Hastings resurrects Tigers season with an Easter miracle

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Parramatta Eels v Wests Tigers

Jackson Hastings has nailed a 38-meter field goal to secure the Wests Tigers' opening win of season 2022 with a 21-20 victory in front of a sold-out crowd at CommBank Stadium.

It was a momentous occasion for the Eels this afternoon with the club acknowledging their 75th anniversary with a guard of honour from their hall of fame members to cheer them on. It was clear from the outset that it wouldn't be the Easter massacre that many had expected. Wests had a point to prove after a disappointing start to 2022 and with numerous reshuffles, it was clear the squad were playing with purpose and intent. It was a great effort from Luciano Leilua to get to the line, at the first time of asking, it was a good short ball from Luke Brooks to collect the opening points for the visitors and with the conversion from Brooks, the Tigers had an early lead.

Poor discipline cost the Tigers with repeated piggybacks setting up the Eels to hit back almost immediately. Mitchell Moses got himself out of acting half and placed the kick inch perfectly for Clint Gutherson who chases the kick and grounds the ball and with Moses' conversion, we were back level at 6-6. The Tigers were playing an adventurous style of attack in the opening 20 and their efforts were rewarded when Starford To'a broke through the line. Off the next tackle, Brooks threw a wonderful cut-out ball and David Nofoaluma burrowed his way into the in-goal and the Tigers got themselves back in front. Moments later, Jackson Hastings took us back to his early-career form with a lovely early kick which found Nofoaluma on the full to give the Tigers an 8 point advantage. 

However, the same poor discipline rued the Tigers and off the back of two set restarts and a standard piggyback penalty, their line finally cracked when Isaiah Papali'i crashed over from short range to cut the lead in half. Moses had an off day with the boot and the score remained 14-10 at half-time. Ten minutes into the second stanza, Jake Simpkin was close to the line, off the ensuing tackle, the Tigers shifted the ball left where Hastings and Laurie combined to send Ken Maumalo down the left flank to cross for a well-earned try. Hastings took over the goal kicking duties and he nailed it from touch to put the margin out to 10 points.

Parramatta wasn't going away, however. Dylan Brown was rewarded by taking the ball to the line and broke through some Tigers defence to link up with Reed Mahoney to cross for Parra's third try of the afternoon and with Moses conversion the margin was reduced to just four points. 15 minutes later, Mitch Moses went to the air and his bomb was batted back superbly by Bailey Simmonsson and Marata Niukore collected the loose pass and crossed for the home side. Moses wasn't able to convert the sideline conversion. The final 10 minutes was a frantic one with both sides letting potential chances to seal the game slip with ill-timed offensive mishaps. Moses sent his first shot wide left with just over a minute to play. This allowed the Tigers one shot, and Hastings nailed it from 38 meters out to give the Tigers a well-deserved opening win of season 2022.

Parramatta travels up the M1 to take on the Knights next week, while the Tigers play Souths back at CommBank next Saturday night.