Few players in the NRL have copped the amount of criticism that Luke Brooks had for the first decade of his career. Touted as the most overpaid man in the league during his time with the Wests Tigers, Brooks knows all too well the pressures that come with a big contract.
It now seems that Dylan Brown is set to be the next star to cop the brunt of big-money criticisms. The NRL world went into a spiral when it was announced that the Newcastle Knights had signed Brown on a 10-year, $14 million deal, with most claiming the Parramatta Eels half has been overpaid.
While the heat on Brooks has certainly been doused since joining the Manly Sea Eagles, he has spoken out amidst Brown's latest signing, the richest deal in NRL history.
"Yeah definitely, [he is] the highest-paid player in the game, it definitely comes with a lot of pressure," Brooks told the media on Tuesday.
While Brooks acknowledged the stress that comes with a million-dollar contract, he was adamant the noise wouldn't get to the New Zealand international.
"I feel like he's definitely a bloke that doesn't seem like pressure gets to him. I wish him all the best. If someone is willing to pay you that much, that's what you're worth."
In the age of social media, it's hard to block out the noise of those doubting your ability. Although no man on Earth has mastered the ability of completely drowning out the doubters, Brooks offered a few words of advice that he found useful during his tenure with the Tigers.
"It's something that you get used to.
"For me, I just tried to block it all out and didn't really read into anything. That's what worked for me, and I'm sure it works for a lot of others... just don't worry about it."
Brown will have the opportunity to prove his worth when he dons the Knights logo in 2026.
