Manly Sea Eagles playmaker Luke Brooks might be contracted to the club through to the end of 2027, but speculation is building he could be released early from the Northern Beaches to join a rival outfit.
Brooks is in a tricky spot at the Sea Eagles.
His career and form have been on a mostly upwards trajectory since making the move from the Wests Tigers at the end of 2023, but at the age of 31, he is still yet to find the type of success Manly desire.
Kieran Foran was given opportunities through injuries to play Joey Walsh last year, and the youngster turning his back on the lure of rugby union to sign a long-term contract extension with the club, it's clear Manly will need to find him consistent playing time in 2027.
That could leave Brooks on the outside looking in at Manly, and The Sydney Morning Herald are reporting the idea of Brooks finding a new club has been floated.
While it would take both the player and club agreeing, it's understood a number of rival clubs have made inquiries about the status of Brooks.
There are plenty of clubs in the competition who could look for either depth, or to shake up their halves entirely heading into next year, with plenty of roster spots across the competition still on the table.
Brooks, who has played 270 NRL games, and also represented the Prime Minister's XIII in 2024, has never hit the potential he once promised as he made his way through the grades, but his form has been, at the very least, serviceable during his stint on the Northern Beaches, and seemed to improve immediately after Kieran Foran took over from Anthony Seibold in the opening weeks of last year.
Whether he is open to a move to try and retain a starting spot somewhere in the NRL remains to be seen, but it could be the only path forward for Brooks, whether that ultimately be in the NRL or the Super League.
Beyond Walsh, Manly also have Onitoni Large pushing in to their halves, with the 19-year-old able to play in the six or seven, but having his growth stunted by the players ahead of him.
It's very likely Manly's long-term halves plan is to have Large join Walsh, but what the club will want to do is avoid having them both come into first-grade on a permanent basis at the same time.
Brooks leaving early could facilitate a far smoother transition in to the future for Manly.
The Sea Eagles will look a mountain of experience in the coming years with Tom and Jake Trbojevic closer to the end of their careers than the start, while Jamal Fogarty could also retire at the end of his current contract.
