There’s growing confidence at Concord that star Wests Tigers fullback Jahream Bula will remain at the club in 2027 and beyond.
Tigers boss Shane Richardson has denied rumours the club was prepared to let the 23-year-old Fijian international walk away at the end of 2026, telling AAP that the Tigers see Bula as their long-term custodian.
While no deal has been officially signed, Richardson was optimistic that would happen and indicated the parties are in the process of negotiating a new multi-year contract extension rather than simply picking up an existing contract option reported to be $900,000 for a further 12 months.
“I don’t want to do a pick-up of the option, I want to do an extension long term,” Richardson told AAP, while also taking the opportunity for another claws-out swipe at former Wests Tigers playmaker Lachlan Galvin.
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“He (Bula) wants to be here—unlike Galvin, who didn’t want to be here,” Richardson said.
“You never count your chickens until they hatch, but I am pretty confident we will get it done.”
Bula, who turns 24 in January, has played 57 first-grade games for the Tigers since debuting in 2023, scoring 23 tries and becoming a vital member of Benji Marshall’s spine alongside club captain Api Koroisau.
He has also featured six times for Fiji and looms as a key player for the Bati at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.