Koula ....big year coming!

[Killer03]

I loved this kid last year (pace....you just can't beat it), and thought he did some great things. But above all he had heart.

This year you are seeing the confidence and a touch of polish. Didn't see a lot of passing last year, nor did he ever seem comfortable just letting his speed loose.

Tonight I think we saw both. Some nice passes and just the willingness to run at players. Make no mistake....no centre wants to come up against blinding speed. And it's the one position on the field you can really get isolated.

Big year for Koula!!

 

[wombatgc]

He looked really sharp. Some great angled running as well.

 

[Remy]

Yeah had a burnout at the end of last year with all the bs that was going on and obviously him being in his first year at FG. But fresh new start and boy did he look electric tonight. He will surely boom.

 

[KaZa]

Seemed to have added muscle too

 

[robbiea]

Young ,hard hitting and fast ,what more can you want.
Just as strong in D as he is in attack.
Go you good thing.

 

[DaveLP]

Don't get to excited chez has to give them early ball first...

 

[Tragic Eagle]

His confidence is high and he has loads of speed, and talent. He has vision and sees space and has the speed to capitalise. He also instinctively backs up. He is the full package and the best centre at our club by a furlong.

 

[Disco]

Yep, key is DCE dishing Olakau'atu and Koula early ball

 

[The '47ers]

Yep, key is DCE dishing Olakau'atu and Koula early ball

We'll still need the platform to be laid by the forwards.

 

[manlyfan76]

I guarantee you Des would have wanted him to be one dimensional
This year will be different under Flannagan running the attack.

 

[robbiea]

I guarantee you Des would have wanted him to be one dimensional
This year will be different under Flannagan running the attack.

Fingers crossed.

 

[sharx]

Imagine trying to mark dce olakau and Koula on one side
Then shusta burbo/Kelmo and turbo on the other
We have good options in attack

 

[manlyfan76]

Imagine trying to mark dce olakau and Koula on one side
Then shusta burbo/Kelmo and turbo on the other
We have good options in attack

You hope to be marking burbo out of that list.

 

[Fibro Eagle]

Absolutely this kid is going to be one the great Manly centres

 

[XV-1]

He does need to learn to look for support and pass the ball to a team mate in a better position.
He butchered a try in the 2nd half by hogging the ball after he made a break, instead of passing inside for a try.

Other than that, he is a gun.

 

[sharx]

You hope to be marking burbo out of that list.

IMO burbo will have a pretty good year

 

[Bloke on the hill]

Koula & Weekes as centres = Manly scoring opportunities.
It would give the opposition something to be concerned about.

 

[Once Was Brissie Kid]

Paywall.

Sport Confidential: Manly move to shut down Rugby poaching raid​

The Sea Eagles face a fight to keep a rising star, as Eddie Jones’ plans to raid rugby league ramp up. Plus, the NRL have launched a player-less 2023 ad campaign.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/sport-confidential-former-raider-curtis-scotts-civil-action-against-nsw-police/news-story/53098bb23f108c5f653a57adb755fae2

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

If your going to paste links to News Ltd papers, please copy the article and post it instead.🙂

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

Posted in another thread, but here's the bit you're after:

Sport Confidential: Manly move to shut down Rugby poaching raid​

The Sea Eagles face a fight to keep a rising star, as Eddie Jones’ plans to raid rugby league ramp up.

Manly have tabled a two-year extension for Tolutau Koula aimed at warding off approaches from the Australian Rugby Union.
Koula, named in the centres for Manly’s season opener against Canterbury at 4 Pines Park on Saturday, is already under lock and key until the end of 2024.

The Sea Eagles have now moved to lock him up until the end of 2026 as part of a plan to keep the young star out of the clutches of the Australian Rugby Union and Wallabies coach Eddie Jones .

Jones has made no secret of his plans to raid the rugby league ranks for players with rugby union pedigree in the lead-up to the 2027 World Cup – Koula attended Newington College and was selected in the Australian schoolboys squad alongside Sydney Roosters sensation Joseph Suaalii.

Suaalii is another on the ARU’s hit-list – he has an option in his contract for next season at the Roosters and is expected to extend his stay for at least another year.

The ARU is attempting to sign some of rugby league’s brightest stars with a bulging war chest and the lure of the British and Irish Lions tour in 2025, and the World Cup two years later.

Koula has been on a rapid rise since making his first grade debut at the Sea Eagles under Des Hasler. The 20-year-old made his international debut for Tonga last year – he was a key member go the Tongan side at the World Cup – and will start in the centres against the Bulldogs on Saturday.

He is one of the players coach Anthony Seibold plans to build the club around in coming years.