He played at representative level for England, and at club level for Outwood Church ARLFC, Kippax ARLFC, and Hunslet, as a forward.

[2] Brookes played as a forward in Hunslet's 14-0 victory over Hull F.C.

in the 1907–08 Challenge Cup Final during the 1907–08 season at Fartown Ground, Huddersfield on Saturday 25 April 1908, in front of a crowd of 18,000.

Brookes played as a forward in Hunslet's 13-3 victory over Halifax in the 1905–06 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1905–06 season at Park Avenue, Bradford on Saturday 2 December 1905, and played as a forward in the 17-0 victory over Halifax in the 1907–08 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1907–08 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 21 December 1907.

Brookes was a member of Hunslet's 1907–08 season All Four Cups winning team, the forwards were known as "The Terrible Six": Brookes, Tom Walsh, Harry Wilson, Jack Randall, Bill Jukes and John Willie Higson.