Luke Brooks and the Newcastle Knights are slowly becoming the Romeo and Juliet of the NRL, desperate to be together only for their own parties to ensure the two stay separated.
There have whispers of Brooks departing the Wests Tigers, who the halfback has played 189 NRL games for, since last pre-season, with the Newcastle Knights repeatedly mentioned as a landing spot for the under-pressure No. 7.
The deal has developed over and over again since its inception, the latest version coming in the form of a player swap between Brooks and Newcastle's David Klemmer, however it appears the Wests Tigers are set to knock back the offer.
Klemmer is on big money at the Knights and following a tumultuous season, has landed himself on the outer at the club. The Tigers are eager to snare him as soon as possible.
However, WWOS reports that the Tigers are worried that trading a halfback for a prop is bad business, putting an end to the 'swap deal' talks between clubs.
However, the two could play together at Concord in 2023, and delay Brooks' exit until the 2024 season.
While refusing the trade, the Tigers are still one front-rower short in their Top 30 for next season, and could shuffle the deck chairs in order to fit the highly-paid prop into their roster.
Incoming coach Tim Sheens has been a public advocate of Brooks' future at the Tigers, although a rollercoaster 2022 as well as the roles of halves Jackson Hastings and Adam Doueihi has Brooks' Leichhardt future looking bleak.
The halfback is free to negotiate with rivals on November 1st, less than a week away, and may still sign with the Newcastle Knights for 2024 regardless of any immediate release rejection.
The Knights have also been eyeing Reuben Garrick for an immediate release from Manly, a signing that would push marquee man Kalyn Ponga into five-eighth, and form a new look halves combination with Brooks in the near future.
