In Tigertown, under-siege Wests halfback Luke Brooks has heard every slice of outrage pouring in on him from the fans, media, and rugby league world since the 2022 NRL season began. He’s heard it, and he doesn’t care.
“I’m doing my best not to listen to any of it,” said Brooks of the headlines and hate.
The 27-year-old Tigers star, rumoured to be earning around $800,000 this season and then a whopping $1.2 million the next, has been the punching bag for nearly everyone in the wider NRL landscape these past few years. That discourse has only increased as the Tigers have slumped to a 0–5 record, with many pointing the fingers at Brooks.
This week, Michael Maguire was forced to play his hand too. Brooks has been shuffled into the no.6 jumper, and has been tipped to play second-fiddle to the returning Jackson Hastings. It’s a role he’s only played a half-dozen times in his 177-game career.
And when he takes to the field, he won’t have the NRL noise in his ears.
He says: “It’s hard to stay away from it in this day and age, but I do my best to not listen. That’s their jobs, to sell newspapers and get TV ratings. And I guess if it’s on me, it’s going to be on me. It is what it is. It’s part of the game. I’ve learned to not worry about it. A lot of people that are writing stuff, they’ve never played the game.
“They’re adding their two cents, but why would I listen to what they say?” the much-maligned NRL star added. “The only opinions that matter are the people at this club. That’s all that matters.”
This weekend, the Tigers come up against the red-hot Eels () on Monday afternoon. It’s the first chance Brooks will get to really flex his running game in the six jersey alongside Hastings. For many outside the orange-and-black club, they’re hoping to see a flash of brilliance from Brooks that hasn’t really sparked in years.
Inside the club, it’s just about getting win number one this year.
To do that, Brooks is trying to roll back to his natural game. Hastings can command the ship, he says; he’s going to look for the gaps and openings, and run the footy—that’s the only job Maguire has given him for Monday.
“That’s the thing Madge and I spoke about – getting what works for me [right and] playing my best footy. That’s running the ball. So, yeah, I guess that’s the thought behind it – get me running a bit more. It was a conversation we both agreed on,” he explained.
If it’s going to help our team, I’m all for it. It’s tough at the moment. We’re not getting the results, but everyone is still positive. I’m staying positive, and I’m just blocking out the outside noise.”
