NRL 2022: Jacob Kiraz hoping to parlay World Cup form into a fullback role at Bulldogs
Gus Gould can stop searching for a fullback - at least that’s the hope of Jacob Kiraz - the 2022 NRL rookie who has used the World Cup stage to display his capabilitiy as a custodian.
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If Jacob Kiraz has his way, Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo and head of football Phil Gould won’t need to scour the player market for a fullback. They won’t need to look anywhere other than their own backyard.
Kiraz, coming off a rookie season in which he scored six tries in 15 games playing mainly off the wing, wants to give Ciraldo and Gould something to think about with his performances for Lebanon at the World Cup.
He is off to a good start. The 20-year-old has quickly formed a potent partnership with Mitchell Moses in a Lebanon side that is careering towards a quarter-final clash against Australia in a fortnight.
Kiraz was outstanding in their crucial last game against Ireland (see below), scoring a try and running for 140 metres before making an early exit for a head injury assessment.
Afterwards, he revealed he had his sights set on taking ownership of the No.1 jersey at the Bulldogs.
“I am loving fullback,” Kiraz said.
“As a junior I always played five-eighth and fullback. Eventually I want to be a fullback. I am grateful playing in the NRL at the moment and I don’t want to take it for granted.
“Whatever is best for the team, I am happy. If they want to put me there, I know I will do a job for them. I want to show I can play fullback and whatever happens, happens.”
The Bulldogs started the season with Matt Dufty at fullback and finished it with Jake Averillo in the role. Sandwiched between their stints was one game for Corey Allan.
The club has been linked with a move for Penrith star Stephen Crichton while the Wests Tigers were led to believe they were interested in Daine Laurie, although that was subsequently denied by Gould.
Kiraz wants to be part of the mix and revealed that he bumped into Ciraldo at Belmore a few weeks ago when he was training with Lebanon in preparation for the World Cup.
“That was the first time I met him,” Kiraz said.
“He seems like a good bloke. I am keen to go back to preseason and work under him.”
Before then, he has business with Lebanon. The Cedars’ victory over Ireland means they only have to beat Jamaica to set up a quarterfinal showdown with the Kangaroos. It should be a formality given Jamaica have been belted in their previous two games.
“It means everything to me,” he said.
“My grandparents were born in Lebanon. My parents were born here. Every time I put the jersey on …. It is just an honour.
“I get emotional and want to play my heart out every time I wear the jersey. I debuted at 17 for Lebanon, It was the best experience of my life.
“Coming in now with first grade experience I just want to lead the young guys and get more Lebanon people in the NRL.”
Kiraz has been exchanging text messages with Bulldogs teammates Matt Burton and Josh Addo-Carr throughout the tournament. Those conversations are likely to dry up as Lebanon and Australia eye each other off in a fortnight.
Addo-Carr has been unstoppable thus far, scoring four tries in his last appearance against Scotland.
“I have been speaking to them here and there,” Kiraz said.
“Foxy loved getting four tries. I messaged him. It will be good to go up against them. I have no doubt we will give them a good challenge.
“I won’t say we will beat them but we will give it a good go and see what happens.”
BULLDOGS YOUNGSTER SHINES FOR LEBANON AT WORLD CUP
Mitchell Moses has set up a quarterfinal showdown with Australia and in all likelihood a grand final rematch with Nathan Cleary after leading Lebanon to a 32-14 win over Ireland at the World Cup.
Moses and Lebanon coach Michael Cheika did their best to play down their impending clash with the Kangaroos but only an upset of seismic proportions would prevent the Cedars playing Australia in the quarterfinals.
They owed their win at the Leigh Sports Village to the magic of Moses, who combined with Bulldogs pair Khaled Rajeb and Jacob Kiraz to torch the Irish.
All that stands between Lebanon and the Kangaroos is World Cup minnows Jamaica, who have lost their opening two games by a combined 108 points.
Cheika insisted his players wouldn’t get ahead of themselves given a dream game against Australia looms on the horizon.
“I am a bit of a dampener unfortunately – I have been to too many of these things,” he said,
“If you think it is done, someone will come and take it off you. If I could go back to a game I reckon where Fiji played against Uruguay last time in the rugby World Cup.
“They thought they had it and Uruguay came and pinched it off them, I just don’t want to put those thoughts anywhere near my head.
“I owe that as the coach to the players to make sure we are ready for that game. We don’t need to show them a picture of it going wrong, we need to show them pictures of it going right.”
MOSES MAGIC
Moses was named man of the match but rather than keep the medal he received, he gave it to an 11-year-old Parramatta supporter who was in the crowd.
His name was Jacob and he played for a local rugby league team. His face lit up as Moses draped the medal around his neck.
“He had a Parramatta jersey on and screamed my name out,” Moses said.
“I just saw how much it meant to him to get a thing like that. That meant a lot to me to get a man of the match performance and medal for Lebanon.
“Such a big game and such a big moment. I saw him screaming out so I thought I would give it to him. It meant the world to him.”
Moses was credited with two try assists but he was involved in everything as he tormented Ireland.
“I would prefer to look at Mitch’s performance all round since he got here without giving him a big head,” Cheika said.
“So much happened for him – joy, disappointment, everything at the end of the year obviously with the grand final and the birth of his kid.
“His leadership has been outstanding. Today he played obviously really, really well. I think we have seen Mitchell play well all season.”
BULLDOGS BOYS
When Adam Doueihi was charged by the judiciary after the loss to New Zealand, Cheika immediately informed Bulldogs youngster Khaled Rajab he would be playing.
Even if Doueihi’s appeal was successful, Cheika planned to start the 20-year-old and bring Doueihi off the bench.
Rajeb didn’t let the coach or Lebanon down. He was outstanding and revealed afterwards that he had his heart set on helping answer the Bulldogs’ problems in the halves.
“I have been at the Bulldogs all my life,” Rajeb said.
“I have been playing in their juniors since I was four years old. The phrase bleed blue and white – I resonate with that the most.
“The future is looking good for me. They are putting a lot of faith in me. My first game I was two years old in the stands – my dad took me.
“It was amazing to grow up, watch the boys and be around the boys. There is no place like Belmore for me – it is my home and I am very proud of it.
“My parents are diehard Doggies fans and nothing makes them more proud than seeing me play for the Bulldogs and my country.”
Moses was impressed.
“He was outstanding,” Moses said.
“I think he has a massive future in the game. I think he is at the Bulldogs at the moment. They’re crying out for some halves there.
“If he can step up and do first grade, he will do a great job. He is a great kid and brings a lot of energy. I told him any time you want he ball you demand the ball – and he demanded it.”
DOWN AND DIRTY
Before kick-off, a wag in the crowd leaned over and asked Cheika whether he wanted a wine.
“I am not 100 per cent sure they understand the coaching dynamics because one of them leaned over and said ‘Michael would you like a glass of wine?’ and that was before kick-off,” Cheika joked.
A wine may have helped soothe his nerves once the game started. There were moments when he would have no doubt enjoyed a stiff drink as the sides ripped into each other.
There is plenty of bad blood between Lebanon and Ireland and there were moments when this game threatened to explode.
There were at least two melees while Lebanon forward Kayne Kalache finished the game in hospital after running into the shoulder of Gold Coast forward Jaimin Joliffe.
Cheika wasn’t happy that Joliife was allowed to play on.
“Kayne wasn’t flash if I am honest,” Cheika said.
“I wasn’t happy wth that whole thing. We had a player sent off for supposedly saying something to the referee.
“Bloke takes a shoulder fair and square to the head and nothing happens. Our player ends up going to hospital. Go figure.”
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