happy_tiger
Well-known member
Sharks in 2027
Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion
- Thread starter MacDougall
- Start date
Douehi will be starting 7. Latu will be recovering from surgery at the beginning of the season
We played our best footy this year with Adam at halfback. He gets first crack for mine with Latu out. Latu plays 14 until he gets his opportunity
I reckon Jock is exactly what we need. He isn’t a kid now, he has spent the best part of 24 months learning under the tutelage of one of the best halves in the game.
Re: Bula, whilst he isn’t the best fullback in the game right now he is still an extremely talented player and the best fullback we have had at this club since Tedesco.
After watching Walsh’s performance over the last couple of months and the gf I’m left thinking is Bula ever going to get to that same level? Walsh is possibly the 2nd best fullback the Broncos have ever had. But since Darius Boyd retired the Broncos had played Issako, Niu, Martin prior to Walsh joining in 23.
The questions I ask; Is Bula in the same class as Walsh? I don’t think so unfortunately.
Is he a better fullback than Issako, Niu and Martin? Most definitely, resigning him would be ensuring we have consistency there.
After watching Walsh’s performance over the last couple of months and the gf I’m left thinking is Bula ever going to get to that same level? Walsh is possibly the 2nd best fullback the Broncos have ever had. But since Darius Boyd retired the Broncos had played Issako, Niu, Martin prior to Walsh joining in 23.
The questions I ask; Is Bula in the same class as Walsh? I don’t think so unfortunately.
Is he a better fullback than Issako, Niu and Martin? Most definitely, resigning him would be ensuring we have consistency there.
Every player has a value and to go from the bottom to the top of the NRL it is vital to ensure the players being paid big money are providing value for money.
Depending on whether we can potentially re-sign Bula for 800k, 900k or 1 million you still need to stop and think will he provide value for that contract value ?
We can’t just simply pay whatever as he is a nice guy and we don’t have anyone as good or better within our own ranks at the moment.
Sure. But who with the available 900k or even 1mil could we sign to replace Bula?
Tiger_Yoshi
Well-known member
Jack Bird<> Nathan Brown swap deal?....WTF....one has been for another...don't do it Richo
426Tlgerland
Well-known member
Latu needs to earn his spot , AD to start season with Latu injury but Latu still for me has shown very little to be the half in nrl level team , he needs to earn it and by earn it I mean play great football in reserve grade and bring it to nrl level team, for me I’m still not sold yet
StarswithStripes
Well-known member
It’s like swapping like for like but I can see us getting more out of Brown than Bird. Not a big needle mover but I think Brown shows more aggression.
426Tlgerland
Well-known member
Brown was good for manly and plays a roll we don’t have anyone doing , Pole should be but isn’t , Bird become a passenger in our top 20 players so a swap is well and truly best for us , brown off the bench does add some punch and he can play Lock , back row , prop , it’s not a bad deal
Tony Taco
Well-known member
Agree, he adds some mongrel to the pack and even though hes toward the end can still bend the line and offload. One more headache for the opposing defence and might spark big Royce to up his game. Win.
88
Well-known member
We were light on 2nd row last year and Bird as cover made sense, but we have added a fair bit to our 2nd row stocks. A middle in a swap does offer us more in 2026. Bird’s other coverage of centre is handled by Douehi.
Bus 2 Terrigal
Well-known member
Nobody will ever get to that level.
Nobody has before and I doubt I will ever see a grand final performance like that again.
Bula is a running, leaping fullback. He doesn’t have the natural playmaking abilities of a Reece Walsh. And then there’s the heightened level of mongrel, drive-to-succeed, fire in the belly of the Bronco’s fullback.
Tom Shines
Well-known member
What about Heath Mason ?
HowDugWT
Well-known member
I like the idea of buying one more middle similar level to brown (ideally better) and allowing for a competition for a bench spot.
Out of Hunt, Brown and Seyfarth I don't think any of them have a spot in first grade. Allowing for competition for spots could improve one of them greatly (ideally).
Enmore_Tiger
Well-known member
You'd think Richo has been working on different solutions to the Bird problem and has had to settle for the Brown option, which marginally improves the squad.
clontarfkid
Well-known member
Bird wasnt big enuff for a 2nd rower,and too slow at centre
Neither here nor there
Brown may be close to cooked,but at least he gives pack some sting
The biggest thing having aging players on the bench allows is for young players to push through and claim thier spot . Guys like Kit , and the prop we signed from the raiders along with really young players Like Tapau Moors or any other jersey flegg prop, can now push through in the hope they can supplant one of those 3 .
That’s really , really a big call to make when you’ve got 28/29 year olds riding the pine on 300-400k , and not performing. As a business the lack of value in that model is there for all to see . Which unfortunately has been how we’ve conducted business for the longest time .
The real levelling up needs to come from guys 21-23 years old . They need to push through next year. The more pressure on those bench roles should lead to a performance lift.
Rising tides lifts all ships .
Tito Santana
Well-known member
Hunt and Brown are both better than Seyfarth.
Brown especially brings aggression and a hardened edge.
Take Brown over Bird easily especially if it costs next to nothing.
