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Newcastle icon Andrew Johns believes embattled Wests Tigers halfback Luke Brooks could beryllium a catalyst for occurrence astatine the Knights.

Johns is simply a instrumentality of Brooks and has ne'er shied distant from his involvement to motion the playmaker astatine Newcastle.

Brooks requested an aboriginal merchandise astatine slightest erstwhile successful the off-season successful an effort to articulation Newcastle, but the Tigers denied it.

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He denied that, though, when speaking to 9News successful May, but it was wide reported astatine the time.

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Asked if Brooks was the reply to the Knights' halves problems, Johns told Wide World of Sports' Freddy and the Eighth Newcastle needed to onshore a superstar subordinate to make its squad around.

"If you person a look astatine clubs implicit the years, Souths were struggling - they signed Sam (Burgess). Manly was struggling - they signed Ben Kennedy backmost successful the day."

But with Brooks struggling for idiosyncratic and squad signifier during his decennary astatine Concord, podcast big Mat Thompson said helium successful nary mode compared to Burgess and Kennedy, to which Johns agreed.

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"But you request that existent top-line player," Johns said.

"If you person a look astatine Souths, they brought successful Sam Burgess and past they brought successful Greg Inglis. Sometimes you request that subordinate successful your nine to crook things around."

Thompson argued Brooks was not astatine the aforesaid level arsenic the others.

"I deliberation we tin get him there," Johns said.

This prompted Thompson to question: "How bully could (Brooks) be?".

Luke Brooks' clip astatine the Wests Tigers whitethorn beryllium coming to an end. (Getty)

"I deliberation helium hasn't reached his potential. We've seen signs consistently and he's astatine that signifier of his career, he's 27," Johns said.

Discussing specifics successful Brooks' crippled that could beryllium refined or explored, Johns conveyed a antithetic approach.

"I think portion it backmost and marque it simpler. I deliberation he's astatine his champion erstwhile he's connected the vantage line, getting the shot - not getting the shot disconnected beforehand rowers - helium is getting the prime shot and going astatine the defence."

New South Wales manager Brad Fittler agreed that Brooks is yet to execute what helium is susceptible of.

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"You cognize what (Brooks) is? He's fast," Fittler said.

"He's a spot similar Stacey Jones. He's got that velocity wherever it's a spot unpredictable. You deliberation you've got him but helium conscionable does a small successful your mode and he's gone.

"But I haven't seen enough."

Brooks is tied to the Tigers until the extremity of the 2023 season. His declaration is reportedly acceptable to beryllium worthy upwards of $1 cardinal adjacent year.

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