The future of jahream bula at Wests Tigers is in sharp focus as the deadline approaches for a 2027 mutual option that could keep him at the club next year. The fullback has been in strong form for the 4-1 Tigers, but his status remains unsettled as talk around interested clubs grows. Phil Gould’s on-air praise has only added more heat to the situation.
Jahream Bula remains a major talking point
Jahream Bula was described as sensational for Wests Tigers and produced his best game of the season against the Knights on Sunday, yet the uncertainty around his future has not eased. The club can activate the option for $900, 000 next season, while Bula can take the player option for $800, 000. If neither side moves on that deal, a new contract would need to be struck or the fullback could leave.
That stand-off has made every public comment around the player more significant. The Bulldogs have been rumoured as one of several clubs interested in Bula’s services, which is why Gould’s remarks during the Tigers-Knights coverage drew close attention.
Phil Gould’s comments draw a new spotlight
Gould’s description of Jahream Bula was glowing. “That’s an athlete, ” Gould said. “Gee-whiz he’s going to be a good player.
“He’s just creamy, so fluid, beautiful, like apple pie on a Sunday. ”
The remarks landed in a sensitive environment because the NRL introduced a new rule in the off-season aimed at tightening what club officials can say about players at other clubs. The NRL said clubs had been advised that tampering could now include certain public and private statements that may be seen as attempts to lure or entice a player to another club.
When a journalist put to Gould that Tigers fans could feel “edgy, even angry” about the comments, he replied in a text: “Grow up. ”
What the Tigers and rivals are watching next
Jahream Bula is also linked to the Dragons, although they are tipped to move for Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater instead. That leaves Bula’s market in a fluid position, with interest still circling and no final call made on his future at Wests Tigers.
Elsewhere in the same transfer picture, Chad Townsend said Cronulla could suit Drinkwater. “I think he could fit in the Sharks, to be honest, ” Townsend said on SEN’s Saturday League Kick-Off. “He’s a mature footballer now, playing probably some of the best football of his career. I think he’d be a great fit at the Sharkies. ”
For now, the key question remains whether Wests Tigers move to lock in jahream bula or let the deadline drift closer to a decision point. With interest building and public comments under scrutiny, jahream bula remains one of the clearest pressure points in the current transfer noise.
