Jahream Bula #269

[Odessa]

I was against even looking for an alternative fullback, but since we have signed Turuva I can't help but think that Bula looks like a great centre.

He hasn't got that rhythm and timing it takes for a top fullback to create space. That being said, Edwards didn't either at the start of his career. So I'm torn. Do we persevere with Bula, or do we play the higher energy Turuva at 1.

IMO it is one of the biggest decisions Benji has and he has to get it right.

Edwards was horrible at the beginning and couldn't pass to save his life so one dimensional

 

[king_sirro]

Edwards was horrible at the beginning and couldn't pass to save his life so one dimensional

Yea he was. That's why I'm torn. If Bula can get the right coaching he could be anything. However I feel Turuva is the more ready made 1.

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

Dont be torn. Its not worth it. They be getting paid handsomely to be torn... its because of people like yourself we won today....

 

[Odessa]

Yea he was. That's why I'm torn. If Bula can get the right coaching he could be anything. However I feel Turuva is the more ready made 1.

I wonder if could spend some money on Billy Slater coming in Once a month for a day to help all the fullbacks in the club

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

I wonder if could spend some money on Billy Slater coming in Once a month for a day to help all the fullbacks in the club

Like Inglis

 

[tigerballs]

Yea he was. That's why I'm torn. If Bula can get the right coaching he could be anything. However I feel Turuva is the more ready made 1.

I can't believe anyone is doubting Bula. Defensively he is superb. It's not like he has Crighton or Staggs running off him in attack. He's top shelf.

 

[king_sirro]

I wonder if could spend some money on Billy Slater coming in Once a month for a day to help all the fullbacks in the club

I actually think Billy would do that. He loves Bula, he likes the tigers and he loves improving young fullbacks.

We at least have to enquire

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

Superb... still suspicious under high ball... lets see next week. Canberra can kick a ball or 2

 

[The Chad]

I don't understand why people don't gush about this kid.

For mine- he's a superior player to the other youngster at the club stealing the headlines currently.

He's one of the safest defensive fullbacks in the NRL.

 

[Red88_Tiger]

I don't understand why people don't gush about this kid.

For mine- he's a superior player to the other youngster at the club stealing the headlines currently.

He's one of the safest defensive fullbacks in the NRL.

I think some of it is he got an upgraded contract so expectations raise.
He does need to work on his attack as does the whole team and being now regarded as a better player in the spine gets looked apon more
Put some wins on the board and a lot of the criticism will disappear

 

[pawsandclaws1]

I can't believe anyone is doubting Bula. Defensively he is superb. It's not like he has Crighton or Staggs running off him in attack. He's top shelf.

I agree. Bring in Luai and Turuva (centre) and they immediately take the heat of Bula in attack. If Matamua can get his act together there is a further point of attack. Some of his team mates like Naden really need to step it up to help the young guy out.

 

[TYGA]

Bula is fine he’s a product of teams rolling over us and zero kick pressure. limited room on kick returns. Zero quick ball and quality ball from halves. We do the basics poorly kick chase, kick pressure, win the ruck, line speed, run hard, tackle hard.

 

[Fainu Brothers]

The Dream is a weapon, another pre season in the legs and playing with Jarome he will become elite. His positional play at fullback is exceptional, saves so many tries. Remember when Laurie was there as soon as there was a break, try time 9/10. Love the Dream

 

[Todd Packer]

I don't understand why people don't gush about this kid.

For mine- he's a superior player to the other youngster at the club stealing the headlines currently.

He's one of the safest defensive fullbacks in the NRL.

Safe defensively doesn't cut it for a fullback. (He's been shaky in that area lately)
If a fullback isn't posing a constant threat in attack he isn't pulling his weight.
Bula just isn't involved in the game enough.
Galvin is by a country mile the best youngster in the team, regardless of his perceived character flaws

 

[AdelaideTiger]

I can't believe anyone is doubting Bula. Defensively he is superb. It's not like he has Crighton or Staggs running off him in attack. He's top shelf.

Completely agree, he is never given any space to operate and has no game breakers outside to help with spacing either, what are we expecting from the kid?

 

[Buttface]

Bula is fine he’s a product of teams rolling over us and zero kick pressure. limited room on kick returns. Zero quick ball and quality ball from halves. We do the basics poorly kick chase, kick pressure, win the ruck, line speed, run hard, tackle hard.

When we start doing the things that take no talent well, players who have the talent will shine.

 

[yeti]

His effort has been better the last couple of weeks. I think he is a good footballer who will get better. (Second year syndrome and all that).

 

[hank37w]

I can't believe anyone is doubting Bula. Defensively he is superb. It's not like he has Crighton or Staggs running off him in attack. He's top shelf.

But I would argue that his defence was incredible in his debut year, way beyond anyone's expectations for a rookie, this season it has been a bit off.

His backing up is generally pretty poor and fails to turn up in attacking positions that you would see other full backs take full advantage of and to top it off he has also been pretty shaky under the high ball on numerous occasions this season.

Not sure what your definition or expectations of top shelf are but in my eyes a long way off top shelf in all departments.

I have no doubts that given time he can be a very good full back if they persevere with him there, but currently he does not come into contention as one of the top full backs in the NRL, in fact there are a number of teams who have been running out replacements that have put in performances that have been much better than anything that Jaream has shown this season.

 

[jirskyr]

I can't believe anyone is doubting Bula. Defensively he is superb. It's not like he has Crighton or Staggs running off him in attack. He's top shelf.

Yeah I was going to say that even if his attack isn't particularly firing right now, he's very sound positionally and in defence.

The problem with attack is just like when we had Tedecso - if there is nil other threat and your halves are just shovelling off, the opposition knows what is coming and good defences will cope. Especially as Tigers generally fail to straighten the play and there is almost now backrow threat either except the emergence of Samuela Fainu.

Secondly we have almost no attacking offloads this year, and by this I mean an offload after poking through the line, as opposed to an offload where they dump backwards in traffic. I am going to guess that Benji has instructed the team to be very safe with the ball, because we are a low error side but we also don't take many risks down the middle. In this case there aren't a large number of opportunities to steam onto the ball, but also I would say this might be the weakest part of Bula's game right now, the ambition to push up on every half chance.

I think ultimately part of the problem with Bula, on the surface, is even when he's trying he looks so effortless, which then becomes mistaken over time as non-involvement or no enthusiasm.

 

[jirskyr]

His backing up is generally pretty poor and fails to turn up in attacking positions that you would see other full backs take full advantage of and to top it off he has also been pretty shaky under the high ball on numerous occasions this season.

You know you say that and most people, including me, would generally nod their heads, but actually Bula is #6 in the league for support plays and #1 of fullbacks.

I really do give strong consideration how much of it is Bula himself not "turning up in attacking positions" versus the Tigers' general inability, as one of the lowest scoring teams in the comp, to create space and dismantle the defence to enable the fullback to perform a more effective role.

I'll repeat the point I made earlier, that even with Tedesco who was probably the top fullback in the world for 5-6 years before Edwards, Tigers got to the point where we were just shovelling him the ball sideways and hoping he'd do something magic, and the opposition figured it out. There were a lack of other attacking options (e.g. Rowdy moving to backrow, Ellis leaving, Dwyer getting injured, Blair not working out) and defences could just hold off and swarm Tedesco when he got it. Tedesco then started to get flustered, put in dicey passes and bad kicks, then he went to Roosters and it was a world apart playing with Cronk, Cordner, Latrell and Manu.