Tim Sheens
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As long as he stays on the other side of the fence from WT I will be happy. Has been very good and was even great for a while, but those days have passed and better future opportunities lay elsewhere.
Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion
- Thread starter MacDougall
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As long as he stays on the other side of the fence from WT I will be happy. Has been very good and was even great for a while, but those days have passed and better future opportunities lay elsewhere.
Does Brooks count? A lot of people on here had opinions on him as well. Myself included, but I never bagged him early in his career like some on here have with Bula.
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Halbrowne61
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I think he would end up being another Ken Maumolo.
Tim Sheens
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If done correctly, such as giving them a proper off-season to prepare, then yeah, all well and good.
Certainly not like the rushed from Harold Matts, then upwards through to an NRL cameo of Matamua at the end of another disastrous season, which doesn't do anyone any good for mine.
Tito Santana
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I love Bula but for me sometimes I get the feeling he wishes he was playing in the NBA and is settling to play league because he is good enough to. I just don’t know if the passion is there.
BAGNF05
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I can see what you mean a little in his demeanour but his cover defense is all heart. His actions and his involvement stats tell a different story to the look that’s sometimes on his face.
ancient_magpie
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Like your sense of humour Tom.😄
BAGNF05
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Has an unheralded Sharks pack sitting in a nice spot. I always thought he was a standards setter and think he could have improved our culture significantly.
He’s not Walsh or Ponga(injured again ) ….. so he’s “overrated” . I remember a time when Edwards and Papenhuyzen were shopped because Laurie , Staines , Drinkwater and Hughes were higher in thier teams pecking order and they were just placeholders till they arrived in first grade ……
Hopefully the Cambo curse will end … but no easy task against the Broncos.
Agree re Skelton… only hear good things.
Leck
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If you're in the 30 you would have had that pre-season training to prepare. My thoughts are, that the sooner you experience first grade footy the better you are for that experience. Win, lose or draw.
We're not going to win a premiership this year and it would be a miracle if we even make the eight.
So IMO we should use this year to blood our future side.
twentyforty
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We’re top heavy with halves in 25. If we were to lose one it’s probably Galvin. He’s by far the lowest paid and at this time the only one worth poaching.
He’s contracted so plenty of time to lock him up and bump his salary if he keeps on performing.
Sezer is only contracted for this year and the way things are going you would think Bud would be looking for an out… or accept he’ll mainly be in Reggie’s.
Personally I'd rather sign players who, y'know, play football. If we want a standards setter and culture we could give another contract to Matt Ballin. The brutal truth is that the Sharks gave Finucane a three-year deal for which they're going to get 33 games. I don't care if the bloke is Alexander the Great, Tony Robbins and Alexei Stakhanov rolled into one, that's a signing that didn't work out.
Mighty_Tiger
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I’m struggling to judge Bula at the moment.
I see what you’re saying but I honestly think if you put Edwards, Drinkwater or Kennedy at the back they would struggle as well. Brimson and Walsh might be different due to instant speed hit but also wouldn’t be as effective as they are at current clubs.
He can’t do it on his own and I’m finding our attacking structures to be flat again without deception most times and mechanical left/right/left shifts which aren’t beneficial to a fullback in today’s game. He is getting zero space but when he does we have seen whilst limited things happen.
I mentioned few games back we look like Bud and Sezer are playing counting numbers & getting more convinced by that based on our shifting style & when Galvin gets the ball. It’s reactive shifting. Galvin is the only one that tries something and Api in the danger zone despite numbers.
If you look at all the other fullbacks they are often outside the half/58th or beside the ruck on the 2nd or 3rd rapid play the ball - they common key is they have some space on front foot either way which doesn’t happen for Bula. But Bula is positioning himself better in attack this year compared to last and on both sides which does show progress.
His effort areas are fine the issue is his team or he isn’t positioning well enough to use his skills. I do have doubt about his speed impact off the mark and ball playing but when he gets a sniff he does break free it’s just tough to judge.
He has shown especially off Galvin their is a combination to build off but then on the other side it’s ghost town (put that down to Sezer, lack of 13 & poor center option.) Sezer we knew wasn’t going to be a running threat but his kicking game / buy time was why he was here - with Luai who is attack focused will be very interesting to see how things evolve.
His try scoring % of teams tries for fullbacks put him top 3 fullbacks in the comp, his try involvements are bottom 3 but our overall attack is last which is unfair to target this on Bula primarily.
No Chance and he will be upgraded and extended later this season IMO.
He is the clubs future with Laui and Latu. Sullivan is the odd one out.
twentyforty
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I thought his contract for this year was $150k, 25 @ $250k and 26 @ $350k? I doubt he’s feeling comfortable when his replacement reserve grader is on $550k each of those seasons?
davey_farrell
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his salary is getting bumped up for the next 2 years after this..
balmain boy
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Absolutely absurd.
On all accounts.
We have 4 halves signed for 2025, how is that too much?
Galvin is more likely to sign a 5 year deal on good coin, upgrading him immediately.
Sullivan most likely to leave, and no i don't believe he's on a 4 year deal, nor is it 500k a season.
twentyforty
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I hope the club is thinking more positively.
Im just saying he is the low hanging fruit at a time that halves are scarce as hens teeth.
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