CHECK OUT: The two reasons Luke Brooks should be thanked by Wests Tigers supporters

Luke Brooks, a Sea Eagles recruit, expressed his happiness with the Wests Tigers’ encouraging start to the season and gave a high recommendation to Lachie Galvin, the team’s replacement in the halves.

After 11 seasons at Leichhardt, Brooks left the Tigers last year, making room for teenage phenom Galvin, who has drawn attention with some standout performances this season.

Admitting that he still harbors affection for his former team, Brooks has been supporting them under Benji Marshall, their new coach, who has guided them to thrilling wins over Parramatta and Cronulla over the past two weeks.

Brooks told this masthead, “I still have a soft spot for the Tigers; I was at the team for over ten years.” “Watching them has honestly been a little strange. Whether they are players or staff, I still have a lot of friends at the club and know a lot of people there.

They’ve had a few victories, a strong young team, and some seasoned leaders after so many difficult years and starts. They’re playing with great skill.

“[Galvin] has confidence, as evidenced by his willingness to do anything during his debut game.

“He also exudes toughness. With his large frame, he can run the ball, defend, and get in there. He is a superb athlete.

“He’s in the first grade now, and coach Benji Marshall would be giving him the confidence to just go out and play.” I’ve heard him say a few times that Benji told him there weren’t any expectations and that he should just go play whatever he saw. That’s good counsel for a young child.

When Brooks tackled his best friend Mitchell Moses a week earlier, breaking his foot and missing two months of play, the Parramatta halfback unintentionally assisted his former club in defeating the Eels.

Without Moses, who would have trusted himself to kick a possible game-winning penalty goal after full time, the Eels labored on Monday. Tigers captain Clint Gutherson pushed the last kick left, and the team managed to hang on for a 17–16 victory.

For the record, NRL head of football Graham Annesley stated that Jahream Bula had not been tampered with by Eels center Morgan Harper, and the umpires had made the correct call in awarding the Eels a penalty.

“You would call it a mandatory penalty when a player touches the ball and a teammate in front of him picks it up,” Annesley explained. “The Parramatta player touched the ball and attempted to knock it backwards during the ball contest.”

Moses, who missed the previous week’s match against Manly due to a broken foot, will be sidelined for two months.

The tackle on Moses was legitimately done by Brooks, as only keen-eyed supporters would have noticed. Later on, Moses was observed limping in back play.

“I didn’t know it was me [who caused the injury], but I spoke to Mitch a few days after the game to check in on him,” Brooks remarked.

“He probably doesn’t get recognized for his toughness, but having played with him, he’s definitely one of the toughest,” the player said, “but it was a pretty significant injury and for him to finish the game.”