Luke Brooks is MOBBED in the sheds while club CEO goes berserk in a Darwin pub after Wests win

You would think it was 2005 all over again. Wests Tigers fans, players and even their holidaying CEO have all celebrated like they won another NRL grand final following the Easter Monday ambush victory over the Parramatta Eels.

The battle of the west was an epic and the previously winless Tigers came into the match under the weight of an avalanche of criticism.

The player that copped it the most was half Luke Brooks, who was moved into the No.6 jersey for the clash in a move that Andrew Johns described as ‘a demotion’.

Someone forgot to tell Brooks, as he put on one of the best performances of his career to help bury the Eels, who were unbackable favourites to win. 

‘I guess it just shows that when we’re at our best, we can match it with anyone,’ Brooks said after the contest.

Brooks has worn the most criticism for his club’s performance and he received a hero’s welcome from his teammates when he returned to the dressing room

Then, as he entered the sheds, he was mobbed by his teammates who rallied around to show their support. 

“Luke Brooks… get off his back for a week. What a performance,” Hastings told Fox League after the game.

‘So good to see Luke Brooks smiling. Well done Tigs!’ one fan commented.

‘Love seeing this stuff, The amount of crap heaped on the tigers players and especially Brooks the past month would be demoralising and to get a win like this would lift the whole teams spirits,’ said another

‘Great stuff. Not a Brooks fan but I hope today’s game is a yardstick for him. Well done to the Wests Tigers and Madge Maguire personally must be relieved’ posted a fan on Facebook.

‘Great to see the underdogs get something to cheer about, way to much ragging of one player and I’m a Manly supporter. Good one Brooks and the Tigers,’ said yet another. 

If Brooks has been the most criticised man at Concord, Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe would be a close second.

He has been bashed from pillar to post for taking a family holiday to the Northern Territory in the midst of the club crisis, despite his pleas for mercy because Covid has wrecked previous family holiday opportunities on multiple occasions.

Wests CEO Justin Pascoe is away on a family holiday, but was spotted at an Alice Springs pub cheering his side to victory

Vision emerged of the CEO at a pub in Alice Springs watching his Tigers. He seemed to be the only person in the venue that cared about the match, but it didn’t stop him celebrating vigorously.

Fans were less appreciative of Pascoe’s efforts, though, with a host of Tweets urging him to stay away longer and take more holidays so the Tigers wins keep flowing.