Friday Focus: Round 12 vs Cowboys

Wests Tigers fans will fondly remember Luke Brooks’ famous debut at the Sydney Cricket Ground as the club celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 1963 Grand Final against the Dragons.

Playing in front of legendary halfback Arthur Summons, Brooks secured the first two try assists of his career by sending Curtis Sironen through the line before placing a deft grubber kick for Tim Simona in the second half.

The 18-year-old halfback then threw an extravagant dummy and stepped through the tiring defensive line to score the first try of his fledgling NRL career.

Round 8, 2015

In a game best remembered for an acrobatic Kevin Naiqama flick pass to James Tedesco, Luke Brooks steered his troops around to perfection as Wests Tigers dominated the Bulldogs in 2015.

Brooks grabbed the first try of the night via a towering bomb, which bounced and found the upright before falling into the waiting arms of the halfback.

With his side up by 20 points in the second half, Brooks sealed the result with a jinking run to the try-line as he beat two defenders on the way to scoring the first and only double of his career. 

Round 10, 2018

When looking forward to Saturday’s match, Wests Tigers fans can’t help but think back to the last time the joint-venture hosted the Cowboys at Leichhardt during Indigenous Round.

Brooks opened the scoring by intercepting a wayward tap-back from Kyle Feldt before scooting away with a 90-metre run that brought the faithful to their feet on the Wayne Pearce Hill.

The halfback then stepped across the field to create the numbers for Mahe Fonua and Corey Thompson to combine and send Malakai Watene-Zelezniak over in the corner.

Partnered in the halves by current Assistant Coach Benji Marshall, Brooks helped secure an eight-point victory and picked up all three Dally M points as he finished third in the voting and won the 2018 Halfback of the Year award.

Round 7, 2022

While he has played at halfback for a large portion of his NRL career, Luke Brooks donned the number six in a match-winning performance against the Rabbitohs in 2022.

Brooks threw a beautiful cutout pass to create the overlap for Ken Maumalo to score the hosts’ second try of the night.

With scores tied in the second half, Brooks then claimed a wayward pass from his opposite number Lachlan Illias and outpaced the chasing defenders to put Wests Tigers ahead.

After South Sydney equalised with a late try, Brooks stepped up and slotted a field goal in the final minute to give his team their second one-point win at CommBank Stadium in the space of just six days.