Anthony Seibold says the Wests Tigers' home crowd's expected booing of Luke Brooks is "all part of the game" but backs the Manly recruit to shrug off the hostile Leichhardt Oval reception.
It has taken until round 25 for the Sea Eagles to face the 17th-placed Tigers, whom Brooks failed to lift to the finals across 11 seasons and 205 games before joining Manly this year.
The playmaker became a lightning rod for criticism during his time at the joint venture, and returns to Leichhardt on the back of a resurgent season with the sixth-placed Sea Eagles.
Tigers fans have taken few prisoners at the venue throughout 13 seasons in the bottom half of the ladder.
Former coach Ivan Cleary received "Cleary's a wanker" chants when he returned to the Tigers' spiritual home with his Penrith side for a loss during the 2021 State of Origin period.
The next September, the Tigers themselves were booed off at halftime during a loss to Canberra, the final game before they claimed their first wooden spoon as a joint venture.
Tigers utility Adam Doueihi said this week he hoped the Leichhardt Oval crowd booed his former halves partner on Thursday night, just as it did when former favourite sons Aaron Woods and James Tedesco first returned in rival colours.
Seibold shrugged at that prospect.
"Adam's a good guy and the Tigers supporters are very passionate, so they'll turn up in their numbers tomorrow night. They'll probably give 'Brooksy' a reception," Seibold said.
"They probably gave him a bit of a reception at times when he played for the club as well. But that's all part of the game, as long as it's done in the right way and in that good-natured way."
"It'll be a strange one, I'd imagine, going back to play (against) his old club.
"But it happens every single week. There's a lot more change these days from club to club with the players so it's not unusual. We haven't made it a big thing inside our building."
It could well be Brooks who has the last laugh, though.
Manly can confirm their finals berth once-and-for-all by knocking off the Tigers, who appear destined for a shootout to avoid a third consecutive wooden spoon when they host Parramatta in round 27.
Brooks has impressed as Daly Cherry-Evans' co-pilot this season, shining in the big win over the Raiders a fortnight ago, and is now on the cusp of ending the longest finals drought of any active player.
"I think he'll take (booing) in his stride," Seibold said.
"He does a lot of work on the mental side of things with regards to his preparation. But we don't need 'Brooksy' to do anything different tomorrow night.
"I feel like he's really grown in confidence. I think his performances over the last little period of time have been very, very good."
