Wests Tigers Podcast episode 0331

Always interesting to listen to the boys give their views on the podcast. I hope it’s ok to mention another podcast but if not I’ll do it anyway, ha, ha. Just listened to Wests Tigers Faithful podcast, a new one I believe, and they made an interesting point in regards to players becoming desperate because of the situation, a losing streak, and those players trying to make the difference to the point that they go away from the structures and things become a little erratic as a result. In my opinion that’s a very valid point. It’s not the only reason for a lack of points of course but would contribute to it. 

Loved the assessment of players and team performance so far this season. The Frustrating comment is so apt as a summary of 2024 Tigers. 

I would like to try and draw 2 points together in as much as it was stated that :

1. Bula needed more coaching to improve his returning the ball from kicks and attack in general and
2. Brett Hodgson was a similarly slightly built fullback and yet one of the best Tigers players ever.

Should we not be exploring getting the needed coaching from the one player who has been there and nailed it????? Nice to have phone conversations with GI but he is a tank and used his size and speed to make his impact.

Regarding Bula - just like anointing him as the second coming last year was over the top, I feel the criticism this year has been the same. 

He's not come through with a standard pathways program given his dalliances with basketball, so in many ways he literally is learning on the job in terms of what it takes to be a top grade fullback. He's played 30-40 senior games (incl NSW cup) at the position. He's also clearly been carrying an injury for parts of the season. There are lots of things he needs to learn, but his work ethic off the field is supposedly without peer, so any thoughts of writing him off early are jumping the gun imo. 

Normal clubs would bring spine players through gradually, deliberately developing them and preparing them for FG over a number of years. Not at WT though - we've got two rookies in the spine because there's no one else. 

For all of the claims from Pascoe about being a development club, we didn't actually develop anyone or anything. Another empty claim to go with all the others. 

Posted by: @dirty-reds

↑

Regarding Bula - just like anointing him as the second coming last year was over the top, I feel the criticism this year has been the same. 

He's not come through with a standard pathways program given his dalliances with basketball, so in many ways he literally is learning on the job in terms of what it takes to be a top grade fullback. He's played 30-40 senior games (incl NSW cup) at the position. He's also clearly been carrying an injury for parts of the season. There are lots of things he needs to learn, but his work ethic off the field is supposedly without peer, so any thoughts of writing him off early are jumping the gun imo. 

Normal clubs would bring spine players through gradually, deliberately developing them and preparing them for FG over a number of years. Not at WT though - we've got two rookies in the spine because there's no one else. 

For all of the claims from Pascoe about being a development club, we didn't actually develop anyone or anything. Another empty claim to go with all the others. 

Get excited everyone, I for one can’t wait. 

My take on Bula. Plenty of natural talent and athleticism. He needs some fine tuning for sure, but I hold hope he will improve some of his weaknesses over the next year.

My concern is that he seems relatively laidback and chill, that’s probably not going to work as an NRL spine player.

Posted by: @helmesy

↑

My take on Bula. Plenty of natural talent and athleticism. He needs some fine tuning for sure, but I hold hope he will improve some of his weaknesses over the next year.

My concern is that he seems relatively laidback and chill, that’s probably not going to work as an NRL spine player.

I don’t believe that is his attitude at all. Don’t mistake what you see on TV as weakness. It’s not, he does much more than you can see. He has really just completed a full season, starting round 10 last year. Bula will be a superstar given time. Let’s give him another season or two. We are a development club after all, so let’s develop him. Remember his mentor at the Wests Tigers is Greg Inglis. 

I think he has a rather languid running style, which can easily be mistaken for being aloof 

Posted by: @dirty-reds

↑

I think he has a rather languid running style, which can easily be mistaken for being aloof 

@mike Couldn’t agree more.JB has had one hell of a baptism with the inglorious wooden spoon title-holders.The guy from the outset has been quite the custodian and had ridiculous levels of attack coming his way and as you’ve pointed out Mike,in his maiden year. 
He hasn’t shirked that for a moment. 
 Positionally,the overwhelming majority of the time he gets it right.Not wanting to belittle Adam Douehi but he found it a struggle to keep up.Not so with Jahream he has great natural anticipation and covers acres.
 In terms of attack I believe the expectation from some quarters has been a little unrealistic and hyper-critical.For mine it’s really pretty simple,when the team is going forward the opportunities present and so will Jahream.Trouble is,due to a number of factors that hasn’t been the case.  
 In relation to his general style,I’m such a fan of its understatedness.If he’s not returning the ball at a rate of knots like a Tuivasa-Sheck it doesn’t mean he’s on the bludge or not putting in.That’s not his style nor where his development is at.I’m of the opinion,let Bula be Bula,maybe with a little G.I refinement.

Great show boys, really enjoyed the midseason review and generally agree with both Steve and Eddies opinions

I'm a big fan of Bula - so not looking to attack him. 

But the defence that's he's still young doesn't wash.

Reece Walsh is only 21 - and he's the best fullback in the game.

Ponga was only going when he became a superstar.

Esra Mam is only young.

Etc etc.

I would hate to attack Farah - but it seems we need some help with attack coaching

Posted by: @frullens

↑

I'm a big fan of Bula - so not looking to attack him. 

 

But the defence that's he's still young doesn't wash.

Reece Walsh is only 21 - and he's the best fullback in the game.

Mate I reckon you may have just proven the opposite of the point you were trying to make.

Reece Walsh probably is the best fullback in the game about to turn 22 and he is in his fourth season. At the kick off of this season, Walsh had already played 60 first grade games, Bula had played 18. At the same stage of his career, Walsh was not a superstar, he was just a good first grader at Warriors that showed a lot of potential, dare I say it.....a lot like Bula. Then, in his third full season of NRL, Walsh got dropped into a team of superstars and looked a star.

Even this year though...

Run Metres Total

Walsh = 1341 (149m per match)

Bula = 1805 ( 164 per match)

Kick return metres

Walsh = 277

Bula = 459

Tackle busts

Walsh 36

Bula 36

Defence

Tackle Efficiency

Walsh 75%

Bula 82%

Tries and Try assists Walsh is beating Bula but he is also in a red hot team.

IMO if you look at the stats, look at the difference in experience and playing personell around them both, the excuse that he is still young (and inexperienced) explains most IMO.

Posted by: @frullens

↑

I'm a big fan of Bula - so not looking to attack him. 

 

But the defence that's he's still young doesn't wash.

Reece Walsh is only 21 - and he's the best fullback in the game.

Ponga was only going when he became a superstar.

Esra Mam is only young.

Etc etc.

 

I would hate to attack Farah - but it seems we need some help with attack coaching

Reece Walsh was selected for Maroons at 18 in his first year in NRL.

At 18, he would have been the youngest player to be selected in the Queensland team since Ben Ikin in 1995, however he was ruled out due to an injury.

I'm not kicking Bula - but Bula isn't matching Walsh's progression