Perth Tiger
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Great another year where we have wasted 20% of our squad on spuds. They can join great company like William Kei, Dylan Smith and Kane Bradley in a year or 2
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Great another year where we have wasted 20% of our squad on spuds. They can join great company like William Kei, Dylan Smith and Kane Bradley in a year or 2
Not sure whether to laugh or cry at these Brooks statements?‘I want Luke here’: Why Sheens won’t let Brooks walk without a fight
By Christian Nicolussi
November 5, 2022 — 4.45pm
One of the last things Tim Sheens did before he was sacked by Wests Tigers a decade ago was convince a young Luke Brooks to commit to the club.
He never got the chance to work with him then, which is why Sheens is in no mood now to let him go to Newcastle.
Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien had the chance on Friday to shoot down speculation about Brooks joining the Knights for the 2023 season, but instead added to the intrigue when he said: “I’m not too sure ... when the list is finalised, I’ll coach that list”.
Sheens, though, was unequivocal. “I want Luke here,” he told The Sun-Herald. “It’s not our intention to release him, and there’s been no request from Newcastle. It’s been talked and talked and talked about.
“He’s due to turn up here on November 14, and I’m looking forward to working with him. Benji [Marshall] and I are looking forward to getting our hands on him.
“Right at the moment, there’s been no movement from the Knights and we’re moving forward with him as our halfback.
“He still has his legs, he has speed, he’s brave, and if you needed to find someone to replace him, you wouldn’t find that [an] easy task either.
“The last thing I did at the Tigers was to convince him, Mitchell Moses and James Tedesco to sign here. They were our next spine at the time. I never got the chance to work with Brooksy then. I’m looking forward to working with him now next year.”
Brooks is due to report for pre-season training on Monday week and is free to officially strike a deal elsewhere for 2024, now he is entering the final year of his Tigers contract.
The Knights were convinced they had secured Brooks for the start of last season. The fact the move never eventuated arguably left the Hunter club scrambling.
Sheens will not open negotiations with Brooks or Doueihi until the new year, even if it leaves them exposed to the advances of rivals.
The 72-year-old was relieved Doueihi pulled through the World Cup campaign uninjured after Lebanon’s campaign ended against Australia early Saturday. He will not resume training until the new year.
Sheens’ two-year tenure in charge started on Wednesday, alongside his 2025 successor Marshall.
While Sheens refused to discuss the pending arrival of English enforcer John Bateman – “I’ll only talk about the guys we’ve already got and signed” – he labelled Api Koroisau “the best advertisement for the club”, and someone who was already on the ground talking to prospective players.
Only the most rusted-on Tigers fan would dare to dream about a premiership in 2023. A finals berth will be the goal, but September football looks a more likely target the following year.
Sheens pointed out the club not once fielded a full-strength side last year, which included the trials. They lost nine games by 10 points or less, he said, which included eight games by eight points or fewer. Tommy Talau and Shawn Blore did not feature at all because of injury.
One player who did report for day one of pre-season training was Randwick rugby captain Ben Houston, a No.6 in rugby who “is big and rangy and a front-row proposition”, Sheens said.
‘I want Luke here’: Why Sheens won’t let Brooks walk without a fight
The veteran coach has waited a long time to work with the halfback, and he’s in no mood to miss out again amid rumours of a potential switch to Newcastle.www.smh.com.au
Couldn't even crack the tigers team, what a player. Good riddance
www.weststigers.com.au
If Bateman turns up, we seem to have the forwards covered?
Yes and it’s beyond belief that we supposedly haven’t re-signed, Laurie, Hastings or Doueihi?
In post #122 @Ron's_Mate, he has been reported as saying he won’t do anything about re-signing Brooks? and Doueihi until the new year, but no mention of Hastings and Laurie?
They aren’t going
We’ve got no props. No real ones.
www.foxsports.com.au
No backs?
We have a lot of solid young forwards coming through the ranks but it's all for nought if we don't have experienced veterans to bring them through. I think it's better we lay a solid foundation in the forwards by signing experience, then we can concentrate on improving our backline, although I think outside backs is the least of our worries
This.
