Luke Brooks’ determination to go away the Wests Tigers after greater than a decade on the membership was “tough” however the star playmaker has conceded it was a name he “had to make.”
In certainly one of his first one-on-one interviews since turning into a Sea Eagle, Brooks instructed foxsports.com.au that slicing ties together with his former membership “felt like a weight off my shoulders.”
Brooks was an area Tigers junior and have become an in a single day sensation after a stunning debut as a fresh-faced 18-year-old in 2013.
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The following season he was named Dally M Rookie of the Year and in 2018 Brooks not solely received Halfback of the Year however he additionally completed third within the general Dally M rely.
But from a workforce perspective, the 29-year-old skilled minimal success on the Tigers — actually he has the undesirable report of most video games with no finals look.
It nonetheless wasn’t simple for Brooks to stroll away from the Tigers although.
But he can now safely say it was the correct transfer.
“It was a hard decision that I had to make but in the end I think once it all settled down, coming here, it made me think it was the right decision,” Brooks instructed foxsports.com.au.
“At the end of the day you’ve got to do what’s best for you.
“Once I did make the decision it sort of felt like a weight off my shoulders and I was happy with my decision.”
Brooks has had alternatives to go away the Tigers previously — he got here near becoming a member of the Knights forward of the 2023 season — however has all the time ended up reaffirming his dedication to the Tigers.
Why now? What satisfied him to make the soar?
“I think it was just the right opportunity and the right club,” Brooks mentioned.
“I guess I’ve been at the Tigers for so long that stepping out of my comfort zone will be a good thing for me. When you’re constantly doing the same thing, a change is needed.”
The probability to play alongside the likes of Daly Cherry-Evans and Tom Trbojevic was a serious draw card too.
“That’s definitely the main thing that attracted me to Manly,” Brooks mentioned of the star-power on Manly’s roster.
“There’s a lot of guys in this side that have played Origin and there’s some very experienced guys that I think will help me.
“I’m looking forward to a new start and hopefully playing some good footy.”
Brooks has spent majority of his first grade profession at halfback however will don the No.6 when he companions Cherry-Evans.
“A lot” excites Brooks about enjoying with an skilled — and conventional — No.7 in Cherry-Evans as a result of he believes it might convey the most effective out of him.
“(Cherry-Evans) has obviously done everything in the game so I feel like I’m going to learn a lot from him,” Brooks mentioned.
“I’m excited to play with someone of that calibre. He’s played some of his best footy in the last few years — even at the age of 34.
“With the kicking, having a left-footer and a right-footer definitely helps and having two kickers in the team will help.
“And my running game, I feel like I play my best footy when I’m running the ball. I think I’ve got the players around me that’ll help me do that.”
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Brooks endured some fairly darkish days on the Tigers, together with back-to-back picket spoons. He admitted the losses do take a toll on a participant’s mentality and that did come into play when making the choice to go away.
“You get into a habit of losing when you continually lose and you sort of forget what winning feels like. It was tough,” he mentioned.
“There were years where we were in the hunt to make the eight but the last few years we weren’t in the hunt and that’s hard.
“It did (factor in the decision to leave). I gave it my all there and it obviously wasn’t working.”
Wearing the No.7 put Brooks entrance and centre of the criticism thrown on the Tigers. He was one of many greatest names on the membership for a interval if time and was simply probably the most criticised.
But at Manly, Brooks is overshadowed by Cherry-Evans, the Trbojevic brothers and at occasions even Josh Schuster.
When requested if it’s a breath of contemporary air to go from being the ‘big dog’ to considerably mixing in, Brooks mentioned: “Yeah definitely.
“I think it suits my personality as well — I like to fly under the radar,” he added.
“There’s a lot of ‘big dogs’ here so I can just sit back and let them take (the attention)… That’s another thing that attracted me to the club.”
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Brooks was “nervous” earlier than his first day of coaching at his new membership however he has shortly settled in — it helps when fellow ex-Tigers’ Tommy Talau, Josh Aloiai and Aaron Woods are round.
He’s gelling nicely with head coach Anthony Seibold too.
“He’s a very smart coach, he’s very organised and you know what he wants from you. So far he’s been good,” Brooks mentioned.
A premiership is after all on the high of each participant’s record of objectives for 2024, however Brooks can also be hoping to search out the enjoyment in footy once more.
“Playing good footy and just enjoying it,” he mentioned when requested what he desires to get out of his first season at Manly.
“I think over the last few years it becomes tough — especially when you’re not winning. Hopefully we win a few games and just enjoy the footy… the rest will come.”
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
