Canterbury Bulldogs winger and centre Jacob Kiraz has opened up on his relationship with coach Cameron Ciraldo and General Manager of Football Phil Gould.
Already contracted until the end of the 2024 campaign, Kiraz recently inked a new contract with the club that will keep him there until the end of 2027. The contract extension is a reward for being one of the club's best in a disastrous 2015 season.
Kiraz disclosed that the support of both Ciraldo and Gould during his brother's leukaemia fight played a significant role in him re-signing with the club for the long-term future.
"I was in shock and I remember I came to training the first day after it happened because I didn't know what to do," he told 9News Sydney.
"Out of nowhere I broke down and then Ciro (Ciraldo) came and I told him what happened and he said, 'Go home. I want you to hang out with your brother. Family is always No.1'.
"I had Ciro and Gus come to my house and seeing if I'm all good, having a coffee and just checking up on me. They sent flowers to my family to just make sure my mum and dad and all my siblings were alright.
"They didn't rush me coming back to training, they just said, 'Come here when you're ready'."
The youngster would go on to add that he will never forget the support that he received from Ciraldo and Gould.
"You don't forget that stuff," he added.
"Once the club did that for me and my family, that's the least I could do, stay with them, so I'm happy."
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.
