David Brooks (born 24 May 1962) is an Australian former professional

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. A one-club man, Brooks played his first-grade career primarily with the

Balmain Tigers The Balmain Tigers (also known as the Sydney Tigers from 1995–96) are a rugby league club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in t ...

in the

New South Wales Rugby League premiership The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition established in Australia and contributor to today's National Rugby League. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League (initially named the New Sout ...

, with a couple of short stints in England in the off-season with

Hull FC Hull Football Club, commonly referred to as Hull or Hull F.C., is a professional rugby league football club established in 1865 and based in West Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The club plays in the Super League competition and wer ...

( Heritage № 825) and later with Chorley Borough. Brooks primarily played in the .

Playing career

While attending McCarthy Catholic High School in Tamworth, Brooks played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 1979. Brooks made his first grade debut for Balmain in round 1 of the 1983 season against South Sydney at

Leichhardt Oval Leichhardt Oval is a rugby league and soccer stadium in Lilyfield, New South Wales, Australia. It is currently one of three home grounds for the Wests Tigers National Rugby League (NRL) team, along with Campbelltown Stadium and Western Sydney S ...

. Brooks ended his debut season as the club's top point scorer. Brooks was selected to represent

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

as a second-rower for Game III of the

1985 State of Origin series The 1985 State of Origin series was the fourth time the annual three-match series between New South Wales and Queensland was contested entirely under 'state of origin' selection rules. It was the year that New South Wales finally ended Queensland ...

. Over the next few seasons, Balmain would feature regularly in the finals and in 1988 the club reached their first grand final since 1969. Brooks played at second-row in the club's 24-12 grand final loss against Canterbury-Bankstown at the

Sydney Football Stadium The Sydney Football Stadium, commercially known as Allianz Stadium and previously Aussie Stadium, was a football stadium in Moore Park, Sydney, Australia. Built in 1988 next to the Sydney Cricket Ground, the stadium was Sydney's premier rect ...

. Balmain would reach the grand final the following season against the Canberra Raiders but Brooks did not play in the finals series or the grand final itself. In 1990, Balmain reached what would be their last finals series with Brooks playing in the elimination semi-final which Balmain lost 0–16 against

Manly-Warringah The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based in Sydney's Northern Beaches. The team colours are maroon and white, while their namesake and logo is the sea eagle. They compete in Australia's premier rugb ...

. Brooks final game as a player came in 1992 in the reserve grade grand final against North Sydney which Balmain lost 28–14 at the

References

Sources

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External links

David Brooks at nrlstats.com
1962 births Living people Australian rugby league players Balmain Tigers players Chorley Lynx players Country New South Wales rugby league team players City New South Wales rugby league team players Hull F.C. players New South Wales Rugby League State of Origin players Rugby league players from New South Wales Rugby league second-rows {{Australia-rugbyleague-bio-1960s-stub