Daley inspiration has Kiraz fighting for Origin dream

Jasper Bruce | June 16, 2025

Jacob Kiraz admits it was upsetting to just miss out on State of Origin selection but a chat with Laurie Daley has steeled the Canterbury winger to keep fighting for his dream.

NSW selectors had been considering both the in-form Bulldog and incumbent Zac Lomax for the right wing spot in last month’s series opener.

“It’s pretty surreal when I first heard my name getting tossed up,” Kiraz said.

“Being recognised in those squads, it’s something you dream of as a kid.”

But Kiraz went down with a calf injury the day the squad was named, with Lomax going on to star in NSW’s game-one win and hold his spot for Wednesday’s Origin II.

It left him out in the cold once he recovered, after a back injury had also thwarted his hopes of making his Australian debut in the Pacific Championships last year.

“I was upset at the time that I couldn’t be a part of those (NSW and Australian) squads,” Kiraz said.

“But I honestly believe everything happens for a reason. When my time is right, it’s right.”

Kiraz was called into Blues camp last week as injury cover for left winger Brian To’o, whose hamstring issue prevented him from training on Thursday.

The Bulldogs gun was on stand-by to play in Perth before To’o made it through Saturday’s crucial training session to hold his spot on the plane.

For Kiraz, spending time in NSW camp was reward on its own with Daley assuring him he was in the front of selectors’ minds with his career-best form.

“He kind of said, ‘you’re playing great football and if you keep doing what you’re doing, you never know what’s around the corner’,” Kiraz said.

“That inspired me. When you know you’re pretty close, it inspires you more and you just want to go out there and keep playing good.”

Kiraz has bounced back from a frightening neck injury suffered during the 24-18 defeat of South Sydney on Sunday.

The winger twisted awkwardly attempting to tackle Rabbitohs fullback Jye Gray and was attended by Bulldogs medical staff as he lay motionless on the turf though managed to play on after a stoppage.

“It was a bit of a scare there. My whole neck went numb there for probably a minute,” Kiraz said after full-time.

“But thank God, it all came back, I got my feeling again. It’s a bit stiff now but it probably could have been worse. I’m very lucky.”