Westoz
Active member
Why would dolphins replace hammer with anyone else?
Sea eagles as well Hopoate is a gun
Jahream Bula #269
- Thread starter tigersfan
- Start date
Sea eagles as well Hopoate is a gun
jrtiger
Well-known member
he's better than both of them.
Dogs ahead of Connor Tracey who would be on a contract that is only a fraction of 900k, no chance.
Warriors have 3 better in CNK, Tuapiki and RTS.
Dolphins moving Hammer for Bula, not in this lifetime.
Sea Eagles have Levi Hopoate who is younger and already a much more dangerous and complete player, so Bula would be their 3rd choice at best.
Sharks would be a possibility, but no chance they would see 900k of value in him.
Why would the Dragons move Gutherson from fullback, he creates most of their tries.
If they don’t want Sloan at fullback, there is no chance they are paying Bula 900k.
Ponga is in a different class to Bula and Fletcher Sharpe is their ready made replacement if Ponga departs,
Westoz
Active member
jrtiger
Well-known member
Tracey's nowhere near the same player as Bula
2/3 of the Warriors options you suggest are geriatrics that will likely have retired by 2028, the other is a squad player
Bula's a Moses client which means he takes precedence at Manly over others
Sharks are looking for a fullback, they'll offer the cash
Gutherson is 12 months way from the nursing home
Sharpe has been earmarked as Newcastle's long-term 7
next question.
What does Bula do that Tracey doesn’t ?
What does he do that Turuva can’t do ?
No chance Manly would even contemplate Bula ahead of Hopoate.
The Sharks can sign better more dangerous fullbacks at a cheaper price such as Faalogo. I’m sure if someone asked Craig Fitzgibbon if he wants Bula at 900k he would laugh,
Sharpe will play in his natural position of fullback should Ponga depart, mark my words. You can’t seriously even contemplate that Bula is in the same class as Fletcher Sharpe.
Westoz
Active member
You’re overrating Bula quite a bit all he’s done so far is win us spoons…
He’s made a little bit of improvement this season in the fact he is now breaking more tackles and is at least looking to use his speed and height as an aerial threat.
However he very rarely breaks the first tackle or looks like any threat of making a line break on kick returns and is generally lost and has no idea how to inject himself into the backline when we are in our red zone or good attacking position.
He is very hesitant to take the ball as our 1st receiver in times of need and his lack of confidence to kick the ball makes him and us very one dimensional.
If he can get paid 900k per season, he’s won Lotto without buying a ticket, but it won’t allow us the cap space to recruit a genuine superstar into our team line up.
jrtiger
Well-known member
has a higher ceiling.
many things. do you watch games?
might be wrong, might not be. Seibold's pissed the entire playing group off trying to fit Lodge (Moses client) into the 30.
with the cap going up $900k isn't what it used to be. they'll be in the mix.
sure, let's see. Sharpe's a phenomenal talent, wherever he plays. I'm just telling you his club's plans for him.
Mighty_Tiger
Well-known member
Let’s see what happens I think you will be surprised especially for 27 onwards - he will be 25 that season.
Ordinary Fullbacks in the NRL are getting $700k this season already. In 2yrs with cap increases, new teams and potential reduced squads = prices will continue to increase.
You’re very biased towards Bula.
Not biased at all, he’s just an average player and too many of our fans think he’s a superstar.
You only pay superstars 900k and those types of players should be coming up with special plays to help their team win games on a regular basis.
What special plays does Bula possess except a bit of pace, being safe under the high ball and a bit of an aerial threat,
For 700k I’d keep him, he’s not worth a cent more than that.
Bigscreentv
Well-known member
Bula has immense potential and hasn't gotten near it. Still a solid player, but not worth 900k in my opinion. If we keep going on upward trajectory and he keeps improving, then possibly.
Correct, no regard for our club. We should return the favour…
There is always the tendency to overrate our players. Dylan Edwards is on 850k. No way Bula is worth 800k.
Foxsports did not rank Bula in the top 10 in the NRL for 2025. Fullback 11-15 in the NRL average $533,720. Even if you can find a way to get him into the Top 10, fullbacks 7-10 average $726,665, he would be 9th-10th at best so $700k max.
www.foxsports.com.au
10. Clint Gutherson
9. Scott Drinkwater
8. Latrell Mitchell
7. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
6. Ryan Papenhuyzen
5. Reece Walsh
4. Tom Trbojevic
3. Kalyn Ponga
2. James Tedesco
1. Dylan Edwards
Foxsports did not rank Bula in the top 10 in the NRL for 2025. Fullback 11-15 in the NRL average $533,720. Even if you can find a way to get him into the Top 10, fullbacks 7-10 average $726,665, he would be 9th-10th at best so $700k max.
The resurgence facing Latrell as Reece hunts down champions: Top 10 NRL fullbacks
The resurgence facing Latrell as Reece hunts down champions: Top 10 NRL fullbacks
www.foxsports.com.au
10. Clint Gutherson
9. Scott Drinkwater
8. Latrell Mitchell
7. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
6. Ryan Papenhuyzen
5. Reece Walsh
4. Tom Trbojevic
3. Kalyn Ponga
2. James Tedesco
1. Dylan Edwards
I think Bula has been great for us this year and imo has been our best player behind May. I would be comfortable paying $900k for him for one year since: 1. the cap is going to go up and with two new teams coming in, so will contract values, and 2. I think we need some stability in the spine for the next few years while we have Api here, and letting Bula go means that we wont.
I'm not sure about beyond that though. I guess it depends on how he develops over the next year or so. I think the biggest thing he needs to work on is his support play. Hammer is averaging 1.1 tries per game this year, yet he actually has fewer line breaks than Bula does. So all of his tries come off the back of being there in support. And it isn't just this year. Hammer has averaged close to a try per game for the last few.
With May's offloads, Latu's ability to create space and poke through the line, as well as having Api around the ruck, I want to see Bula really improve in that department. His best game for us is still his game against the Cowboys last year at Leichhardt where he did that stuff really well.
Sidenote, but I don't think he will ever be a great ball player. I hope he improves to the point where he is dangerous, but he will never be Latrell or Drinkwater, and I think that's fine. We should have enough cooks in the kitchen with Luai, Latu and Api.
I'm not sure about beyond that though. I guess it depends on how he develops over the next year or so. I think the biggest thing he needs to work on is his support play. Hammer is averaging 1.1 tries per game this year, yet he actually has fewer line breaks than Bula does. So all of his tries come off the back of being there in support. And it isn't just this year. Hammer has averaged close to a try per game for the last few.
With May's offloads, Latu's ability to create space and poke through the line, as well as having Api around the ruck, I want to see Bula really improve in that department. His best game for us is still his game against the Cowboys last year at Leichhardt where he did that stuff really well.
Sidenote, but I don't think he will ever be a great ball player. I hope he improves to the point where he is dangerous, but he will never be Latrell or Drinkwater, and I think that's fine. We should have enough cooks in the kitchen with Luai, Latu and Api.
Alex Seyfarth's #1 Fan
Well-known member
Bula could be worth $900K in 2027 who knows. The figure is based on a projection of where the club thought he would be at at that point in time. There are 32 games between now and then, it's a lot of time. Metcalf was a nobody 32 games ago and now could easily command that sort of money.
hybrid_tiger
Well-known member
While I agree with your first point, I believe Bula is underrated. He didn't start playing league until late and only debuted in 2023. He's 23 years old and I believe he'll be worth 900K easily in a couple of years - remember, the cap is going up and so will player values.
What Dylan Edwards gets paid is actually irrelevant - Bula is worth more to our side and we have the cap space.
So we just pay whatever he and his manager ask for and hope he improves enough becomes a genuine superstar one day ?
Snidest 0
Well-known member
There is always the tendency to overrate our players. Dylan Edwards is on 850k. No way Bula is worth 800k.
Foxsports did not rank Bula in the top 10 in the NRL for 2025. Fullback 11-15 in the NRL average $533,720. Even if you can find a way to get him into the Top 10, fullbacks 7-10 average $726,665, he would be 9th-10th at best so $700k max.
The resurgence facing Latrell as Reece hunts down champions: Top 10 NRL fullbacks
The resurgence facing Latrell as Reece hunts down champions: Top 10 NRL fullbacks
10. Clint Gutherson
9. Scott Drinkwater
8. Latrell Mitchell
7. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
6. Ryan Papenhuyzen
5. Reece Walsh
4. Tom Trbojevic
3. Kalyn Ponga
2. James Tedesco
1. Dylan Edwards
If anyone seriously rates those in italics above Bula on the basis of consistent form - you clearly don't watch full games or understand football!
