Jacko Brookman: Roosters enforcer a big softy when it comes to his boy

For Jacko Brookman, camping with his two-year-old son, Braydon, was a chance to share the first of what he envisages will be many more such experiences.

It was also a chance to revisit his own childhood, imparting on his son the lessons he had learned from his late father, Tony, when his dad took him camping and fishing as a boy while growing up in Warwick.

"Trying to teach him the ways," Brookman said of Braydon.

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"He loved it. He's a natural," Brookman also said, adding that he is "going to make sure" he takes him fishing and camping "every chance" he gets.

On Sunday morning, Brookman and Braydon left the dam and headed back to Tamworth, where they live, before travelling to Kootingal for the Roosters' clash against Boggabri that afternoon.

As a 193cm and 115kg prop with a hunger to elevate his game, the 29-year-old was a key pickup for the Roosters in the off-season.

He had previously played for Gunnedah, where he transformed himself into a first-grader after transforming his body through dramatic weight loss (he was 170kg at his heaviest).

Brookman, a shot-firer at the Maules Creek mine, moved from Gunnedah to Tamworth in July last year.

"Just a bit of a change," he said of the move. "Me and the partner broke up, so I moved over to Tamworth - get out of Gunnedah for a bit."

Because of work, Brookman plays every second week for Kooty. But he said he was having one of his best seasons, and was "loving" his Roosters experience.

"Feeling good," he also said. "Put on a few more kilos this year ... I felt like when I was at my lightest, I was getting bashed around a bit."

The second-placed Roosters have won four straight and travel to sixth-placed Narrabri on Sunday. Brookman will miss the match because of work.

Kootingal-Moonbi coach Geoff Sharpe said Brookman was "a huge pickup for our club".

"He has a great desire to be a great player," Sharpe said, adding that he has "probably matured as a front-rower".

He was "leading the way forward", giving No 9 Kurt Hartmann and No 7 Sam Taylor "a great platform to work off", Sharpe said.

In the 28-16 win over Boggabri on Sunday, Brookman's hitups were eye-catching. Having Braydon in the crowd only intensified his desire to eat metres.

"He's my biggest fan and my best mate," Brookman said.

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