Luke Brooks chalked up his 200th NRL game on the weekend in a masterstroke performance leading the Tigers to a 66-18 win over the Cowboys.
In the dying minutes of the match and as the team left the field, the Leichardt faithful began to chant the long-time Tigers name following his impressive game.
However, there has been plenty of discussion about the Tigers number seven and if he will remain at the club in 2024.
Having debuted in 2013 and now played 200 games, Brooks has never played finals and as a halfback who is meant to lead the team, this has caused plenty of discussion at Concord.
In recent weeks the Tigers have chased plenty of halves as a replacement for Brooks with Mitchell Pearce and Shaun Johnson the most recent to be called up by coach Tim Sheens.
But now it seems the coach has changed his mind about his number seven.
โI'm keen to keep him happy and keep him here โ if we can make that happen, that's what I want,โ Sheens said.
Though the 28-year-old seems more unsure on his position with the club in the coming year.
โIf I stay here, it would be nice, if it doesn't happen, so be it," Brooks told The Sydney Morning Herald.
โIt's good to know you're wanted. I've enjoyed staying out of it, and I'll let my manager and the club sort it out.
โIt always helps with the coach backing you."
Brooks' recent return to form has been a revelation for the Tigers in recent weeks and may well go a long way to making the local junior a Tiger for life.
Ever since the ACL injury to teammate Adam Doueihi, Brooks has become a more dominant voice in the halves and reclaimed his dangerous running game leading the joint venture club to three wins in their last five games.
Sheens also addressed his halfbacks lucrative contract and continued to praise Brooks for his form of late, crediting it to a change of attitude following some key wins for the side.
โI know he's earning a lot of money, that's not his fault, it's a back-ended contract in his last year," Sheens said.
โ[But] he's playing footy with a smile on his face, he's enjoying it and that's the difference. Being happy in a place, that's the difference.โ
