Luke Brooks touted move to the Newcastle Knights continues to develop steam as Mitchell Pearce's leave request hangs over the club's head.
It's the rumour which just won't go away, and despite repeated denials from the Tigers' organisation, including one from incoming director of football Tim Sheens himself, Brooks' future continues to be a point of discussion in rugby league circles.
Brooks is now the most capped NRL player without a single appearance in the finals series, and despite his enormous talent and potential, has never been able to guide the Tigers to higher than a ninth-placed finish.
That is despite a rotating door of halves partners next to him, and at times, a team which, on paper, should have laughed their way into the top eight.
Despite all that, Sheens has no interest in losing Brooks and is keen on working with the experienced half, despite other reports suggesting Brooks himself wants out because he doesn't want to be coached by Michael Maguire.
That could only be heightened by the arrival of Andrew Johns in Newcastle.
He has taken Mitchell Moses' game to another level over the past couple of years during his time at the Parramatta Eels, to the point Moses made a State of Origin debut this year when injuries struck both Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai for Game 3 of the series.
The Blues may have lost that game, but there can be no doubting how far Moses' game has come, while it's also thought Johns has had major influences on Jakob Arthur.
While a Brooks move is anything but a sure thing, Johns has told The Sydney Morning Herald that he would be excited by the prospect of working with Brooks.
โNow, if heโs (Mitchell Pearce) not there and Brooks is there, thatโd be really exciting. Itโs a challenge I like. He looks like he needs a change, and getting out of Sydney would be good for him.
โI think he can really add a lot to the club. He can play great. He needs to find that consistency. I could help him with when to pass, when to run, when to kick but, also, I think the players around him need to understand his strengths and how to get the best out of him. I think it would be exciting to work with Luke.โ
