Brooks: "I’m honoured to have played 150 games for the club"

When Wests Tigers run out onto Campbelltown Sports Stadium on Sunday, not only will the side be looking to record a win against the Sydney Roosters in their first home game of the season, but they’ll also be celebrating local junior Luke Brooks’ 150th NRL game.

The playmaker will become the first Wests Tigers halfback to reach the milestone for the club. 

The Holy Cross Rhinos and Leichhardt Wanderers junior made his debut at the end of the 2013 season before going on to claim the Dally M Rookie of the Year award the year after.

The halfback represented the NRL All Stars in 2015 before being named the Dally M halfback of the Year in 2018.

“I’m very honoured to have played 150 games for the club,” Brooks said.

“You don’t really think about the individual milestones when you’re playing. I don’t really plan for them but it’s nice when they come along.”

Brooks is looking forward to playing in front of the Wests Tigers faithful in front of a bumper crowd at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.

“Playing at one of our home grounds is definitely a good one. It’s our first game at Campbelltown with fans for a while now,” he said.

“It will be good to get out there and it’ll be great to have lots of Members and fans there on Sunday arvo."

Brooks was disappointed with last week’s opening round loss to the Canberra Raiders, but is eager to turn things around in the club’s first home game of the season.

“It wasn’t the best way to start the year, but we know what we need to change this week,” he said.

“I need to take control of this side. We’ve lost a fair bit of experience with Benji [Marshall] leaving, I have to step up more and it’s something I’ve been working on.”

With Adam Doueihi returning from suspension for the Round 2 clash, Brooks is excited to be partnering a fellow local Wests Tigers junior in the halves this weekend and for the remainder of the season.

“It’s a big boost having Adam back. It will be good because that’s what we trained for all pre-season,” he said.

“He adds that extra spark to the attack. He’s a great ball player and it will help us to have him back.

“He grew up playing five-eighth, so it’s something he’s used to, I think that’s his natural position.”