Ex-players question the quality of Leeds Rhinos target

Reports have emerged that Leeds Rhinos are interested in signing NRL halfback Luke Brooks from the Wests Tigers.

Both of Leeds’ current halfbacks are coming to the ends of their deals and thus there is a degree of uncertainty about the position heading into 2024.

The pair due have plenty of history together playing alongside each other at Canberra Raiders when they finished in the top three of the NRL in 2016.

Both have been Man of Steel nominees during their time in Super League with Warrington Wolves and Huddersfield Giants respectively.

However, their time at Leeds has been up and down.

The two did help the Rhinos to the Grand Final in 2022 but Sezer missed it due to concussion protocols.

Sezer is currently on five Man of Steel points for the season and Austin recently nailed a match winning drop goal against Champions St Helens but both have dealt with injuries in their Headingley careers and have been a touch inconsistent.

Thus, according to the Mole of Wide World of Sports, the Rhinos are interested in 28 year old Luke Brooks.

He is coming to the end of his deal but is yet to agree a deal to stay at the club despite the fact they let former Wigan Warriors and Salford Red Devils halfback join Newcastle Knights ahead of the new season.

Leeds are said to have a look at the halfback who could be said to suit the Super League style of play.

Now though former NRL player Braith Anasta has questioned his quality on Fox League.

“Those couple of tries at the end of that game really took some pressure off the Tigers,” Anasta said.

“They pushed the Bulldogs until the end. If they hadn’t scored those last couple, it was very ordinary for a few weeks.

“Give him [Brooks] some credit. He was very good at the end of the game. Maybe that [Wakeham’s addition] unlocks Brooks a little bit, that’s what they’d be hoping. He came up with a few tries that he would’ve scored in his heyday. He has it in there somewhere and we saw it.”

However, Paul Kent really questioned Brooks’ quality and why he needed Fiji World Cup star Brandon Wakeham to lead the team around.

“At the start of the season they were telling us Brooks is their man and three games into the season they’ve now gone to a guy on minimum wage ($120,000) to run the team,” Kent said.

“Look without trying to be a bash-up on Luke Brooks, this is his 13th season and they’re still paying him on potential and now they’ve just brought in a guy on minimum wage to come in and do the job they’re paying him over $1 million to do and he hasn’t been able to do it in the first two-and-a-half games.”