The Luke Brooks Book Thread.

[XV-1]

NRL 2023: Wests Tigers halfback Luke Brooks set to join Manly Sea Eagles​

Maligned halfback Luke Brooks is set to leave Wests Tigers for Manly after rejecting the club’s recent contract offer.

Dean Ritchie
In a massive coup, Manly is poised to secure gun Wests Tigers halfback Luke Brooks.
This masthead understands the deal will span three years and be announced shortly.

Brooks’ recruitment – joining incumbent Daly Cherry-Evans - will give Manly a world-class halves combination from next season.

After 11 seasons with Wests Tigers, Brooks, 28, elected against re-signing at Concord.

He had previously been linked to Canterbury, St George Illawarra and North Queensland.

Brooks could sign a two-year contract at Brookvale but it’s more likely a three-season deal.

He was on a whopping deal worth $1.15m this year at Wests Tigers.

Brooks’ new deal at Manly could be worth around $2m over three seasons.

If this is true, it will rival the signing of Craig Field as the worst signing in Manly’s history.

 

[rmd]

I think the Brooks signing may be a huge coup, and he’ll work well with DCE.

I think Mestrov may be playing ‘hard ball’ with Tartak.

Mestrov is a hard nosed GM, and won’t stuff around with recalcitrant player managers, and he’ll have the ear of other GM’s as well. The sooner Tartak gets out of the ‘player manager’ game, all the better in my opinion.

Seibold may also have finally decided Schu’s best position is in the back row, where he played so well, when not injured. Other coaches (NSW juniors) have also thought so. ‘You may be going to be the best player in the NRL, but not at 5/8.

Or, maybe Mestrov is just ….. with Tartak.

Thanks to Scott Fulton, we have quite a few Tartak managed players, and Mestrov has already let several go, and it seems he may be ‘swabbing the decks’ of Tartak. GCKT, Saab, Olakau'atu, and others, may well join the ‘exit lounge’.

I think Humphries is definitely being groomed as a Hooker, and from the weekend, he is adapting well.

I’m disappointed Myers is leaving, however, that may be on compassionate grounds.

 

[QueefRichards]

What is Mestrov doing here? This is an Isaac Moses racket and it's just growing a malignant tumour at the club which will have to be cut out like all other clubs that had Moses players like 2017 Tigers or 2020 Broncos

 

[Tragic Eagle]

I'm glad the club is not sitting on it's hands and is being proactive. This is part of the reboot and getting rid of the remaining bath water. Better to face your problems than burying your head in the sand and hope the problems go away. We need a fresh start.

 

[bob dylan]

Anyone think DCE might make an announcement soon?

 

[QueefRichards]

I think the Brooks signing may be a huge coup, and he’ll work well with DCE.

I think Mestrov may be playing ‘hard ball’ with Tartak.

Mestrov is a hard nosed GM, and won’t stuff around with recalcitrant player managers, and he’ll have the ear of other GM’s as well. The sooner Tartak gets out of the ‘player manager’ game, all the better in my opinion.

Seibold may also have finally decided Schu’s best position is in the back row, where he played so well, when not injured. Other coaches (NSW juniors) have also thought so. ‘You may be going to be the best player in the NRL, but not at 5/8.

Or, maybe Mestrov is just ….. with Tartak.

Thanks to Scott Fulton, we have quite a few Tartak managed players, and Mestrov has already let several go, and it seems he may be ‘swabbing the decks’ of Tartak. GCKT, Saab, Olakau'atu, and others, may well join the ‘exit lounge’.

I think Humphries is definitely being groomed as a Hooker, and from the weekend, he is adapting well.

I’m disappointed Myers is leaving, however, that may be on compassionate grounds.

I would agree with you if our Isaac Moses managed coach wasnt replacing them with several Isaac Moses managed players like Johns, Woods, Brooks etc

Cutting out one cancer and surgically replacing it with another.

 

[eagleron]

we haven't 'won' a spoon...yet.

Well hopefully it never happens, I'm not joining the 'we're doomed set' unless it becomes totally obvious that is our fate, I prefer to focus on positives however few there may currently be than sing that song of doom, that's how I've lived my life and no amount of negativity from my fellow Manly supporters is going to change that 🙃

 

[chuckee]

I like it. I’m going to reserve judgement unlike some of the tough markers around here.

Before getting injured brooks was one of the in form 7’s in the game this season and that coincided with the tigers strong form. I always felt sorry for him the at the tigers, he copped a lot of flack because of the stupid money he was on that the tigers were willing to throw at him and then he was surrounded by duds and expected the world of him.

He, partnered with DCE will be a strong combo, he has plenty of experience and with the money he’s on it could be a potential bargain if he plays for us like he has this year.
Schuster back to an edge and we suddenly look a lot more balanced. He is not a 6. But he can use those silky skills to be an upper echelon backrower.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

And Brooks has never played semi finals which says it all

We are the Isaac Moses led team now Might as well make him assistant coach FMD

Yeah correct there, but I don’t place that on his shoulders entirely tbh, there aren’t many years in his tenure that you’d have expected them to be in the 8

in a way his career has mirrored Shaun Johnson, hopefully he can find something in him like Johnson has at a lower price deal

 

[Under the Sticks]

I wonder if there is something afoot with Chez? Tits with Des?🤔

With Ben Hunt just blocked by the Dragons this makes a lot of sense. DCE was praising Desmond just this weekend in the press on the Titans move.

 

[Clint]

If true, surely this means Schuster is going to the Tigers.

 

[Frogz]

With Ben Hunt just blocked by the Dragons this makes a lot of sense. DCE was praising Desmond just this weekend in the press on the Titans move.

Hunt only blocked for this year, I think

 

[Eagle thru 'n' thru]

Manly Sea Tigales

 

[Under the Sticks]

Manly-Warringah --- The Team that (John) Wests rejects!

@Chunkytuna what's your assessment of John West's point of view?

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Needs to be renamed!
This will, after all, become our new 5/8's megathread!

I nominate Babbling Brooks.

Haha, I was just about to ask, is he a good talker on the field, if so Babbling Brooks for the mega thread!
I like the other suggestions too.
Or how about one as a homage to the thread of the man he may replace... The Know Luke News, lol

 

[Rafferty]

With Ben Hunt just blocked by the Dragons this makes a lot of sense. DCE was praising Desmond just this weekend in the press on the Titans move.

Find this amusing, could you imagine being burnt like that and going back for seconds, add the crowd has been booing him for 10 years, they would have to welcome their most hated player, but back with Foz, under Des and they would be crazy not to want him, surely not, if this happens that will do me….

 

[bringbackbeaver]

With Ben Hunt just blocked by the Dragons this makes a lot of sense. DCE was praising Desmond just this weekend in the press on the Titans move.

no way cherry going to titans. He is settled on the NB , has retirement on the horizon and has sorted his contract out for the next two years.
Looking at how chez has commented on the Shoe situation, I think it's pretty clear he has taken issue with the lack of effort / commitment. He wants another 6 next to him would be a decent guess.
Chez a smart dude. Probably thinking about life after footy / coaching .. best bet is with us

 

[eagleron]

Anyone think DCE might make an announcement soon?

Maybe he's still got that old Titans contract in his back pocket, never too late to backflip on his backflip

 

[Rafferty]

no way cherry going to titans. He is settled on the NB , has retirement on the horizon and has sorted his contract out for the next two years.
Looking at how chez has commented on the Shoe situation, I think it's pretty clear he has taken issue with the lack of effort / commitment. He wants another 6 next to him would be a decent guess.
Chez a smart dude. Probably thinking about life after footy / coaching .. best bet is with us

That all makes sense to me, but nothing that’s happening at the moment makes much sense, maybe a shot at a premiership could be just enticing enough.

 

[Tragic Eagle]

Anyone think DCE might make an announcement soon?

I don't think so. It is highly likely he has been consulted about what is going on. I expect he would be pleased to have Brooks in our side. This is more about the having a squad of people that want to be there and want to give their best for those around them. Money changes everything and can really unsettle a squad just look at the drama at the beginning of DCE's career.