NRL 2024: Luke Brooks opens up on personal toll of Wests Tigers criticism as he prepares to end 229-game finals drought

As he prepares to end longest non-finals streak of any player in rugby league history, Manly’s Luke Brooks has revealed the personal toll his criticism-laden tenure at the Wests Tigers took on him and his family.

Manly five-eighth Luke Brooks has spoken openly about his record-breaking finals famine, declaring: “It’s been a long time coming - I thought it would never happen.”

And Brooks revealed the personal toll his criticism-laden tenure at Wests Tigers took on him and his family.

Brooks has played 229 NRL games without contesting a finals game. It is the longest non-finals streak of any player in rugby league history.

Now 29, Brooks even recalled the 2019 game when he felt his finals drought would never end.

In a victory for perseverance, Brooks will contest his first-ever finals match when his Sea Eagles play Canterbury in Sunday’s elimination match at Accor Stadium.

“There was one game I remember, it was in 2019, when we played the Sharks at Leichhardt and we had to win to get into the finals. We ended up losing (25-8),” Brooks recalled.

Luke Brooks’ record-breaking finals famine is finally ending. Picture: Tim Hunter.

“After that game, (it was the day Robbie Farah retired) I thought: ‘Is this ever going to happen?’

“But I’m here now and as a footy player, that’s what you want to do, play in the big games. It’s been a long time coming. There were times when I thought it would never happen. I think you have to be (mentally tough) to play this long and put up with the stuff that I have.

“It’s easy to show up when you’re winning and everything is going good but you learn a lot more about yourself when times are a lot tougher – and the last few years (at Wests Tigers) were pretty tough.

“To get through it, and still be here playing, it definitely shows (I am mentally strong).”

Asked what he thought when told about his 229-match non-finals run, Brooks said: “At least I have a record for something.

“But if you look at it another way, it shows resilience. I have waited this long and am still hanging around to play in the finals. I make it a positive.”

Brooks played 205 games for Wests Tigers over 11 seasons, winning 76 games for a winning success rate of 37 per cent.

Luke Brooks suffered some tough times in his 205 games for the Tigers. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

He became the scapegoat at Concord and remembers his time at Wests Tigers with mixed emotions.

“There were definitely a lot of ups and downs,” he said. “The last few years were a lot harder because of where we finished up. The end of my time there wasn’t as enjoyable as I would have liked.

“I didn’t look into (the criticism). I learned how to deal with it. I honestly tried not to read it but I knew it was out there because people would ask me about it. There was a lot of stuff being said.

“Being the halfback, I understood that a lot of it falls on you. If you’re winning, you get the raps, if you’re losing, it falls on you as well.

“It was probably harder on my family than me. It would affect them more. But I guess, overall, it was a typical NRL career, ups and downs.

Luke Brooks . Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

“When you’re somewhere for so long, and the same things keep happening, it was the right time for me to have a fresh start at Manly. What attracted me to Manly was the players I’d be playing alongside. We have strike all over the park.”

Canterbury and Manly enter the big game having conceded 40 points or more last weekend.

TAB bookies have Manly narrow $1.85 favourites with Canterbury paying $1.95 for the win.

“It will be a new experience for me but the last couple of weeks have had that semi-final feel. We played the Bulldogs a few weeks ago and it was the same thing – a big crowd and a lot riding on the game,” Brooks said.

“I think we have to throw out the form all year because we know what they have done and they’re a quality side. They’re coming off two losses but they’re going to be fired up.

“They have players who have played in big games so I think we will see the best of the Bulldogs. There will be a pretty big crowd out there at Homebush on Sunday.”

Second-placed Mark O’Neill played 219 matches before competing in a finals game.