The biggest loser in Hastings-Klemmer swap

2 years ago 102

League fable Andrew Johns has revealed wherefore helium was "disappointed" Newcastle wasn't capable to snare Luke Brooks this off-season.

Johns had been vocal successful his tendency to get Brooks to the Knights past season, and was again hopeful the power would hap earlier 2023.

Instead, the Hunter nine this week announced the signing of different Tigers playmaker, Jackson Hastings, who Johns believes volition deterioration the No.7 jersey successful circular 1 adjacent year.

The Tigers had primitively refused to merchandise Brooks, but the Sydney Morning Herald reports the crushed a woody was incapable to beryllium struck this clip astir was the $1 cardinal wage linked to Brooks for the caller wage period.

In purchasing Hastings and offloading $800,000 prop David Klemmer, Newcastle has freed up abstraction connected the wage cap, alternatively than the alternative.

And portion Johns is rapt with the acquisition of Hastings, helium concedes determination is simply a consciousness of disappointment astir the Brooks situation.

"It is disappointing due to the fact that I deliberation the alteration would person been bully for Luke, everyone tin spot the unit he's been under," Johns told Wide World of Sports.

"But present with Benji (Marshall) and Tim Sheens (coaching the Tigers), they are some precise attack-minded coaches, I deliberation they volition amended him nary end.

"I conscionable deliberation it would person been a bully accidental for him to get retired of Sydney and conscionable a spot of change. But nether Sheens and Benji I deliberation helium volition spell well."

Joey acrophobic for Brooks' Tigers future

Brooks, 27, has ne'er played an NRL finals crippled and the Concord nine is entering its 12th twelvemonth without finishing wrong the competition's apical eight.

The halfback was erstwhile touted arsenic the adjacent Johns, and was tipped to correspond New South Wales and Australia - neither of which has ever eventuated.

Johns was keen to enactment with Brooks astatine Newcastle but that concern volition person to hold astatine slightest 1 much year.

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