Canterbury Bulldogs outside back Jacob Kiraz has revealed his ambitions to play in the State of Origin arena for the NSW Blues as Game One of the 2025 State of Origin series nears.
Coming off a career-best season that saw him named in the 2024 Pacific Championships squad for Australia (before being a late withdrawal), Kiraz missed the opening games of this season due to injury.
Still, he showed he hadn't missed a beat when he returned in Round 5 against the Newcastle Knights in which he made 181 running metres off 17 runs, three tackle busts and five offloads.
Less than two months before the opening match of the 2025 State of Origin series is played between the NSW Blues and QLD Maroons, Kiraz has emerged as the frontrunner to play on the wing after Zac Lomax was sidelined with an ankle injury.
Considered the leading candidate to be named on the opposite wing of Brian To'o, Kiraz revealed that he wouldn't "let the state down" if he is granted the opportunity to play for the Blues.
"I would be lying if I said I didn't (have those Origin aspirations)," Kiraz told Zero Tackle.
"I've always dreamed of it as a kid. When you're playing first-grade you have other goals which is a good thing and yeah I obviously want to put on that jumper.
"I know I won't let the state down, but whenever the time's right, I know it's all in God's timing at the end of the day, and I'm ready."
Contending with the likes of Daniel Tupou, Jack Bostock and Sunia Turuva, the Lebanon international has also earned the backing of former QLD Maroons duo Mat Rogers and Scott Sattler.
