Perennial punching bag Luke Brooks and rookie fullback Jahream Bula inspired a brilliant and emotional first victory of the season for the Wests Tigers.
The Tigers notched their first win in 273 days when they downed two-time premiers Penrith in torrential rain in Bathurst.
It was Tim Sheens first win as an NRL head coach in a whopping 3912 days after a decade out of the competition since his initial stint at the Tigers.
Club officials would have been required to stick the words to the team song on the walls inside the dressing sheds at Bathurst’s Carrington Park given players like skipper Api Koroisau – who wanted this win more than any other Tiger – was yet to experience a victory at the joint venture.
The upset of the season was on the cards from the opening set when Brooks launched a 40/20, before his kick a few sets later paved the way for Brandon Wakeham to score the opening try.
Brooks then booted another 40/20 in the second half, which led to David Nofoaluma’s 100th career try.
Luke Brooks tries to make a break at Bathurst.Credit: Getty
Few clubs get ridiculed and dissected more than the Wests- and no Tigers player gets spoken about more than Brooks.
The playmaker on north of $1m this year has produced similar starring performances in the past. The issue with the nuggety left-footer is reproducing another five-star performance next week, and the week after that.
Brooks has had 11 years to make his mark in the NRL. He deserved to blow off some steam late on Saturday.
Bula, in just his second game in the top flight, came up with some individual brilliance that Sheens had seen at training all summer.
He threw a cut-out pass for Nofoaluma’s four-pointer, he forced a dropout in the second half, and he was rock solid under the high ball.
His crowning moment came approaching the hour when Nathan Cleary had made a break and went to dive for the tryline, only for Bula to launch himself at the halfback and force the ball free.
The Tigers were quick to congratulate him. The former basketball ace has a huge future. The way he kept his cool late in the game, and in the wet, and with Cleary sending kicks to the heavens, was outstanding.
One of the loudest roars came from the Tigers players when David Klemmer and Fonua Pole crunched Mitch Kenny to force an error on the first tackle near their line.
Junior Tupou is upended by Brian To’o,.Credit: Getty
The brave souls who braved the dreadful muddy conditions on the other side of the Blue Mountains will not forget this one in a while.
The Panthers conceded plenty of metres up the middle, and they were not helped when Matt Eisenhuth was forced from the field midway through the first half with a shoulder injury.
Penrith went into the game without James Fisher-Harris (knee) and Spencer Leniu, who was a late scratching because of a calf complaint.
Hooker Soni Luke was binned for a hip-drop tackle on Alex Twal.
The Panthers lost on the bell last week to Souths, and must now dust themselves off against the Warriors at Magic Round.
The Tigers will shoot for back-to-back win against St George Illawarra. They might know the words to the team song by then.
