There have been loads of acquainted faces at Wests Tigers coaching on Monday, with legends Tim Sheens, Benji Marshall, Robbie Farah and Chris Heighington all there to take the membership again to the glory days after their yr from hell.
And there may very well be one other acquainted face there subsequent season, with Luke Brooks eager to hyperlink up with former halves companion Mitch Moses.
The pair performed collectively for 4 seasons earlier than Moses left for the Eels halfway by 2017.
Brooks stated there was unfinished business for them to perform on the Tigers after their core 4 cut up up simply when issues have been trying good.
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Brooks hoping to reunite with Moses | 02:36
Moses’ future is among the hottest matters forward of the brand new season, with the Eels and Tigers able to splash the money for his contract and the Bulldogs seemingly dropping out of the race.
Quite a bit has modified since Brooks and Moses final performed collectively, with the Tigers now coaching out of a brand new facility that has helped lure some high expertise to the membership.
“I’ve spoken to him a couple times and told him what the vibe was like and how much it has changed – I’ve been selling the place to him,” Brooks stated.
“I’m not too sure what his thoughts are, but I think he’d be a great addition to our side and I’d love to play with him again.
“I think when we came in (to the NRL) we were very young.
“We sort of spoke before about how we would like to have a chance to play together again.
“Whether that’s now or not, I don’t know, but hopefully he makes a decision soon, the one that’s best for him.”
The Tigers are recent from their worst ever season that included the membership’s first wood spoon, which is why they’ve made a serious teaching change and have overhauled the roster with large names Api Koroisau, John Bateman, David Klemmer and Isaiah Papali’i signing on.
Luring these guys was made rather a lot simpler by the brand new centre of excellence that has state-of-the-art fitness center services, a lecture room for video evaluation, swimming swimming pools, a rec room and even some books if the gamers get actually bored.
It’s one thing that didn’t curiosity Brooks when he first heard about it from the chief govt, however his temper has modified considerably since seeing the completed product.
“Justin Pascoe showed me their plans back in 2015 and I told him it doesn’t really matter to me,” he recalled.
“But then coming here and having everything here, I think it does make a big difference. It’s something that the club will show off to players and can incentivise them to come here to a world-class facility.”
A shiny new facility counts for nothing should you don’t have the gamers to win video games, and the Tigers have given Brooks and halves companion Adam Doueihi all of the instruments they should succeed with a vastly improved pack to play behind.
The veteran halfback’s possibilities of taking the Tigers to the finals for the primary time since 2011 have by no means been higher, and he says the brand new stars and returning kids like Shawn Blore and Stefano Utoikamanu make it the perfect pack he’s ever performed with.
“100 per cent,” he replied when requested if this was the strongest pack he’d seen.
“The guys like Stef and Blorey, you forget they kind of missed the whole of last year. They’re looking strong and fit and then you’ve got Klemmer and Ice and Bateman, who are strike players on each edge and then Api will be in the middle and be able to bring them on to the ball and really get us going forward.
“That can lay the platform for us to play off the back of. Those guys in the pack plus all our young forwards who had a bit of a taste last year will only benefit our side.”
Source: www.foxsports.com.au