Wests Tigers coach Jason Taylor gives halves Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses licence to entertain

WESTS Tigers’ young halves Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses have been handed back their licence to entertain — and they couldn’t be happier.

Wests Tigers Media Call held at Campbelltown Sports Stadium at Leumeah. Wests Tigers halves pairing Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses

WESTS Tigers’ young halves Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses have been handed back their licence to entertain — and they couldn’t be happier.

The pair revealed the structures introduced by Jason Taylor last year didn’t suit their natural games, especially Moses, but the coach had since allowed them to revert to the exciting off-the-cuff style that worked so well for a decade before they arrived in the NRL.

Moses went as far to say Taylor’s structures didn’t allow him to ‘’show the best player I could be’’.

Wests Tigers halves Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses will be given a chance to play creatively.

“Playing what we see in front of us, that’s how we’ve played footy all of our careers, and I think it will benefit us this year,’’ Moses told The Daily Telegraph.

“Towards the end of last year JT saw us playing a bit of a different style of footy, JT was open to that, he let us do it, and this year I think you’ll see a different style of footy from the Tigers.

“You’ll see a lot more entertainment than last year, more freestyling footy, and everyone working for each other. We’re a tight group, we’re sick of losing, we want to make the eight, and that’s our goal.

“We’re definitely a lot more relaxed group this year, everyone knows what we have to do now. Coming in playing structured footy (last year), the Tigers had never played structured footy before, and you could see why we struggled a bit.

“But JT has opened himself up, and I think you’ll see a different team.’’

Moses and Brooks, both 21, have played together for a decade, and are seen as the long-term halves the joint venture can build their future success around.

Wests Tigers coach Jason Taylor has taken a different approach for his halves this year.

However, fans were worried when they both delayed a decision to take up an option for 2017.

Moses and Brooks made it clear Taylor was not the reason for putting their contract talks on the backburner.

“I didn’t want to go through contract talks in January and wanted to focus on footy and go from there,’’ Moses said.

As for playing with Brooks, Moses said: “I know his game and he knows mine. If I see him I’ll follow him. On the field I react to things he does, and he reacts to things I do. If we see something now we’ll do it instead of holding back.’’

Wests Tigers coach Jason Taylor says he feels “completely supported” by the club board.

Brooks said he was keen to run the ball more this season.

“There will be more playing what we see, looking up at the defence and seeing what they’re doing,’’ Brooks said.

“You have to have a structure to fall back on, but being able to play outside that structure is what’s key, and that’s what well do.’’

Robbie Farah praised the arrival of attacking coach Craig Sandercock, who made a point of asking Farah, Brooks and Moses what plays they wanted to embrace. Farah, like Brooks, hopes to adopt more of a running game again.

Originally published as Wests Tigers coach Jason Taylor gives halves Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses licence to entertain