I actually like the Bruiser as is. He's not really a damage dealer... rather he's the pet who peels enemies off when they rush into melee range with YOU. I like him sticking close. He can really take a beating. The enforcers and thugs and arsonist do MORE than enough damage. I like the bruiser as more of a bodyguard.
On the subject of speed, yes, thugs ARE slow. Especially compared to ninja. Seriously, build a ninja MM and then a thug MM and compare the run speeds. Thugs definitely need a speed buff.
What I'd like to see as far as improvements is a way to forbid your base thugs from running into melee (PLEASE) and a formation control similar to the DAoC bone dancer... so you can order your pets to form up in a circle around you.
