because only 2 or 3 teams can ever win
 
@Boonboon2 said:
Exceptions should only ever be allowed if 2 teams are playing each other that can't make the finals - How would you feel if the Tigers were knocked out of the top 8 because of a loss playing a team who's star player is only playing because they are cheating the cap (approved or not its cheating the cap).

The salary cap is thier to make the comp even. They should not make exceptions unless aboslutley essential to field a team, they shouldn't give sponsors exemptions, there shouldn't be marquee players - all of these things are just a way for richer clubs to have a better team then poorer clubs and that would lead us to something like the EPL which is the most boring comp in the world because only 2 or 3 teams can ever win
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How could a promising rookie thats never played NRL be a teams star player??
 
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