If it’s part of a broader strategy to cut these player-managers down to size (and other clubs follow suit) it could be a very good move.
Hopefully we seem some official announcements shortly, not just newspaper speculation. Like this from Danny Weidler and Dan Walsh at the SMH:
Luke Brooks to link with Manly on four-year deal
Luke Brooks is set to join the Sea Eagles on a four-year deal from next season.
As reported by this masthead, the
Wests Tigers five-eighth has been targeted to partner Daly Cherry-Evans at the scrum base, with a long-term deal since being negotiated.
Brooks recently knocked back a three-year extension from the Tigers, worth about $600,000 annually, to test his value on the open market after 11 seasons at his junior club.
At 28, he has long been a lightning rod for criticism at the joint-venture, having never played finals in a 200-plus game career.
By the same token, Brooks had been in impressive form until suffering a hamstring injury three weeks ago, with Tigers coach Tim Sheens and his successor Benji Marshall both keen to retain the playmaker.
Brooks ranks as one of the highest earners in the game this year on a back-ended deal worth more than $1 million this season, but has long been prepared to take a significant pay-cut on his next contract.
Luke Brooks is expected to land at Manly.CREDIT: GETTY
Brooks’ prospective signing continues upheaval on the Northern Beaches as a swap deal that sends Latu Fainu to the Tigers and outside back Tommy Talau in the opposite direction remains on the table.
The bid for Brooks raises queries around Josh Schuster, though a three-year extension offer has been tabled to keep him at Manly.
Schuster has previously pushed to be the Sea Eagles’ first-choice five-eighth with veteran Keiran Foran linking with the Gold Coast last year to accommodate the 22-year-old.
Schuster’s middling returns and fitness struggles have raised questions about his place in the halves, though Manly have regularly maintained he is still in their long-term plans.
This masthead reported on Sunday that interest from the Tigers in
securing Schuster has been knocked on the head by Marshall.
The club’s new recruitment boss Scott Fulton has close ties with Schuster, the Fainu family and several other Manly players after scouting them to the club.
He had told club officials that he would be well-placed to entice Schuster to the Tigers if they wanted to pursue his signature.
However, Marshall, who will take charge of the club as Sheens’ successor in 2025, has told the club that Schuster is not the answer to the Tigers’ halves dilemma.
