"I won't let the state down": Kiraz declares Origin ambition

Bulldogs’ star Jacob Kiraz has declared he won’t let his state down if selected for an Origin debut this season but won’t let his goals distract him from his club form as the Bulldogs look to end their 22-year premiership drought.

Kiraz is in the hunt for New South Wales selection following the departure of Zac Lomax to rugby union, competing with Mark Nawaqanitawase, Josh Addo-Carr, and Tom Trbojevic, amongst others, for the vacated position.

Since debuting in 2022, the 24-year-old has played 80 games for the Bulldogs, becoming a powerful threat on the right wing before moving over to the left this season, building his combination with Blues incumbent Stephen Crichton.

Coming off what Bulldogs GM Phil Gould declared “the best off-season I’ve seen Jacob Kiraz train”, Kiraz is determined that good form at club level can translate into good Origin form, if given the chance in the game’s showpiece cauldron.

“I'm very fortunate… ever since I debuted, I've played every game and now it's just about consistency and each week trying to get better and better and learn as I keep getting on,” Kiraz told SEN 1170 Breakfast.

“I'm never content with what I bring out or what I do, and obviously those goals are there.

“There's Origin goals there but at the end of the day, I always say if I'm playing good footy for the Bulldogs, and we're going well as a team, it'll just pick itself.

“I know once I get the opportunity, I won't let the state down and the boys down, but at the end of the day… I'm trying to play good footy for the boys and do what's best for my teammates.

“Those goals are in the background, and, like I said, if I do get the opportunity, I know I won't let anyone down.”

Kiraz was included in Laurie Daley’s wider Blues squad last season, acting as 18th man in Game III and cover for Brian To’o, who was in doubt but ultimately played in the Blues’ loss.

The Bulldogs host the Knights this Saturday, with the side looking to extend their record to 3-0 after tight wins over the Dragons in Vegas and Raiders last week.

Despite a shoulder injury that hampered him in pre-season and round 3, Kiraz declared he was in no doubt for this week’s match.

“It was just my shoulder in pre-season, I had a bit of an injury there… and I've just rehabbed it and it's going pretty good,” Kiraz said.

“I think it was my second run. Someone landed on it pretty bad, and it just got a bit awkward, but then (in the) second half, I got it injected, and I just got an injection not long ago as well, so yeah, it's feeling good now, which is good.

“We're trying to hold off on the injection, but it feels good now, and I can't wait to rip in this week.

“I had a big pre-season, and we're just all looking forward to playing footy again, so now it's that time of the year where we've been playing and we've had some gritty wins, but it's still early in the season.

“We're still building, but (I’m) just happy to play footy again, which is mad.”