Adam Doueihi 'ultimatum' emerges amid Wests Tigers halves drama

Luke Brooks has responded to the messy halves situation at the Wests Tigers, amid reports Adam Doueihi gave the club an ultimatum about playing him at five-eighth.

Fox Sports reports that Doueihi asked interim Tigers coach Brett Kimmorley to play him at No.6 in the NSW Cup after refusing to pick him there for Saturday night's game against Parramatta.

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Brooks has been shifted to five-eighth for the NRL strugglers this season, with the game-management and kicking of Jackson Hastings preferred at halfback.

Even when Doueihi returned from injury last month, Brooks managed to hang onto his spot at No.6 - the position where Doueihi played last season and was by most accounts, the club's best player.

Widespread reports emerged that Brooks was on the verge of being dropped for the first time in his career with the Tigers, for the round 16 match loss to the Warriors last week.

However, the Tigers stuck solid with Brooks and used Doueihi off the bench, with many expecting the latter to be given a crack at No.6 this week, off the back of a fourth straight defeat.

According to Fox Sports, Tigers insiders said Doueihi contacted Kimmorley on Tuesday to ask about playing five-eighth in the NSW Cup after being selected in the centres against the Eels.

It's understood Tigers head of football Tim Sheens managed to smooth things over and Doueihi was seen training in the centres with the first grade side on Wednesday.

Despite the situation threatening to bubble over at the embattled club and his own position at No.6 being under serious threat, Brooks admits that Doueihi's best position is at five-eighth.

"Personally I think his best position is five-eighth," Brooks said.

"But when he has played at centre, he's done really well there.

"He's a runner of the ball. If we can get the ball in his hands as much as possible, that's his biggest threat."

Luke Brooks welcomes Adam Doueihi competition

Previous Tigers head coach Michael Maguire sometimes switched Brooks to hooker mid-game to re-vamp the side's attack but Brooks said he would be reluctant to take on a utility role or start from the bench as a replacement rake.

"If I had to do it for the team, I would," he said, "but I think my best position is either halfback of five-eighth."

Brooks said he welcomed the healthy competition between himself and Doueihi.

"You obviously want to keep your spot and if there's someone there, if you're not playing your best footy then they're going to come in," he said.

"That helps you to play your best footy. It's good, healthy competition."

Brooks, Hastings and Doueihi all come off contract at the end of next year and are able to negotiate with rival clubs for 2024 from November 1.

Brooks is on the richest deal of the three, earning a reported $950,000 this year, and while he was linked with a move to Newcastle earlier in the season, he said he would make no decisions about his future until the Tigers appointed a new head coach.

with AAP

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