Nearing his 50th match for the Canterbury Bulldogs, Jacob Preston has revealed how a meeting with Phil Gould at Jobel's Cafe in Belmore convinced him to join the club.
One of the leaders of the Bulldogs since his arrival in 2023, Preston has been a key piece to the club's success, which has seen them rise from the bottom of the NRL ladder, to playing in the NRL Finals and now remain undefeated under Cameron Ciraldo.
Awarded the Dr George Peponis Medal (Player of the Year) in his rookie season, he has quickly become a fan-favourite and mainstay of the first-grade line-up with his determination and hard-work on both ends of the field.
Continuing to get better week in, week out, the 23-year-old has even found himself entangled in the State of Origin conversation for this year's series as a potential option for returning NSW Blues coach Laurie Daley.
However, his rugby league journey could have easily seen him play for the Sydney Roosters rather than the Canterbury Bulldogs.
In an exclusive interview with Zero Tackle, Preston has revealed how a meeting with Bulldogs GM of Football Phil Gould at Jobel's Cafe in Belmore convinced him to switch clubs in the hope of new opportunities.
The captain of the Roosters Jersey Flegg side that made the Grand Final in 2022 against the Penrith Panthers, the back-rower was discovered by Gould while playing in the NSW Cup competition for the North Sydney Bears, an affiliate of the Roosters at the time.
"I still remember the day that I met him at Jobel's Cafe," Preston told Zero Tackle.
"It was crazy. I was so nervous on the drive there, and then I walked in and was like "Oh that's actually Phil Gould", but it's one of those things you remember.
"I was a big footy nerd growing up, and then to actually get to meet Phil Gould and for him to show faith in me, it's unreal.
"The opportunity was the best at the Bulldogs at the time, and Phil Gould is pretty persuasive. When he shows that he backs you, it was an opportunity I couldn't knock back.
"I'm happy that I came here and I got to play under Cameron, who's honestly incredible, and I've learned so much in my short career."
Former teammates at the Roosters with Hugo Savala, Ethan King, and Robert Toia, Preston's relationship with the Bulldogs surprisingly dates back more than five decades, thanks to his great-grandfather being a former President of the league's club back in the day.
Although he grew up on the Northern Beaches and was a fan of the Manly Sea Eagles, half of his family always supported the Bulldogs and energetically cheered him on every week from the stands.
However, Preston's time at the club hasn't always been smooth sailing like it is now.
Before reaching the NRL Finals last season, many fans and pundits believed the team's horror run of form would continue and they wouldn't find success for at least a few more years.
"My first year of first-grade, we didn't have too much success, and I was stoked to be playing, but I would've loved to have a few more wins," Preston said.
"To see the kinds of turnaround between now and then and the success we're having now, it's awesome.
"But we got to make sure we just keep improving every day and focusing on the next week and not getting too far ahead of ourselves, and everything else will take care of itself."
