Brooks steers Tigers to record win in 200th game

Luke Brooks celebrated his 200th NRL appearance by steering Wests Tigers to a record 66-18 defeat of North Queensland at Leichhardt Oval.

Watched on by family, friends and former team-mates, including Mitchell Moses and Josh Reynolds, Brooks was at his attacking best; running 213 metres with the ball and laying on two tries as Wests Tigers romped to their third win in four weeks.

The win was the first in the history of Wests Tigers or the 1908 foundation clubs who formed the joint venture in 2000, Balmain or Western Suburbs, in which they had scored 66 points.

The 48-point margin was also the heaviest defeat by a Cowboys team since North Queensland joined the premiership in 1995.

Fans in the stand and on the Wayne Pearce Hill, where they gathered to watch the scoreboard attendant change the numbers after the Tigers racked up 11 tries, chanted Brooks' name.  

"It feels good, especially after the last few weeks where we have struggled to score points," Brooks told Fox Sports. "To come out here today and score 66 points is pretty good.

"It didn't really hit me how big an achievement it was [to play 200 games] until yesterday at the captain's run when I had my family and they presented the jersey.

"It got me thinking about how lucky I have been to play 200 games, not too many people get to do that.

"We wanted to repay the crowd here at Leichhardt, our last few performances here haven't been up to scratch but they always turn up." 

The Tigers earned a standing ovation at halftime after giving the Leichhardt Oval faithful plenty to cheer almost from the outset, with hooker Api Koroisau putting prop Stefano Utoikamanu over for the opening try in just the sixth minute.

Brooks bought the fans to their feet when he broke into the clear in the next set of tackles and the star halfback then combined with five-eighth Brandon Wakeham to send winger Junior Tupou over just four minutes later.

It was all one way traffic as David Nofoaluma crossed in the 18th movement after a movement which involved seven Tigers players before the veteran winger raced away for his 98th try for the club.

The Cowboys had one tackle inside the Tigers 20-metre zone in the entire first half and it resulted in a 24th minute try to winger Kyle Feldt after an overhead pass from fullback Scott Drinkwater.

However, normal service was resumed before just before halftime when Brooks kicked ahead and rookie fullback Jahream Bula swooped on a fumble by Feldt to score his first NRL try and give the Tigers a 24-6 lead. 

Cheered from the field by their fans, the Tigers began the second half in similar fashion to the first, with Fonua Pole storming over to score in the 44th minute after Koroisau performed a run around move with Alex Twal near the Cowboys line.

Tupou then created his second try from nothing as he ran through the North Queensland defence to score four minutes later.

The Cowboys hit back when former Tiger Luciano Leilua, playing his first match of the season, leapt high to latch onto a Drinkwater kick and score in the 55th minute.

Drinkwater produced a third try assist after putting Kangaroos forward Reuben Cotter over in the 62nd minute but hopes of a comeback were quickly extinguished when Starford To'a scored the first of his two tries five minutes later.

To'a, who outplayed his higher profile opposite Valentine Holmes, crossed again just two minutes later and the Tigers surpassed the 50 points mark when Koroisau put Joe Ofahengaue over in the 70th minute. 

Nofoaluma then moved to within one try off his century when he scored in the 73rd minute and Koroisau's conversion bought up the 60-points mark for the first time in Wests Tigers history.