After the worst start in Wests Tigers history and years of being battered by seemingly everybody, Luke Brooks has had support thrown behind him from all angles.
Breaking the team's worst losing streak with a massive field goal in the dying seconds, Jackson Hastings had plenty to say about the pressure that was on the team and what the win means.
“We finally did it and we’ll celebrate tonight. It’s one win out of six and we’ve got to get back on the horse and we’ve got a tough game next week. But we’ll certainly enjoy this and I can’t wait to give Michael Maguire a big hug," Hastings said after the clash on Fox League.
“We had a look in our eyes when we were going out to warm up and I just knew we were on, I just felt this calmness and collectiveness and Luke Brooks, get off his back for a week aye, what a performance.”
Hastings, who wore the number seven jersey as Brooks moved to five-eighth, looked at home as the teams' leader.
“When you’ve got the No. 7 on your back you either make or miss them and I was happy to die with the result win or lose and I kicked it,” he said.
“These are the games you want to play in, the big games, and as a club we need to keep pushing to play in those big games towards the end of the year."
While the move from halfback to five-eighth would not have been as positive for Brooks, he excelled on Monday night in a secondary-playmaking role.
“Tough start (to the year) but coming to the game I felt like there was a lot of pressure off me moving to the six jersey and having Jacko steer the ship,” Brooks said.
“I thought he played really well and just allowed me to play my game.
“Our attack has been pretty poor the last couple of weeks and I think Jacko coming into the side steering the ship really helped us.
“He directed the slide and that just allowed me and Daine (Laurie) to play off the back.
Much-maligned head coach Michael Maguire, who was giddy after the team's first win, shed some light on his decision to move Brooks to five-eighth.
"Brooksy, for however long, has been bashed," Maguire said at his post-match press conference.
"Everyone puts a lot of focus around the No. 7.
"I felt it was the right time for Brooksy to have some of that chatter taken away because we all know what he's capable of."
With their first win of the season, soaring morale and a very beatable South Sydney Rabbitohs next on the menu, the Tigers will look to turn one win into two this weekend.
