A player puts a stop to rumors about his NRL future by signing a four-year contract with the Manly Sea Eagles.

Following eleven seasons with the Wests Tigers, the much-maligned halfback has made the NRL his new home.

Luke Brooks has agreed to a four-year contract with Manly, ending his turbulent 11 seasons with the Wests Tigers. He will start as the team’s five-eighth in 2024.

Amidst a shopping binge on the northern beaches, the deal secures Tolu Koula’s future at Manly, even though there were rumors that he would go to rugby union. It also attracts outside backs Tommy Talau and Jaxson Paulo from rival teams.

After years of rumors that a fresh start could help the much-maligned playmaker, Brooks, 28, turned down the Tigers’ offer of a new contract earlier this month. Brooks is off-contract at the end of 2023.

In spite of connections to North Queensland, Canterbury, and Newcastle, Manly announced Brooks’ signing on Monday afternoon.

With a contract that is set to expire with the Tigers, Brooks is making over $1 million this season while being sidelined by a hamstring ailment.

He will partner Daly Cherry-Evans, a representative of the Queensland State of Origin, in the halves, giving the recruit more freedom to play the kind of rushing, eyes-up football that he loves to play and that he has sometimes overlooked in his role as game-manager for the Tigers.

“Anthony Seibold, the coach of Manly, said that Luke is a quality halfback.”

“He is an excellent football runner and has an amazing left-foot kicking ability.

“We believe he will complement the spine players our club already has.”

The move appears to also mean Josh Schuster’s tenure as Manly’s five-eighth player is coming to an end.

The highly regarded back-rower, who will be out of contract at the end of the following season, skipped last year’s World Cup in order to focus on his fitness and pick up the finer points of being a pivot.

However, he has had form issues in his new role, partly because of a string of ailments.

He is currently the most-capped player and has shown flashes of brilliance since making his debut in 2013, despite never having played in the finals.

Brooks had been playing well this season until he sustained a hamstring injury. In his 200th game, he led Wests to a 66-18 hammering of North Queensland, earning him the title of 2018 Dally M Halfback of the Year.

He is currently the most-capped player and has shown flashes of brilliance since making his debut in 2013, despite never having played in the finals.

Brooks had been playing well this season until he sustained a hamstring injury. In his 200th game, he led Wests to a 66-18 hammering of North Queensland, earning him the title of 2018 Dally M Halfback of the Year.

Manly has also re-signed strike center Koula until the end of 2027, securing his future as a player and keeping him out of the hands of rugby union.

Earlier this year, speculation about which other former schoolboy stars would follow Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii gained traction after he signed a lucrative contract to join Rugby Australia.

He is currently the most-capped player and has shown flashes of brilliance since making his debut in 2013, despite never having played in the finals.

Brooks had been playing well this season until he sustained a hamstring injury. In his 200th game, he led Wests to a 66-18 hammering of North Queensland, earning him the title of 2018 Dally M Halfback of the Year.

Manly has also re-signed strike center Koula until the end of 2027, securing his future as a player and keeping him out of the hands of rugby union.

Earlier this year, speculation about which other former schoolboy stars would follow Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii gained traction after he signed a lucrative contract to join Rugby Australia.

Manly has also re-signed strike center Koula until the end of 2027, securing his future as a player and keeping him out of the hands of rugby union.

Earlier this year, speculation about which other former schoolboy stars would follow Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii gained traction after he signed a lucrative contract to join Rugby Australia.

Before he had even played a first-grade match, Brooks, then 19 years old, drew parallels to the legendary Andrew Johns of Newcastle.

Despite never having played in the finals, he is the most-capped current player who has displayed flashes of brilliance since making his debut in 2013.

Before he suffered a hamstring injury this season, Brooks had been playing well. He was voted the 2018 Dally M Halfback of the Year and had led Wests to a 66-18 thumping of North Queensland in his 200th game.

In keeping strike center Koula out of the hands of rugby union and demonstrating his status as a player of the future, Manly has also re-signed him till the end of 2027.

Earlier this year, after Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii inked a lucrative contract to join Rugby Australia, rumors circulated regarding which other former schoolboy stars might follow him.

He is currently the most-capped player and has shown flashes of brilliance since making his debut in 2013, despite never having played in the finals.

Brooks had been playing well this season until he sustained a hamstring injury. In his 200th game, he led Wests to a 66-18 hammering of North Queensland, earning him the title of 2018 Dally M Halfback of the Year.

Manly has also re-signed strike center Koula until the end of 2027, securing his future as a player and keeping him out of the hands of rugby union.

Earlier this year, speculation about which other former schoolboy stars would follow Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii gained traction after he signed a lucrative contract to join Rugby Australia.