Luke Brooks extends deals with Wests Tigers in coup for Cleary

WESTS Tigers captain Aaron Woods was surprised by the latest news surrounding halfback Luke Brooks - one of the NRL club’s four key off contract players.

Luke Brooks of the Wests Tigers.

WESTS Tigers halfback Luke Brooks - one of the NRL club’s four key off-contract players - has reportedly agreed to a two-year contract extension. Brooks, 22, has been offered close to $550,000 a year, according to Fairfax Media - some $50,000 less than he was believed to be asking. It comes two days after Ivan Cleary’s appointment as Tigers coach and would be an important foundation to re-building the last-placed team. The Tigers would not confirm the Brooks deal when contacted by AAP on Wednesday morning.

Captain Aaron Woods, another of the club’s “big four” off-contract stars, expressed excitement at the prospect of Brooks re-signing when told of reports on Sydney radio on Tuesday.

Luke Brooks is the first of the ‘Big Four’ to sign with the Tigers. Picture: AAP

“Oh, did he? That’s awesome,” Woods told Sky Sports Radio.

Locking down Brooks, who’s played 70 NRL games since his 2013 debut, would prompt the Tigers to turn their attention to re-signing fullback James Tedesco, five-eighth Mitchell Moses and forward Woods.

A four-year, $4.5m deal will reportedly be tabled to retain NSW No.1 Tedesco. The deal would also prevent Brooks being shipped out to make way for star Melbourne playmaker Cooper Cronk, who will leave the Storm at season’s end. The Tigers have been one of the Sydney clubs rated a chance to lure the Queensland halfback.

Brooks missed the Tigers’ heavy loss to St George Illawarra on Sunday after injuring his hamstring a week earlier.