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Wests Tigers fans blasted over 'clueless' act towards Luke Brooks in return to Leichhardt Oval

Brooks returned to his former home ground for the first time since leaving the Tigers.

andrew reid
·4-min read

The Wests Tigers ensured there was no happy homecoming for Luke Brooks on Thursday night after stunning the five-eighth's Manly side 34-26 to keep their hopes of avoiding a third straight wooden spoon alive. But the club's fans have been called out for booing their former player, considering he gave 11 years of service to the Tigers.

Brooks' first game back at his former spiritual home at Leichhardt Oval since making the switch to Manly did not end well as the Sea Eagles missed the chance to guarantee their place in the NRL finals. The Sea Eagles had three players sin-binned during the game and would have been filthy with a number or refereeing calls that went against them but the reality is they simply weren't good enough and only had themselves to blame for a litany of errors and missed tackles.

Pictured here, former Wests Tigers player Luke Brooks playing for Manly at Leichhardt Oval.
Former Wests Tigers player Luke Brooks was booed by home fans every time he touched the ball for Manly at Leichhardt Oval. Pic: Getty

However, the reception home fans gave Brooks left many viewers disappointed after the long-time Tigers playmaker was booed every time he touched the ball. Sidelined Tigers star Adam Doueihi and former fan favourite Aaron Woods both warned Brooks before the game that he should expect a hostile reception from the Leichhardt faithful and Manly coach Anthony Seibold said before the clash that it was "all part of the game".

But many viewers thought it was a terrible look to see fans turn so brutally on a player who gave so much for the club over a long period of time. Brooks stayed at the Tigers when Woods and his superstar former teammates James Tedesco and Mitchell Moses all left for rival clubs. And Brooks was often made out to be the scapegoat at a club that hasn't played finals footy in well over a decade.

Many Tigers fans would have been happy to see Brooks move on and the switch to the Sea Eagles appeared to be in the best interests of both parties. Brooks left on good terms and was even presented with a barbecue as a a token of thanks from the Tigers for his long service to the club.

No one could begrudge Brooks from making move that still looks likely to see him play finals footy for the first time in his career. So even while the boos for Brooks were fully expected from the notoriously unforgiving Leichhardt crowd, many viewers took to social media to express their disgust, labelling it a "clueless" move against a player that should have been warmly welcomed back.

Brooks' hopes of playing finals footy are still firmly in Manly's own destiny, with the Sea Eagles needing just more win from their remaining two games against the Bulldogs and Sharks to guarantee a top-eight finish. One more defeat for the 9th-placed Dolphins - who play ladder-leaders Melbourne on Saturday - will also guarantee Manly's place in the playoffs.

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Manly shot themselves in the foot on Thursday night after racing out to a 16-0 lead, with Ethan Bullemor and Haumole Olakau'atu both binned in the first half and the Tigers hitting back with two tries. Olakau'atu's sin bin for a high tackle on rookie fullback Heath Mason looked particularly controversial, with NRL legend Cooper Cronk among those to insist it was shoulder to shoulder contact.

Seen here, Manly forward Haumole Olakau'atu.
Haumole Olakau'atu was one of three Manly players sent to the sin bin in the loss to the Wests Tigers. Pic: Getty

Despite a hat-trick of tries for Tom Trbojevic, the Sea Eagles were their own worst enemies at times after coughing up a whopping 40 missed tackles and 15 errors to invite the Tigers back into the contest. And the home side made the sloppy Sea Eagles pay with former Manly players Latu Fainu and Samuela Fainu scoring two of their three second half tries to stun the visitors.

Manly also squandered a huge chance to win the game at the death, with winger Jason Saab coming up with two woeful errors in prime attacking positions and Manly coach Anthony Seibold admitting they didn't do enough to secure the win. "You get what you deserve in the NRL," Seibold said. "On the effort parts of the game and the discipline, they beat us. You have to give the Tigers credit. We were outplayed, and our discipline let us down."

with AAP