Brooks arrived in the same window as Bryden, joining on a two-year-deal from Queen of the South.
He showed glimpses of his talent last season, playing alongside Bryden up top, or off the wing in a front three alongside the big striker and the pacy Elliot Dunlop.
The 22-year-old contributed eight goals but his form dipped after Christmas just like many of those in black and red as they battled relegation.
With Bryden gone and no direct replacement signed, Brooks was tasked with playing through the middle and providing the focal point the Crues desperately needed.
He was quiet against Cliftonville in the opening day defeat, failed to score in their win against Ballymena last weekend, before bursting into life against the Ports at Seaview.
Brooks showed a real striker’s instinct to poke home the opener from Kurtis Forsythe’s cross on 11 minutes.
He then drifted between two defenders to latch onto the impressive Owen Wardell’s delivery and guide the ball beyond Aaron McCarey on 32 minutes.
The young striker completed his hat-trick, the first scored in the Irish Premiership this season, early in the second half, showing great composure to round McCarey and slot home after capitalising on a slack back pass from Jack Scott.
Those goals will no doubt give Brooks confidence and Caddell will hope the young striker can, like Bryden and Offord before him, show that ruthless streak on a more consistent basis.
“Adam’s first two goal were typical of him, he’s a predator in the box,” said Crusaders boss Declan Caddell.
“We maybe didn’t see the best of him last year as I used him out left when we didn’t get the best out of him, but we have seen that in pre-season and the first three games.
“He was exceptional today and his hat-trick was well-deserved. I told him he keeps making those moves the goals will come. Thankfully he got three today and could have had more, but I’m delighted for him.”
It was a big win for the Crues, who were cruising but then, as they did on so many occasions last season, conceded sloppy goals to allow the Ports a route back into the game.
They defended resolutely after Eamon Fyfe netted a second for the Ports as they made it back-to-back home wins, staying true to Caddell’s words that they will look to make Seaview a fortress this year after suffering too many home losses last campaign.
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