Why Wests Tigers star has zero interest in playing State of Origin for Queensland - despite spending his teenage years on the Gold Coast

Wests Tigers fullback Jahream Bula has declared helium won't ever play Origin for Queensland - contempt attending precocious schoolhouse connected the Gold Coast at famed rugby league nursery Keebra Park State High School.

Bula, 23, was calved successful Auckland and moved to the Glitter Strip arsenic a teenager, making him eligible for the Maroons.

But this week helium poured acold h2o connected immoderate accidental of him playing alongside the likes of Reece Walsh and Harry Grant.

'I don't assertion to beryllium one, I don't privation to play for Queensland,' helium said.

'My household are Koori and from NSW – they are from astir the Coffs Harbour and Macksville areas – and I've ever gone for NSW.'

Bula made his archetypal people debut for the Tigers successful 2023 nether past manager Tim Sheens and rapidly became a assemblage favourite astatine the associated task club.

It was an awesome archetypal play - Bula was named the Kelly-Barnes Player of the Year, arsenic good arsenic Players’ Player and Rookie of the Year.

But aft 'winning' backmost to backmost woody spoons, the livewire is hoping 2025 sees his squad situation for a apical 8 spot.

Given they recruited the likes of Jarome Luai, Terrell May, Sunia Turuva and Jack Bird, Tigers fans person crushed to consciousness optimistic.

Off the field, Bula precocious joined his spouse Aaliyah, whose begetter happens to beryllium erstwhile rugby league enforcer Solomon Haumono.

Understandably, keeping his caller father-in-law blessed is simply a priority.

'He was a scary fig connected the field, but distant from footy he’s 1 of the astir gentle blokes, Bula told Fox Sports erstwhile chatting astir the one-time nonrecreational boxer.

'We get on well, truthful it wasn’t excessively hard....he’s been done it all, not conscionable successful footy, but boxing arsenic well, truthful helium knows what it’s like. 

'It’s bully to get immoderate proposal from him.'

Aaliyah is besides a nonrecreational footy player, connected the books of the Parramatta Eels successful the NRLW.