Wests Tigers officials have made it clear that the club is becoming extremely irritated with the rumours surrounding halfback Luke Brooks and him potentially moving to Newcastle.
Whispers arose recently that Brooks was a potential chance to replace Mitchell Pearce, however the Tigers new head of football, Tim Sheens, assured the media that Brooks will be staying at Leichhardt.
Pearce has displayed an immense amount of interest in joining the Catalans Dragons, however the Knights are unlikely to let the 32-year-old go until they can fill the void in their halves stocks.
A frustrated Tigers official mentioned that Brooks had two years left on his current contract and the fact he was supposedly linked to a rival club is a disgrace.
“If we come out and say anything publicly, it just adds to the story, and there isn’t a story," the unnamed official said, per The Sydney Morning Herald.Â
Building on this, they believed it was also unfair on Brooks to have to continuously read false reports on his own future.
Sheens gets back from his stint in the UK on Sunday and will be straight back to work as he returns to the very club he won a Premiership with in 2005. It's fair to say the place has changed significantly since, with snapping the club's decade-long finals drought a sure priority.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Brooks is mulling over whether to publicly speak on the matter.
If indeed Luke wants to leave the Tiger’s, they should allow him to and use the approximate 900k a season they’re spending on him a season on areas that really need strengthening. Doueihi and Hastings is the better halves combination anyway. Surely Jock Madden or Tyrone Peachey can fill in until Adam is fit again. Or purchase Tyrone May for a season who can fill the gap and make a really useful utility player when not needed as 1st choice 5/8. The Tiger’s should take the opportunity to shed an under performing overpaid player like Brooks whilst they can, and at the same time give Brook’s a fresh start elsewhere, its a win win for all.