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Rumours (signings, sackings & other NRL stuff)

WA Tiger

First Grade
Messages
5,626
I just read on facebook (and then it refreshed and I wouldn't post it here) that if we exercise our option on Bulla, we'll be paying him $900k. This would be in line with what Papenhousen and Gutherson get paid and more than Reece Walsh.

I like Bulla as a player, but hes not worth that. I would have the young fella or Turava at Fullback and bring Makasini into the centres.

I think we are currently paying him $500k so letting him go might be a decent move.
Yes some leadership is required for those numbers .. not the cute baby smile
 
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Wizardman

Coach
Messages
10,097
It seems to be a contrct clausse thing as the main barrier to keeping Bula. If Bula continues a rate of improvement, I think 800k is the absolute limit point to keep him. If he wants 900k, its time to let him go if he is not playing elite tier footy.
 

Tiger05

Coach
Messages
10,924
It seems to be a contrct clausse thing as the main barrier to keeping Bula. If Bula continues a rate of improvement, I think 800k is the absolute limit point to keep him. If he wants 900k, its time to let him go if he is not playing elite tier footy.

I reckon keep him even at that price. @WA Tiger mentioned emotion. It has to be an unemotional decision.

In this comp with so many options for the players I think 900k which is 100k over 800k isn't a bad deal. I'm not stating it's good but we need someone better or a better squad.

I reckon Turuva is great and he could step into the role and play Makasini and May in the centres but will we keep both of them ?

Another option is recruiting but who ? I just read Manly are struggling signing Koula. He would be a decent and potentially better than Bula option but I wouldn't pay him the same money that Bula is supposedly getting and I bet we couldn't get him for anything less than that.
 

Nutz

First Grade
Messages
7,679
I reckon keep him even at that price. @WA Tiger mentioned emotion. It has to be an unemotional decision.

In this comp with so many options for the players I think 900k which is 100k over 800k isn't a bad deal. I'm not stating it's good but we need someone better or a better squad.

I reckon Turuva is great and he could step into the role and play Makasini and May in the centres but will we keep both of them ?

Another option is recruiting but who ? I just read Manly are struggling signing Koula. He would be a decent and potentially better than Bula option but I wouldn't pay him the same money that Bula is supposedly getting and I bet we couldn't get him for anything less than that.
I like comments of taking the emotions out of negotiations.
Do we know what Turuva's contract is? If Bula is commanding 100-200k more than him then that sought of puts it into perspective. I'd be putting the player who is 200k cheaper at fullback.

Koula is ahead of Bula at the moment. If you were to have him go head to head with Bula in every skillset that you can think of, Koula win imo.
Bula has heaps of potential but has flaws. The reason that his cover defense dropped off was because of his shoulder, I really believe this because he would turn his shoulder inwards prior contact. I detected something was amiss before it was announced that he was going to get it repaired, labral tear I think it was
Now that this is not an issue, he doesn't turn in so this is one area he'll definitely improve on.
Being there to bundle a winger into touch in covering D is a huge role the fullback and wingers have. He has to be there.
The other area Bula is inconsistent with is catching the high ball.
This could be a team coaching thing too, I'm unsure. However, generally he is slowly but surely taking indecision out of his game. Only experience will iron out this out completely.
I think Bula will improve but he needs a 1 more season to command big dollars.
I'm getting annoyed paying overs for potential.
I'm glad Shane didn't get Stefano because we ended up with May. Having both would be awesome.

F/B is part of the spine.
If Bula continues to improve he could command well over the current figures being thown around.
Several footy forums are emotional metres ha ha
 
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Messages
19,619
Just throwing it out there, Garrick wants to test the waters, he’d solve a lot of problems if we can find a way.

IMG_0794.jpeg

If we have a weakness, it’s inconsistency and I’d think he’d help us in that aspect.

It could that Benji has too many fish feeding in the lake of the anxious and the jink, when we also need some hard core reliability and stoicism.

Garrick won’t set the world alight, but I think he’s massively underrated and under appreciated.
 
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Messages
19,619
Very reliable footballer.
Yeah, there’s a certain attraction in his honesty. He can factory along almost unnoticed and then you add up his working hours and it turns out he’s doing a lot of heavy lifting.

We are relying a lot on sheer talent next year, reflecting ….but we also need some composure.

As for Bula, he’s better than average but he’s not a Terrell.

Plus he’d be restless under Satan’s management and he’s probably gone once R360 takes off.

I won’t pretend to do the maths to fit Garrick in. They’d have to be a few human sacrifices and some bad humour. But we’d be crazy not to look at him as an option.

I’m sure stats lady rates him.
 
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BrotherJim05

Bench
Messages
3,509
I read something on Facebook that shed a bit more light on the situation. Bula switched management after his current contract was signed, so this means that Issac Moses doesn't get a dime from either the 800k player option, or 900k club option. However, if both parties scrap the option and Bula signs a new contract (starting 2027 when the option would have been), then Moses gets his commission for it.

Apparently this whole thing is agitation by Moses to scrap the option and sign a longer term contract on overs. The club want to keep Bula but 900k a year on a long term deal is ridiculous. I think the club is weighing up whether he is worth 800k a year, and signing him up long term on that.

Whatever happens, I hope they come to an arrangement that works out for everyone.
 

Tigerm

Coach
Messages
14,174
Just throwing it out there, Garrick wants to test the waters, he’d solve a lot of problems if we can find a way.

View attachment 107206

If we have a weakness, it’s inconsistency and I’d think he’d help us in that aspect.

It could that Benji has too many fish feeding in the lake of the anxious and the jink, when we also need some hard core reliability and stoicism.

Garrick won’t set the world alight, but I think he’s massively underrated and under appreciated.
What position?
 

Tigerm

Coach
Messages
14,174
He would be a very good fullback/goal kicker if Bula goes.
That was my point, I thought he was a winger only? If he could play FB, he would be ideal.
Though I hope Bula stays, he has a huge upside, imo.
I think it's all about his manager's not getting cash from his next option signing and because it's Moses, I hope he takes it.
 

Nutz

First Grade
Messages
7,679
I'd llike every back, including fullback to be fast and zippy, like Walsh, Tabuai-Fidow, Papenhuyzen, Ponga, Jye Gray, Isaiah Iongi, Kaeo Weekes.
It's the trend now. The NRL has got faster and fatigue occurs even later in the game, the very last 5min even. So backs need to be even more quicker and elusive than ever before.
Walsh can beat you one the outside and is improving all the time
In fact, Bula could possibly not even make that list I mentioned, not at the moment. I left off probably one of the most elusive fullbacks in the last 10 years in Tedesco. Also left off Tommy Turbo and Edwards.
Bula is potentially going to be on that list, possibly top 5, but not atm.
I say 2 more seasons and right there, is the conundrum.
 
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Tiger05

Coach
Messages
10,924
He would be a very good fullback/goal kicker if Bula goes.

I reckon that would be a massive step backwards. I'd prefer Turuva there. Garrick is a good goal kicker and a solid player but we have better in every position that he plays in.

We just don't need him.
 

Nutz

First Grade
Messages
7,679
I reckon that would be a massive step backwards. I'd prefer Turuva there. Garrick is a good goal kicker and a solid player but we have better in every position that he plays in.

We just don't need him.
I was just replying to the narrative, didnt say I would run with it. Bula is the preferred option. We are losing a lot of our stars coming through.
Bula of course was first noticed when he was playing with Walsh at school.
Keebra Park State High School.

Yep, the same school Bula’s current assistant coach, Benji Marshall went to. Same as Reece Walsh, Payne Haas, David Fifita, AJ Brimson and Te Maire Martin.

 
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Tigerm

Coach
Messages
14,174
I reckon that would be a massive step backwards. I'd prefer Turuva there. Garrick is a good goal kicker and a solid player but we have better in every position that he plays in.

We just don't need him.
I thought Turuva was ordinary, the few times he payed FB for us, this season?
 

Nutz

First Grade
Messages
7,679
If you go back a bit, somewhere I said Bula is a nice, unspoilt kid.
He does have a religious conviction but from what I'm seeing, he not a hypocritical religious person. A person who says Hallelujah, praise the lord in one sentence, then says f you Ill kill you in the next.
I simply dont believe he'll use the same narrative that Galvin used, or similar, even with Moses steering the ship.
I still think he'll stay.
 

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