A refreshed Luke Brooks has found his love for football again and is determined to embrace his first finals appearance 11 long years after his NRL debut.
The five-eighth endured multiple lean campaigns throughout a 205-game stint at the Wests Tigers before his move to Manly at the start of the season.
The shift has brought instant success, with Brooks preparing to turn out for the Sea Eagles in Sunday's elimination final against the Bulldogs at Accor Stadium.
The 29-year-old concedes there were times he didn't enjoy his football during his tenure at the Tigers but now recognises he's come out the other side a better player and person.
Luke Brooks Highlights vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs
"You learn a lot about yourself (in the tough times)," Brooks said. "It’s easy when you’re winning and everything’s good but when it’s not going so well you learn a lot about yourself.
"Having the mental toughness to be able to put up with all that stuff and be able to get through to the other side is rewarding."
Brooks was considered a future star when he burst on to the scene in 2013, producing a man of the match performance on debut to lead the Tigers past St George Illawarra at the SCG.
Rd 24: Dragons v Wests Tigers (Hls)
The game shaped as a view of what's to come, however, he failed to reach the highs many anticipated amid a turbulent time for his club.
Brooks stuck by the Tigers despite the loss of a host of promising teammates and was forced to watch as James Tedesco, Mitchell Moses and multiple others tasted team and individual success at rival sides.
The playmaker was the lone constant through a revolving door of coaches and senior club officials. The closest he came to playing finals football was finishing ninth on three separate occasions.
Looking back, he recognises how draining the period was.
"I probably didn’t notice it when I was there, how much it weighed on me, it wasn’t until I was out of that situation that I realised how much pressure I had on me," he said.
"Coming over here, it feels like a weight off my shoulders. I can concentrate on playing footy and I guess that’s showed. When I was there I probably didn’t notice it as much, it wasn’t until I got out of there."
Standing alongside Brooks at the SCG in August 2013 was Nathan Brown, the forward also making his NRL debut for the Tigers in the win over the Dragons.
Their rugby league journeys diverged when Brown joined the Rabbitohs in 2015 before his career took off when he moved to Parramatta two years later.
The shift saw him feature in the 2022 grand final loss to the Panthers and he has played in five finals series.
Brown the back fence merchant
The pair were reunited this year when Brown signed a train and trial contract with the Sea Eagles in a desperate attempt to keep his career alive. The gamble paid off, the 31-year-old now a regular starter and rewarded with a two-year contract extension.
Brooks has endured plenty since the duo last played together but Brown said it didn't take him long to make an impact at his new club.
"It's a credit to him as a player and a person," Brown told NRL.com. "He was there for a long time at the Tigers. They weren't going too well and he was getting put under a lot of pressure.
"For him to leave, come here and start fresh shows the person he is. The resilience to come here and make a stamp on this team, he's been enormous and played really good footy this year."
Match: Bulldogs v Sea Eagles
Finals Week 1 -
home Team
Bulldogs
6th Position
away Team
Sea Eagles
7th Position
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney
While he was the primary playmaker at the Tigers, Brooks has had the luxury of playing alongside Queensland and Australian halfback Daly Cherry-Evans at the Sea Eagles.
The situation has allowed Brooks to play with freedom and without the burden of carrying a team.
The presence of superstars Tom and Jake Trbojevic, NSW forward Haumole Olakau'atu and emerging winger Lehi Hopoate has also helped.
The year hasn't been smooth sailing but Brooks has become increasingly comfortable in his new role and has been playing some of the best football of his career throughout the past two months.
Cherry-Evans has felt the shift first-hand and said Manly's outside backs have been the biggest beneficiaries from Brooks' development.
“There's no denying that Luke Brooks has played some of his best footy this season, so he's certainly helped me as well," Cherry-Evans told NRL.com
“It's just been a really good combination and I've really enjoyed having him at the club. He's a great fellow, everyone loves having him around the locker room and it's just good to see him happy.
“It's great to see him as a teammate playing in his first final series. As a group, something that we're really proud of is doing something special for him."
With his maiden finals appearance imminent, Brooks is ready to run out for the biggest game of his career.
Luke Brooks Try
The five-eighth has spent the past 11 years building up to this point and will draw on all of those experiences to prepare for Sunday's game.
And now he's finally here, Brooks is determined to ensure it's not the only finals game of his career.
"Over the 10 years you learn a lot in what to do in certain situations," Brooks said. That will help me but also having quality players who’ve played Origin and in massive games, having them out there will help me. It’s not just me out there.
"I want to make the most of this opportunity. Who knows when we’ll be back here so I want to make the most of it."
