Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Tucker]

Bula's my favourite player at the club right now. He might have areas he can work on- but he has shown consistent growth, over the 2 years of 1st grade.

I think, all said & done- he's the best talent the club has.

Yes thats probably correct. Is fullback his best position? Hope to see his ball playing develop for next year.

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

He doesn't turn 18 until July, so he wouldn't be eligible until later in the season. It would depend how the team is going and more specifically how the outside backs are performing.

can the club get approval to play him before he turns 18 ?

 

[BirchgroveTigers]

Bula least of my concerns. About as good already IMO as say Will Kennedy and sharks are 4th. Can defs improve but is a great player for us.

 

[WestsTigers4VR]

Yes thats probably correct. Is fullback his best position? Hope to see his ball playing develop for next year.

I reckon his best position is fullback but wouldn’t be upset to see him at centre.

The problem is he’s played less than 50 games, more specifically 39. It takes time to develop as a fullback and I think people confuse Bula as a “game breaker.” I see him more as a Dylan Edwards. He is consistent and a workhorse who eventually has his moments.

Now I’m not saying his is currently an Edward calibre player but was Dylan the player he was when he was 22? People are very quick to forget how great Bula was in 2023 and it’s very tough as a rookie to put those type of seasons back to back. I think he has been far more consistent this year than last.

If you don’t confuse Jahream as a game breaker but rather a “Edwards-type player” you’ll find that he is actually a quality fullback.

What you must also take into account is our horrendous defence. Jahream has had to make the most tackles of any fullback I believe. The comparison I’ll use is Scott Drinkwater who has played the same amount as Bula (21games). Jahream Bula has had to make 175 attempted tackles or 8 tackles per game compared to Drinkwaters 134 attempted or 6. I’ll also use Tedesco who’s currently played 18 games, in which he has a total of 103 attempted tackles or 5 per game.

When you are constantly having to cover line breaks and missed tackles your job is gonna become a lot harder. It was against the Rabbitohs that he had to make 15 tackles. I ask how often do you see a fullback having to make that many tackles? I’m not saying Jahream is the perfect player but he is one of, if not the, best player in our squad and is pretty much our only strike in the backline.

 

[bbobb]

The potential signing of Jack Bird is interesting. Obviously age and injury affected but I do think he could be the 13 we need. Big body, good defensively, runs hard and can ball play. I think our halves like to play a little further away from the ruck and use space. With Luai coming, he has had the benefit of Yeo. If Bird’s body can hold up it may a very smart signing.
FWIW Douiehi has the tools but maybe not the defensive resolve. I still think he would do better in the middle. Yes, there is more defence but less decisions to be made.

 

[Robbie's Love Child]

Anyone heard Royce Hunt signing with WT 650k per year for 3 years! Good player but way overs. Could easily get Hopgood for that price or stretch to NAS! Erin Clark and Jazz Tevaga for half the price would do better

I like it, Hunt is a metre eating mongrel. Tevaga is cooked and gives away too many penalties, he is too small as well.

 

[mikey]

The potential signing of Jack Bird is interesting. Obviously age and injury affected but I do think he could be the 13 we need. Big body, good defensively, runs hard and can ball play. I think our halves like to play a little further away from the ruck and use space. With Luai coming, he has had the benefit of Yeo. If Bird’s body can hold up it may a very smart signing.
FWIW Douiehi has the tools but maybe not the defensive resolve. I still think he would do better in the middle. Yes, there is more defence but less decisions to be made.

Can be good on his day but as others have said age is catching up with him. 2 years on a cheaper contract at best.

 

[weststigerman]

Just saw it in a WT group on Facebook from an anonymous poster! Take it with a grain of salt unfortunately.

Why would anyone pay a player who averages less than 30 mins a game 650k a season?

 

[mtd#2]

Its true in his case because he has been running our attack and the results have been balls.
All of our outside backs have been poor this year. Now I put it to you, is it more plausable that the problem is with all of them or is there something about how he interacts with them that isnt working?

Something with all of them. We had no consistency in those positions this year.

 

[Kaito]

Another signing announcement today I'd say
With captains run at Campbelltown tomorrow

 

[Tucker]

Something with all of them. We had no consistency in those positions this year.

So it’s everyone else’s fault?
All these outside backs with far more experience?
That’s very convenient.

 

[Nonotmeagain]

Apparently Galvin should be playing in the centres so Sezer can stay in the halves hahahahahaha

It's really moot to worry about where Galvin will be playing or his best position as he will find those out in his next team.

 

[the enforcer.]

Can be good on his day but as others have said age is catching up with him. 2 years on a cheaper contract at best.

Has a bit of a Justin Olam feel about this. Was at his best a few years ago. No.

 

[Nonotmeagain]

They are our 2 potential diamonds.
Makasini with size, athleticism, class and power, Large with blistering speed to go with his class and balanced ball running.
We cannot recruit players like this, so our only hope is to first hope they commit to playing for Wests Tigers and secondly hope they progress and fulfill their enormous potential.

There's more chance of me winning the lottery than there is of either of those players having long careers at the club. They'll be gone long before.

 

[Spacecub]

But Holmes’ old Sharks teammate, Jack Bird, has spoken to Benji Marshall about a possible shift to the Tigers having been granted permission to test the market despite having a year left on his Dragons deal

Oh please No

 

[AdelaideTiger]

I like it, Hunt is a metre eating mongrel. Tevaga is cooked and gives away too many penalties, he is too small as well.

Yeah think Hunt would be a good pick up, money seems a bit heavy but good props are a bit of a premium at the moment. Think he would be able to take over Stefs role very effectively.

 

[426Tlgerland]

Another signing announcement today I'd say
With captains run at Campbelltown tomorrow

I hope it’s Pole extended and upgraded for 3 years would be nice , we need to keep him as he is a player who puts in .
then next week after our win this weekend we announce another player joining the club as good or better than Jeral , and hoping it’s the Stef prop replacement

 

[AdelaideTiger]

But Holmes’ old Sharks teammate, Jack Bird, has spoken to Benji Marshall about a possible shift to the Tigers having been granted permission to test the market despite having a year left on his Dragons deal

Yeah JB is a no for me, think his best position is 2RW at the moment, but too injury prone to be a reliable option there.

 

[Eternal Tiger]

Gutherson is definitely on the downhill of his career and I cant stand him. But his competitiveness at Training and during a game is exactly what we need. Not sure Parra would release him.

 

[jrtiger]

Gutherson is definitely on the downhill of his career and I cant stand him. But his competitiveness at Training and during a game is exactly what we need. Not sure Parra would release him.

Ryles seems reluctant to release any of the core nucleus at Parra, Moses, Brown, Paulo, Penisini and Gutherson. all this chat about Gutho leaving I feel holds no weight.