June 28, 2026 — 1:43pmManly playmaker Luke Brooks has been described as “incredibly courageous” after he touched the ball six times and made three tackles with a ruptured ACL during Saturday night’s 30-4 win over Melbourne.Scans on Sunday confirmed Brooks’ season is over and he will require knee surgery.There was some good news for the Sea Eagles with Joey Walsh not charged by the match review committee for a hip-drop tackle, which means the 20-year-old will likely replace Brooks in the halves for the remainder of the season.Manly coach Kieran Foran – who was revered for his toughness during a playing career that featured a host of serious injuries – said he was amazed Brooks stayed on the field for almost 14 minutes after rupturing the ACL in his left knee. Brooks even signalled to the referee to hurry up and resume play after he went down clutching at his knee.“That’s one of the most courageous things I’ve seen on a footy field – you don’t see it, and I can’t recall too many players playing on with a ruptured ACL,” Foran said on Sunday.“His toughness has been underrated for most of his career. He’s been playing great footy for us all year in attack, but his defence this year, it really is underrated.Luke Brooks suffers the knee injury on Saturday. Scans on Sunday confirmed an ACL tear and he will miss the rest of the season.NRL Photos“He’s got a willingness to put his head in the tackle and get his body in front.“I should be surprised he played on, but I’m not in the sense that I know how tough he is.”Manly doctor Nathan Gibbs said when Brooks stayed on the field, there was hope the injury was not too serious.“He could feel his knee slipping at different moments during that period, but it was amazing he carried on,” Gibbs said. “Most people with ACL ruptures limp from the field or need to be carried off.Luke Brooks watches the second half from the sidelines on Saturday night.NRL Photos“We often make judgment on how a player is by their functionality, and if you can run around and do stuff, we take the view they can’t be that bad.“But when we looked at him at half-time, it was a shock it was so unstable. When we felt his knee, it wasn’t meant to go in the direction it was going when I pulled on it, and that can only be because the ACL isn’t working. The scans confirmed a rupture on Sunday.”Walsh has played just four NRL games, but Foran is confident the local junior is ready for the weekly demands of the NRL.“Like any young half, we don’t expect him to get it right the whole time,” Foran said.“One thing I keep saying to Joey is go out and play. He’s got that ability to play eyes-up footy and back himself. He’s got raw confidence and ability, and I don’t want to take that away from him.“He’ll bring a point of difference, and he’s such a great kid. He’s ready.”Manly will welcome back Reuben Garrick and Kobe Hetherington (concussions) for next Sunday’s clash with Parramatta, but could lose Haumole Olakau’atu, Tolu Koula and Tom Trboevic to NSW for the State of Origin series decider.From our partners