Surprise contender as four teams named in Luke Brooks hunt

Luke Brooks has never played an NRL final but his signature is set to be one of the most coveted for next season as he goes to the open market.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 10: Luke Brooks of the Wests Tigers looks dejected during the round six NRL match between Wests Tigers and Parramatta Eels at Accor Stadium on April 10, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

A few shock clubs have been floated as potential landing spots for Luke Brooks after news the Tigers halfback had decided to leave his boyhood team at the end of the year.

Brooks had been offered a three-year extension by the Tigers but turned it down, with a change of scenery on the cards for the 28-year-old, who made his NRL debut in 2013.

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Both Michael Ennis and Greg Alexander agreed it was a smart move from Brooks, adding that the split benefited both parties.

“I thought it had been coming for a while and I think it’s a great move by Luke Brooks,” Ennis said on Fox League.

“Obviously the Tigers have shown some great resolve over the last few weeks and are starting to play some decent footy. They’ve been on a huge recruitment drive and you’re starting to see the benefits of that.

“But that doesn’t hide the fact Luke Brooks has played there 11 seasons, hasn’t played a finals game. He’s got so much potential but just hasn’t been able to deliver that consistently and get his side to the finals.

“I’ve said all along, for Luke to be able to go somewhere else and have a fresh start, particularly at the end of his career, will do him wonders.”

While no clubs have officially put their hands up, the belief is the likes of the Raiders, who lost Jack Wighton to the Rabbitohs, Cowboys, who have both Chad Townsend and Tom Dearden but Townsend is getting to the back end of his career, the Bulldogs, who are in search of an organising halfback, and even the Roosters.

Luke Brooks has a big decision to make. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Alexander agreed that while Brooks has been in fine form recently, he needed to look beyond recent results when making a call on his future.

“Now that he’s found form over the last five to six weeks and the Tigers have been winning games, it might make his decision a little bit tougher,” Alexander said.

“But you’ve got to go back over the last 10 years and when you think about the last 10 years I think it makes his decision easier and I would say there is no right or wrong in this.

“It’s what he wants to do but I’m 100 per cent behind the decision he’s made to leave and start afresh.”

As for where Brooks could end up, Canberra has been suggested as a logical destination given the impending departure of Jack Wighton at the end of the year.

A few surprising teams though were floated by Ennis while Alexander even suggested Brooks could consider a position change to further boost his value.

“I think Canberra and the Dogs are definitely clubs that could do with a number seven,” Ennis said.

“All that talk about Ben potentially going to the Bulldogs, we will forget that because he’ll stay at the Dragons (if his comments about Shane Flanagan are anything to go by).

“That means either the Raiders, the Dogs or even potentially the Cowboys — Chad has done a great job up there for them but he’s getting to the back-end of his career too.

“There’s a number of clubs. The Roosters is a really big one. Keary is probably coming to the back-end of his contract, what’s happened with Sam Walker? We don’t know. Their attack has been ordinary, really ordinary. So there’s plenty of clubs looking for a halfback.”

“I think Brooks could be a great 14,” added Alexander.

“I think he could be a nine. I think he could make a very good dummy-half.”

Originally published as Surprise contender as four teams named in Luke Brooks hunt