Luke Brooks - the plate is hot

[maxta]

Good thread TE
It's definitely a fair summary too and just hope Brooks can improve on a decent season....hope he gets that running game in order as he can make a line break with that burst of speed, agility and needs to take that line on more imo

 

[jbb/james]

He came to manly as playing second fiddle to DCE, was looking to be no 2 . Wish our no 1, would take no 2 money, to play number 2 also

DCE took control of the kicking but apart from that brooks was more dangerous and more likely with less weapons outside
Dce had a couple of pearler games but brooks was far more consistent over a season

The future of manly is brooks and ? But he played his role pretty well @660k. You can still afford the very best next to that . He doesnt have to be the best but he wont stop us attracting the best on that coin. Manlys succession plan and not brooks is our future and its empty for a couple of seasons unless we cull and buy. Fainu , humphries annd dce retention decided that, replaced with 2026/27 prospects

Brooks is a good deal but the tigers, brooks, manly know he is a 2IC and there is nothing wrong with.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Sorry guys bored and missing footy thought I'd stir things up a bit. Still think Ben and Tom centres next year will be lethal.

That’s a relief. I wasn’t sure how I was going to get to sleep at night.

 

[Ryan]

Tolu Koula and Lehi Hopoate should be centres.

01. Tom Trbojevic
02. Jason Saab
03. Tolu Koula
04. Lehi Hopoate
05. Reuben Garrick
06. Luke Brooks
07. DCE

What about Tommy Talau people ask? How about in a Karl Lawton role? He's often doing to hard yards hit ups through the middle anyways on yardage returns.

 

[manly al]

Would say one of Manly 's better and more consistent performers in 24 and very pleasing how reliable and relatively strong he measured up defensively .
Some really good individual try efforts and clean breaks to his credit also .
Some games not as prominent or influential and probably for a range of reasons .
Originally had the notion that he should just go O K in general but thought that he definitely exceeded that expectation .
Hopefully to maintain a good form level and even go a bit better in the team direction area as maybe could be a little bit of improvement there

 

[Disco]

Tolu Koula and Lehi Hopoate should be centres.

01. Tom Trbojevic
02. Jason Saab
03. Tolu Koula
04. Lehi Hopoate
05. Reuben Garrick
06. Luke Brooks
07. DCE

What about Tommy Talau people ask? How about in a Karl Lawton role? He's often doing to hard yards hit ups through the middle anyways on yardage returns.

Yeah I think Lehi could become a real silky centre.

 

[Ryan]

Yeah I think Lehi could become a real silky centre.

He has latter experienced & skilled Brett Stewart hands - at 19 !! Skies the limits for this kid. Sign him up VERY long term. The Hopoate's tend to get very itchy feet for whatever reason.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

He has latter experienced & skilled Brett Stewart hands - at 19 !! Skies the limits for this kid. Sign him up VERY long term. The Hopoate's tend to get very itchy feet for whatever reason.

110%

 

[BOZO]

Overall he had a fairly good season, it was patchy at times and there were moments of individual brilliance t

You summed up Brooks very well feathered friend

Brooks has always been fairly good and patchy at times and has his moments but never Consistently fantastic .

Fantastic halves keep their one million dollar contract price tags. They do not drop half of it down to 600K. Unless they age or fail to keep performing at a dominant one million dollar contract level

Some things Never Change ....As @Mark from Brisbane says leopards or Tigers never changer their spots
In 2024 Brooks played under the Leadership of the Premium DCE and had the pressure off him
that he had leading the Tigers and his performance was patchy at times and moments of individual brilliance but far from consistent

 

[BOZO]

To be honest I just don’t think that leopard will change his spots.
His biggest issue was he was as lazy as anything.

There were 2 Issue here as it take 2 to tango
The Biggest Issues was that The Shu seemed Lazy
and the other Big issue was that we never had the coach to Lift him

|One of the Biggest Man Motivators is Bennet and the Shu will be in Great hands

Leopards may not be able to change their spots
But Eagles can 🙂

Talent is in the eyes of the Beholder
Bennet has now got a hold of the talented Schuster

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

There were 2 Issue here as it take 2 to tango
The Biggest Issues was that The Shu seemed Lazy
and the other Big issue was that we never had the coach to Lift him

|One of the Biggest Man Motivators is Bennet and the Shu will be in Great hands

Leopards may not be able to change their spots
But Eagles can 🙂

Talent is in the eyes of the Beholder
Bennet has now got a hold of the talented Schuster
View attachment 28698

Well let’s see , the proof will be in the pudding.

 

[BOZO]

Well let’s see , the proof will be in the pudding.

100% my feathered friend
It Aways is .

Have Great Manly day 🙂

 

[Not Paul Kent]

Hot plates sounds more like a Josh Ado Carr thing….

 

[Top End Eagle]

Yeah I think Lehi could become a real silky centre.

I think he's too slight just yet. He will have blokes like David Fifita and Sippa Talakai coming at speed. But he and Tom in a shared role makes sense leading into a transition.

 

[Disco]

I think he's too slight just yet. He will have blokes like David Fifita and Sippa Talakai coming at speed. But he and Tom in a shared role makes sense leading into a transition.

Yeah not necessarily advocating from round one but thats where I see him offering us best value.

At 19 he is still filling out fair pace, wont take him long.

 

[Top End Eagle]

Yeah not necessarily advocating from round one but thats where I see him offering us best value.

At 19 he is still filling out fair pace, wont take him long.

He's super strong for his size. I just don't want him to suffer ongoing shoulder issues or get busted like that 19 year old five eight Manly had 15 years ago.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Well let’s see , the proof will be in the pudding.

Or avoidance of pudding, maybe more to the point.

 

[maxta]

Keep in mind with Brooks, DCE has Oka outside him who is a Monster.....Brooks has Burbo who is ok, but that's about it and not much of a threat, I do actually recall Brooks throwing maybe Manly's best 2 passes in 2024....1 was a blind no look short pass to Lawton who breezed through for a try and the final vs Dogs off the scrum when he hit DCE on the sweep who went over for a vital try.
Brooks also suprised in defence an who will forget him getting smashed by Matterson against Eels, only to return the favour minutes later....he did play very well besides a "few games" just was nowhere yo be seen....