Parramatta Eels star Mitchell Moses has defended his long-time friend Luke Brooks after years of criticism aimed at the Wests Tigers half.
Brooks’ multi-million-dollar contract has seen him placed under the microscope in recent years due to performances that haven’t lived up to his eye-watering price tag.
The criticism of Brooks has reached an all-time high this season with the Tigers failing to register a win in their first six games.
Brooks’ former halves partner, Moses, admitted it’s tough to standby and watch his close friend cop a large portion of the blame for the Tigers’ recent run of form.
“It’s really hard to be honest, I know the quality of player that he is,” Moses told SEN 1170 The Run Home.
“To see the criticism that he cops, it’s very hard to see, I’ve grown up with Brooksy since I was 10 years old and played footy with him since then.
“It’s tough to watch him go through that and see the criticism that he gets, even when we lose games it’s one to 17 players that don’t perform, it’s not just one player where it’s their fault, I think he cops a lot of unwarranted criticism.”
Despite the widespread criticism, Moses claims that Brooks doesn’t read into it and let it affect his performances on the field.
“He gives you nothing, I ask him, ‘How you going’, (he says), ‘Yeah I’m good, I’m good’, he doesn’t see it, he doesn’t look at it, he’s a pretty relaxed bloke,” Moses added.
“It would take a toll on you, to be honest… he doesn’t really give much away if I’m getting nothing out of him, I don’t think anyone else, he’s pretty strong in this aspect.
“If it keeps going it might be tough, I don’t know how he does it to be honest.”
Moses started his career playing alongside Brooks in the halves at the Tigers and admitted he isn’t too sure if a position change would be the best for his progression at the club.
“I’m not too sure, us coming through the juniors, I played as a six and he was the seven, but it was pretty much the other way around, I was pretty much the dominant half, he just floated around and played footy,” Moses said.
“He’s a very good halfback as well… he talks, he gets the boys around the park, sometimes I think he needs some help as well.
“It’s not just on him, (it’s not just) he has to do everything and come up with all the big plays, it takes one to 17 players to do that stuff.
“In their side, I think he could play both (six or seven).”
Moses and the Eels meet the Bulldogs at Commbank Stadium this Sunday while Brooks and the Tigers enjoy a week off with the bye.