Canterbury winger Jacob Kiraz is in top form in the top-of-the-table team and good judges are backing him to make a NSW debut in State of Origin.
The 23-year-old missed the opening four rounds of the season with injury but his hat-trick display in the 38-18 win over Gold Coast at Magic Round on Sunday was top-shelf.
Kiraz has the qualities Origin coaches and selectors look for, although his selection for game one of the series on May 28 will likely depend on the availability of injured duo Brian To’o and Zac Lomax, who both shone in last year’s series win for the Blues.
Kiraz made 228m from 22 runs against the Titans and had two line breaks, two line break assists and a try.
The Canterbury flyer is tough and willing out of the back-field with the ball. In defence, his kick-chase is elite, and he’s also dynamically dominant in the air, as he was against the Titans.
He’s big, strong and mentally tough, just like his captain Stephen Crichton who is one of the first picked for the Blues.
Crichton was asked why Kiraz would look good in a Blues jersey.
“It’s everything he does,” he said.
“He has good high-ball awareness and the way he carries the footy. He is really focusing on playing his best footy for the Dogs.”
Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo said Kiraz had the key qualiity of being able to change momentum and not be dictated by it,.
That’s a great trait to have for any Origin prospect.
Ciraldo had no doubt Kiraz was in the sights of Blues’ selectors.
“If he keeps playing like that he is going to be banging the door down for Origin,” Ciraldo said.
“We missed him at the start of the season and he was working away hard in the background to get himself right to come back in and play. He’s come back and played at an exceptional level.
“Some of our attack at the start of the game was a little bit clunky but he was coming up with plays at the back end of the set to get the scoreboard ticking over. Kiraz has done a great job to get himself ready to play and he can keep improving.”
