The Blacks No.8 has been named in the Country NSW team along with halfback Jono O’Toole and couldn’t be happier that he took up former Currie teammate Chris Logan’s suggestion he should come to Maitland after his Scottish Rugby Union commitments were finished.

“I couldn’t have been made to feel more welcome. There is not a single person at the club I’ve met that I don’t like,” he said.

“Chris and I were teammates at Currie in Scotland and he said to come over to Maitland if I wanted a change of scenery.

“I’m so glad I made the move. The football is a good quality and the people are fantastic.”

Brooke turned down the initial invitation to train with the Country NSW Cockatoos feeling he needed time to settle into his new club, but with Maitland’s blessing took up a second offer to trial after a squad member was injured.

To say he has settled in well is an understatement. He scored the Blacks two tries in his round one debut in Maitland’s narrow 20-22 loss to Southern Beaches. 

He followed it up with the Blacks’ sole try in the 14-all draw with Hamilton and crossed again in Maitland’s 46-29 win against Merewether Carlton and continued with another try in round four’s loss to The Waratahs.

“I wanted to make the move, but thought it might be a drop in standard from the Auckland competition where I was playing,” he said.

“I was pleasantly surprised with the qualify of the rugby. It is perhaps not equal but not far off Auckland, which is the strongest domestic competition in New Zealand.

“I can tell you they hit hard, I have never felt so sore after a game than I did after we played Hamilton.” 

Brooke said he was excited about Maitland’s prospects of success in 2017. 

“All the guys who have come in such as myself Sap (Peniata), Junior (Poloai) and James Robinson have been made so welcome and it has been so easy to fit in,” he said.

“The coaches have been terrific, they have structured a game plan around the skills each player brings to the team and allowed us to play.

“It’s a great brand of footy to play, free-flowing and attacking, with quick line-speed in defence. I think the fans are loving the way we play.”

Brooke and O’Toole are in the Blacks XV which travels to take on Nelson Bay on Saturday, but miss the June 3 fixture against University. 

Maitland Blacks fly-half Rhys Clacherty will be joined by his brother in the Maitland Blacks starting XV on Saturday against Nelson Bay.

Dale Clacherty makes his starting debut in the centres.

The fourth-placed Blacks have named a strong line up for the away match.

Maitland Blacks XV: 1: James Curran, 2. Rhys Watson, 3. James Robinson, 4. Klass Hoogland, 5. Theo Risley, 6. Sapati Penatia, 7. Nic Davidson, 8. Travis Brooke, 9. Jono O’Toole, 10. Rhys Clacherty. 11. Chris Martin, 12. Dale Clacherty, 13. Junior Poloai, 14. Jono Maloney, 15. Chris Logan.