The clouds have cleared on a dismal season for the Wests Tigers, with gun halfback Luke Brooks named Dally M Rookie of the Year on the same day the NRL club announced their new coach.
Former playmaking star Jason Taylor has been unveiled as the man to take over the top job at the Tigers – and a key aspect of his job description is to guide Brooks to greatness.
Taylor sat in the audience at Sydney’s The Star on Monday night and would have found it difficult to contain his excitement when his star No.7 for next year was read out as the game’s best young talent for the season just gone.
Brooks, who beat South Sydney try-scoring freak Alex Johnston to the award, is also looking forward to matching up with a coach who has specialist knowledge of his position.
“It’s exciting news and I can’t wait to get into the pre-season and start working with (Taylor),” Brooks told AAP.
“Obviously he’ll be good because he was a halfback and with me being a halfback it will help me a lot. I can see that as a positive.”
The recognition can only mean good things for a Tigers side which is trying to get rid of baggage, but promises so much.
After a brilliant start to the year, the Wests Tigers tailed off badly in 2014 as injuries and rumblings about the shaky future of now sacked coach Mick Potter began to surface.
However, through it all, Brooks went about his business with all the hallmarks of a future household name.
As small as any halfback to have played the game, Brooks showed his heart is as big as some of the most diminutive stars to have gone before him – the likes of Langer, Sterling, Stuart, Toovey and Andrew Johns to name but a few.
Things didn’t always go his way, but Brooks consistently showed a willingness to take the line on and more often than not would take the right option with ball in hand.
The good thing for Brooks, Tigers fans and Taylor is that the teenager isn’t a one-man band.
There to support the anticipated rise of the Brooks is the equally exciting Mitchell Moses at five-eighth and the injury-plagued but brilliant young fullback James Tedesco.
Taylor has plenty of knowledge he can impart on Brooks.
The experienced coach was a schoolboy star at Western Suburbs nursery St Gregory’s Campbelltown.
He won a Rothmans Medal with North Sydney in 1996 and took the Bears to the finals more often than not.
As the most accomplished goal kicker of his time, Taylor knew how to deliver under pressure.
Now he has the chance to teach the NRL’s best rookie.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Did they confuse "Rookie of the Year" with "Best Turnstile Impersonation"?
Nate
Guest
It is difficult to compare no doubt, but my point has been in outlining things in both defence and attack that Johnston appears to be superior any way you look at it. As Squid pointed out though when pushing Brooks case, there is no stat for organising a team. I would counter that by saying there kinda is, the Tigers finished in 13th.
Will Sinclair
Roar Guru
Not sure you're comparing apples with apples mate! Wing and halfback are very different positions.
Nate
Guest
You are right Squid, how can you compare a halfback who always has a forward next to him helping with defence vs a guy on the wing who is often left alone on an island to make choices as to whether to come in or stay out. It is difficult but it still cuts both ways. That's why I tried looking at the stats several different ways, total missed tackles, tackle complete %, all sorts of things. Johnston came out in front each time.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
We don't need a saviour #oneinarow
Albo
Guest
So will Johnstone be a future saviour for NSW at State of Origin level ? I think Brooks might be !
Albo
Guest
What's their market price right now , do you think ? My guess is that Brooks would be at least double that of Johnstone ! Good wingers are a dime a dozen. Good half backs are as scarce as hens teeth ! Brooks' potential is enormous as a future rep star. Johnstone will be handy first grader.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Or even how about line breaks created, try assists, kicking meters, how can you compare your stats of a winger with a halfback who had traffic running at him and doesn't have the job requirement to take hit ups or kick returns
Squidward
Roar Rookie
There's no stat on organising a team
Nate
Guest
So much speculation and non-factual information shared about why Brooks should have won, no stats to back it up. The reason? I checked their stats this year and it does not matter which way you look at it, Johnston was way ahead. Less games, more metres, more tries, more linebreaks. Checked defensive stats and his tackling completion was better and had less missed tackles all year than Brooks missed in round 1 vs the Dragons. There is no way I could slice the stats to actually favour Brooks, every which way you looked it went to Johnston. Add in one of only 7 players in history to score 20 tries in a rookie year. Crazy he didn't get it! Joke.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Agree. Bossing around fowards and directing a team at that age is more impressive than catching a few a balls on the wing. His first half of 2014 was great
Will Sinclair
Roar Guru
Johnston has been very, very good. Some might argue, however, that halfback is a vastly more challenging position than wing and to be guiding an NRL team around the park when you are 19yo is pretty impressive. (Although, I personally reckon Mitch Moses is the real superstar, and will be the one to watch next season.)
Wascally Wabbit
Guest
Robby, you are allowed to play up to 3 games the previous year -- Brooks played 1 .
Elron
Guest
That was Alex Johnston's award! Just goes to show the Dally M awards are geared towards the halfbacks.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
He's start of the year was phenomenal and controlled games beyond his age. But he fell away and prob ended up winning on reputation in the end
The Barry
Guest
If people are lost to the game by who gets rookie of the year then farewell.
Ret
Guest
What's the eligibility in regard to games played last year? I'd be dead certain he's bigger than Mark Schulman. Lastly, while I do rate Brooks, how did he beat Alex Johnston? 20 tries in 17 games so far. Sympathy award for the supporters of a sadly dysfunctional club.
robby
Guest
gees another poor decision rookie of the year how many nrl games did he play last year - rookie means first year nrl player a joke nrl you are a joke no wonder people are lost to the game
robby
Guest
gees another poor decision rookie of the year how many nrl games did he play last year - rookie means first year nrl player a joke nrl you are a joke no wonder people are lost to the game
Terry
Guest
Joke. Media darling.