{{Short description|Fiji international rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Use Australian English|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Jahream Bula-Okesene |fullname = Jahream Jordan Bula-Okesene |image = Jahream Bula.jpg |image_size = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|2002|01|30}} |birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand |height = {{convert|187|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} |weight = {{convert|93|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} |position = {{rlp|FB}} |club1 = Wests Tigers |year1start = 2023 |year1end = present |appearances1 = 65 |tries1 = 29 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 112 |teamA = Fiji |yearAstart = 2023 | yearAend = present |appearancesA = 6 |triesA = 9 |goalsA = 0 |fieldgoalsA = 0 |pointsA = 20 |source = <ref>[https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/jahream-bula/summary.html Rugby League Project]</ref> |updated = 30 May 2026 }}
'''Jahream Jordan Bula-Okesene''' (born 30 January 2002) is a Fiji international rugby league footballer who plays as a {{rlp|fb}} for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League.
==Background== Bula was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He is of Fijian, Indigenous Australian and Samoan descent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.weststigers.com.au/news/2023/04/21/dream-come-true-for-jahream/|title=A dream come true |website=Wests Tigers|date=21 April 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| work= The Sydney Morning Herald | title='This whole year has been surreal': The quiet rookie making a big noise at Tigers|author=Christian Nicolussi| url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/this-whole-year-has-been-surreal-the-quiet-rookie-making-a-big-noise-at-tigers-20230804-p5du0w.html}}{{subscription required|s}}</ref> Bula relocated to Australia when he was 13, attending renowned rugby league nursery Keebra Park High, and playing for the Runaway Bay Seagulls.
==Career== ===2023=== Bula was named to make his debut on 22 April, with coach Tim Sheens saying, "He's athletic, he plays the position well, he's only young but a good kid. I just want him to play his natural game. I don’t expect him to win us the game, I just want him to do his job."<ref>{{cite news| work= The Sydney Morning Herald | title=Why Wests Tigers may have finally found their long-term No. 1|author=Christian Nicolussi| url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/why-wests-tigers-may-have-finally-found-their-long-term-no-1-20230421-p5d27k.html}}</ref> Starting at fullback, Bula was among those who were awarded Dally M points as one of the best players in the game.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2023/04/26/dally-m-update-round-8/|title=Dally M Update: Round 8 |website=nrl.com|date=25 April 2023 }}</ref> In round 20 of the 2023 NRL season, Bula scored two tries for the Wests Tigers in their 18-34 loss against Newcastle.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-14/jack-hetherington-sin-bin-knights-beat-tigers/102587514/|title=Newcastle Knights beat Wests Tigers 34-18 as Jack Hetherington sin-binned yet again|newspaper=ABC News|date=14 July 2023 }}</ref> Bula played a total of 18 games for the Wests Tigers in the 2023 NRL season as the club finished with the Wooden Spoon for a second straight year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2023-wests-tigers-season-in-review-tigers-brutal-review-tim-sheens-benji-marshall-coach-justin-pascoe-wooden-spoon/news-story/d1ae7fb41d93ea7dc29173a824cac5a1/|title='Circus act' that summed up year from hell... and big call left for Benji: Wests Tigers Brutal Review|website=www.foxsports.com.au|date=5 September 2023 }}</ref> On 20 September 2023. Wests Tigers announced the upgraded extension of Bula's contract to end of 2027 for a reported $2.7M.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-20 |title=Jahream Bula extends stay at Wests Tigers |url=https://www.weststigers.com.au/news/2023/09/20/jahream-bula-extends-stay-at-wests-tigers/ |access-date=2023-09-21 |website=Match Preview: Round 11 vs Bulldogs |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pryde |first=Scott |date=2023-09-21 |title=Jahream Bula puts pen to paper on mega new deal |url=https://www.zerotackle.com/jahream-bula-puts-pen-to-paper-on-mega-new-deal-162777/ |access-date=2023-09-21 |website=Zero Tackle |language=en-US}}</ref>
===2024=== In round 3 of the 2024 NRL season, Bula scored two tries for the Wests Tigers in their 32-6 victory over Cronulla.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-23/nrl-live-updates-bulldogs-titans-dragons-cowboys-tigers-sharks/103624114/|title=Tigers defeat Sharks 32-6 to earn Benji Marshall his first win, after Cowboys thump Dragons 46-24, Gold Coast loses 32-0 to Bulldogs|newspaper=ABC News|date=23 March 2024 }}</ref> In round 22, Bula scored two tries for the Wests Tigers in their 48-30 loss against North Queensland.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-live-north-queensland-cowboys-v-wests-tigers-live-scores-updates-stats-live-blog-scott-drinkwater-stefano-utoikamanu/news-story/c6b124a79263f8f31aab675423ef075b/|title=Future's bright for Tigers despite pesky coach killers; Holmes winds the clock back - What we learned|website=www.foxsports.com.au|date=August 2024 }}</ref> Bula played 21 games for the Wests Tigers and scored ten tries throughout the 2024 NRL season as the club finished with the Wooden Spoon for a third consecutive year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2024-wests-tigers-v-parramatta-eels-spoon-bowl-lachlan-galvin-reaction-social-media-rugby-league-news/news-story/52d07b10167bea71afbbb846921d969c/|title='Either the best or worst game all year': NRL world 'can't look away' from Spoon Bowl|website=www.foxsports.com.au|date=6 September 2024 }}</ref>
===2025=== Bula played a total of 18 matches for the Wests Tigers in the 2025 NRL season as the club finished 13th on the table.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nine.com.au/sport/nrl/news-2025-the-mole-season-review-wests-tigers-20250913-p5muql.html/|title=The Mole's season review: Late season form proved Wests Tigers 'fell apart' after Galvin 'squabble'|website=www.nine.com.au}}</ref>
He scored 4 tries for {{rlnt|Fiji}} in their Pacific Championship Bowl 48-24 win over {{rlnt|Cook Islands}} in Port Moresby.<ref>{{cite web|website=RNZ|date=18 Oct 2025|author=Iliesa Tora|title=League: Jahream Bula scores four tries as Fiji's Bati defeat Cook Islands|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/576320/league-jahream-bula-scores-four-tries-as-fiji-s-bati-defeat-cook-islands}}</ref>
=== 2026 === On 5 May, the Tigers announced that Bula had re-signed with the club until the end of 2030.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-05-04 |title=Jahream Bula commits future to the Wests Tigers |url=https://www.weststigers.com.au/news/2026/05/05/jahream-bula-commits-future-to-the-wests-tigers/ |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Wests Tigers |language=en}}</ref>
== Statistics == {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Team !Games !Tries !Pts |- |2023 | rowspan="4" |{{leagueicon|Wests Tigers|16}} Wests Tigers |18 |5 |20 |- |2024 |21 |10 |40 |- |2025 |18 |8 |32 |- |2026 |8 |6 |24 |- | |Totals |65 |29 |112 |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.weststigers.com.au/teams/nrl-premiership/wests-tigers/jahream-bula/ Tigers profile]
{{Wests Tigers squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bula, Jahream}} Category:2002 births Category:Living people Category:Fiji national rugby league team players Category:Indigenous Australian rugby league players Category:21st-century Indigenous Australian people Category:New Zealand emigrants to Australia Category:New Zealand people of Fijian descent Category:New Zealand rugby league players Category:New Zealand people of Samoan descent Category:Sportspeople of Samoan descent Category:Rugby league fullbacks Category:Rugby league players from Auckland Category:Western Suburbs Magpies NSW Cup players Category:Wests Tigers players Category:21st-century Fijian sportsmen