Jahream Bula’s future at the Wests Tigers is reportedly on shaky ground after the club cut his wife from its NRLW squad for the 2026 season.
Bula, who scored four tries for Fiji against the Cook Islands last weekend, is weighing up his future and could be the latest in a long list of star juniors to walk away from the embattled club.
Sources close to Bula say he is disappointed the Tigers didn’t offer his wife Aaliyah a contract for next season.
Aaliyah, who is the daughter of former Bulldogs and Sea Eagles player Solomon Haumono, was a development player with the Tigers this year.
She played for the Parramatta Eels in the 2024 Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership and impressed during the Tigers’ pre-season, earning the development contract.
But the club told her she was not in their plans for 2026, and the 20-year-old outside back is now unlikely to get a contract with a rival NRLW team.
Wests Tigers star Jahream Bula and Aaliyah at the Dally M awards night – the fullback is reportedly furious that his wife wasn’t offered a new NRLW contract
Will Bula be the latest in a long list of stars to leave the embattled Wests Tigers?
The couple at the Kelly-Barnes Awards night in 2023
The club’s website described her in glowing terms and stated: ‘Her strong work ethic and dynamic running game make her a valuable addition to the Tigers’ squad as she continues to develop her game at the top level.’
The Tigers have not activated Jahream Bula’s contract option – and he can talk to rival NRL clubs from November 1.
Bula has a mutual option in his contract for 2027, which would see his current $700,000 salary jump to $900,000.
Given he could be available for the 2027 season, Bula would no doubt be a target for the new Perth Bears franchise.
The rising fullback could also trigger his option and be free to join the PNG Chiefs the following year, where he could earn a huge pay packet given the tax breaks for players who join the club.
The 23-year-old has played 57 games for the Tigers and scored 23 tries.
Bula is also managed by controversial agent Isaac Moses, who has taken several high-profile juniors out of the Tigers over the years, notably star halfback Lachlan Galvin midway through the 2025 NRL season.
The Tigers have a history of losing their best juniors, with the likes of James Tedesco, Josh Addo-Carr, Andrew Fifita, Chris Heighington and Ryan Papenhuyzen all leaving the team and going on to win premierships at other clubs.
Bula will be a hot target for rival NRL clubs if he leaves the Tigers
Mitchell Moses also debuted at the club before moving to Parramatta and leading NSW to a State of Origin series win in 2024.
In May, Bula declared he didn’t plan to follow Galvin out the door at Concord.
‘I’m happy at this club – I don’t really want to talk about that stuff,’ Bula told reporters in May.
Daily Mail contacted the Wests Tigers for comment.
