Koula ....big year coming!

[Once Was Brissie Kid]

I mean...not really, if the player is under contract a club has the right to dig in and not release them.

If they are off contract all 17 clubs can compete

Yeah, except we've seen a club put up no fight at all for league, saying "Sure you can have a release, so long as you don't go to another NRL club."

 

[Woodsie]

But .. but why do union need Koula ... they have Matthew Wright don't they ..

 

[HK_Eagle]

Be interesting if the NRL needed to help us to retain him , would they ??

Sure, as long as he's sent over to Bondi

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

Doubt he would want to go and stand in the backline in Rugby and get cold.

But money talks.

By the way I love how rugby claims these guys as their own just because they got a scholarship to a GPS school. In most cases they are league guys who are happy to get a free quality education that their families wouldn't be able to afford otherwise.

Agree, Rocky.

My view on any player who wants to leave to play rugby (or to go anywhere else where the dollars are), is simply to let them leave. You don't want to be here? There's the door. No use worrying about it in advance. If it happens, it happens and we move on.

 

[robbiea]

I thought I just saw he re-upped here ?

 

[XV-1]

All we need is for DCE and Olakau'atu to pass to him.

 

[Remy]

Looked good with the limited touches he had, just need to find a way to get him more early ball and get him in space. He's a strike player and we need to use him like one.

 

[Sheikheagle]

All we need is for DCE and Olakau'atu to pass to him.

Yep ola goes himself nearly all the time. Needs to further develop his passing game.

 

[Jerry1]

Not good

March 3rd, 2023 5:16 pm
The Wallabies have ramped up the pursuit of the NRL’s best talent with Manly young gun Tolutau Koula the latest rugby league player targeted as part of the Eddie Jones revolution.
Fox League has been told Rugby Australia will throw up to $800,000-a-season at the Sea Eagles centre putting the heat squarely on Manly to try and retain Koula beyond 2024.
Like Roosters teen Joseph Suaali’i and South Sydney captain Cameron Murray, Koula has a rugby union pedigree having attended Newington College and played Australian Schoolboys rugby.

 

[The Who]

Not good

March 3rd, 2023 5:16 pm
The Wallabies have ramped up the pursuit of the NRL’s best talent with Manly young gun Tolutau Koula the latest rugby league player targeted as part of the Eddie Jones revolution.
Fox League has been told Rugby Australia will throw up to $800,000-a-season at the Sea Eagles centre putting the heat squarely on Manly to try and retain Koula beyond 2024.
Like Roosters teen Joseph Suaali’i and South Sydney captain Cameron Murray, Koula has a rugby union pedigree having attended Newington College and played Australian Schoolboys rugby.

If Eddie had watched yesterday's match he'd be after our other centre who may not be flashy but is excellent in defence and making the hard carries.
Like many observers, fast and evasive players catch the eye. But they need space in which to work their magic. Koala had no chances yesterday; nor did the flashiest of all, Addo-Carr. Usually the hard-workers are under-appreciated. Our forward defence without Jurbo would be so much weaker. Likewise our backline defence without Parker.

 

[lsz]

Not good

March 3rd, 2023 5:16 pm
The Wallabies have ramped up the pursuit of the NRL’s best talent with Manly young gun Tolutau Koula the latest rugby league player targeted as part of the Eddie Jones revolution.
Fox League has been told Rugby Australia will throw up to $800,000-a-season at the Sea Eagles centre putting the heat squarely on Manly to try and retain Koula beyond 2024.
Like Roosters teen Joseph Suaali’i and South Sydney captain Cameron Murray, Koula has a rugby union pedigree having attended Newington College and played Australian Schoolboys rugby.

That is nice work from his manager / pr people at rugby Australia

 

[winnyason]

I doubt he will go there.

 

[Jerry1]

800K is a lot of money for a young bloke.

 

[Adz]

For a guy who is not so big he does an excellent job bringing the ball out of our end,rarely gets pushed back ever.

 

[court83]

I’m a fan of the kid but if he wanted to go to union for 800k then good luck to you.
He has real potential, but he never really goes looking for work… he did next to nothing for the first 60 minutes of yesterdays game.. partly cos it doesn’t get passed to him, but how often is he searching for touches, or backing up a line break??
Could be a gun centre in a few years but if manly tried to match this apparent union offer they would be silly

 

[manly al]

I’m a fan of the kid but if he wanted to go to union for 800k then good luck to you.
He has real potential, but he never really goes looking for work… he did next to nothing for the first 60 minutes of yesterdays game.. partly cos it doesn’t get passed to him, but how often is he searching for touches, or backing up a line break??
Could be a gun centre in a few years but if manly tried to match this apparent union offer they would be silly

Not 800 k [ if that is actually a genuine offer and not just speculation ] but something relatively close to it . One of the best Manly centre prospects in ages , can be more valuable then Matai and as good as he was . Always maintain that once manager "s fees and some taxation application is taken into account , an additional 100 k or so does not amount to that much additional . Oloakatu atu , Koula , Schuster Saab , even Weekes and a few other youngsters , really imperative to hang onto to these above average players to complement the other established grouping and some decent shot at a premiership A S A P

 

[Koko22]

Would not surprise if we lost him as well as Weekes, both have rugby backgrounds and the Wobbly's and Eddie are desperate.

I would love to keep both but if rugby throw stupid money at them than I wish them well. I like both players but not on massive coin.

 

[manly al]

Would not surprise if we lost him as well as Weekes, both have rugby backgrounds and the Wobbly's and Eddie are desperate.

I would love to keep both but if rugby throw stupid money at them than I wish them well. I like both players but not on massive coin.

Koula "s contract for this season and next should be enforced at every level . Certainly in order to receive a bit of an upgrade and something very worthwhile for an extension . Could still be only in the speculation category in any case from Jones . . Not so much to set a precedent but again really has to be a more stringent approach from a club if especially a more valuable type of player still has a legal obligation to honor their contract . Could have easily insisted Suli stay as well but different circumstances , Manly should call the Union's and Jones "s bluff if they do make any serious offers to him . Weekes situation very different of course and current off contract status after season 23

 

[Once Was Brissie Kid]

I’m a fan of the kid but if he wanted to go to union for 800k then good luck to you.
He has real potential, but he never really goes looking for work… he did next to nothing for the first 60 minutes of yesterdays game.. partly cos it doesn’t get passed to him, but how often is he searching for touches, or backing up a line break??
Could be a gun centre in a few years but if manly tried to match this apparent union offer they would be silly

I reckon the coaching staff will use the fist 60 minutes to show him where he could have got involved.

By the same token, the players inside him need to pass the ball on once in a while too!

 

[court83]

I reckon the coaching staff will use the fist 60 minutes to show him where he could have got involved.

By the same token, the players inside him need to pass the ball on once in a while too!

Agreed .. I hope they show him where to get involved, and I hope they show olakautu where he should have passed to koula aswell…
I noticed it a lot last year too, koula can look really dangerous with the ball, but can often spend huge chunks of each game just not getting involved… I’m sure it will come with age and experience tho