Canterbury Bulldogs winger and centre Jacob Kiraz has put pen to paper on a long-term contract extension with the club.
Already contracted until the end of the 2024 campaign, Kiraz has signed his future away until the end of 2027 in a three-year extension that is a reward for being one of the club’s best in a disastrous 2015 season.
Despite the Bulldogs finishing in 15th spot on the table and remaining part of the bottom four during Cameron Ciraldo’s first season in charge, Kiraz scored 6 tries, added 2 try assists, made 76 tackle busts and added 164 metres per game across his 19 appearances in blue and white.
The club’s director of football Phil Gould labelled him a “shining light.”
“Jacob has been one of the shining lights of the past couple of years and thoroughly deserves his new contract,” Gould said in a club statement confirming the news.
“His best is clearly in front of him.”
His 2023 season followed an NRL debut in 2022 for the local junior, who went on to play 15 games that season. It means he has now played 34 games for the Bulldogs following a stint away from the club with the North Queensland Cowboys and Newcastle Knights where he was promised plenty, but failed to debut for either club.
The 21-year-old has now established himself as part of Canterbury’s best 17 and the club confirmed he never wanted to go to the open market after his previous stints away.
The five-time Lebanon international will be joined in next year’s backline by new recruits Bronson Xerri and Stephen Crichton. The club have lost Jake Averillo and Paul Alamoti to the Dolphins and Penrith Panthers respectively, leaving it somewhat up in the air over whether Kiraz will line up on the wing or at centre.
