Laurie determined to win back Tigers No.1 jersey

Scott Bailey | April 20, 2023

Daine Laurie is determined to win back the Wests Tigers’ No.1 jersey despite being overlooked for uncapped Jahream Bula this weekend.

The winless Tigers on Thursday upgraded Bula into the club’s top-30 squad on a three-year deal, clearing him to debut against Manly on Sunday at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.

The New Zealander’s shock rise to NRL fullback leaves Laurie third-in-line for the role which he filled for the past two years.

The off-contract Laurie started the year as the first-choice fullback, before he suffered a minor knee injury that left him sidelined for one week.

He then played three games in reserve grade as the now-injured Adam Doueihi and Charlie Staines both ran out at No.1, before Bula was named for this weekend.

Laurie was selected for his NRL return via the bench, but is now set to play reserve grade instead.

Regardless, Laurie is confident he can win back the No.1 jersey despite Tim Sheens describing the 21-year-old Bula as the club’s “long-term fullback” this week.

“Yeah, 100 per cent, I want to be No.1,” Laurie said.

“(Sheens) just said keep training hard. I have just been knuckling down, working on little things.

“I got unlucky with a little injury. I have just been knuckling down at training and trying to find my way back into the side.”

Laurie said he was not surprised Bula had joined him and Staines in competing for the fullback role, after watching him in the pre-season.

“I said in the pre-season watch out for Jahream,” Laurie said.

“He trains hard, he is fit as. I reckon he will carve up this weekend. You will definitely know his name after 80 minutes.

“It’s healthy competition. We all want that fullback spot. We let each other know when we get something over each other. The relationship is good.”

In two separate interviews on Thursday afternoon, Laurie spoke about his role coming off the bench in first grade in one and then told the Sydney Morning Herald he would play five-eighth in reserve grade instead.

It comes after regular five-eighth Doueihi suffered a season-ending ACL injury against Parramatta on Easter Monday, leaving the Tigers to again look at another halves pairing.

Brandon Wakeham will return to five-eighth against the Sea Eagles this weekend in the Tigers’ sixth spine combination in seven games, but Laurie said he felt he would be able to play in the halves in first grade if called in by Sheens.

“Fullback is kind of like playing five-eighth. That is nothing too out of the ordinary,” Laurie said.

“You just have to defend in the front line, that’s about it.”