Contract speculation surrounding rising Canterbury Bulldogs back-rower Jacob Preston has been put to rest, according to head coach Cameron Ciraldo, who has pushed back on recent media reports claiming the club’s current contract offer falls far short of what the young star and his management are seeking.
Preston, 24, is entering the final 12 months of his existing deal with the Bulldogs, and would be eligible to open formal contract negotiations with rival NRL clubs from November 1 if he does not extend his stay at Belmore. In recent days, both the Sydney Roosters and North Sydney Bears have been flagged as potential suitors for the in-demand forward, but Ciraldo says a private conversation with the player himself has erased any doubt about Preston’s long-term future at the club.
“I’ve got no worries about Jacob not being here,” Ciraldo told reporters on Thursday, striking a defiant tone. “He was in my office yesterday telling me how much he loves being here, how much he’s committed to the Bulldogs and how much he loves playing with our playing group. So it’s probably a case of don’t believe everything you read in the media, no offence.”
Since making his NRL debut in 2023, Preston has rapidly emerged as one of the league’s most promising young forwards, and he is currently in contention for a spot in Australia’s Rugby League World Cup squad set to compete at the end of the 2025 season. While Ciraldo praised Preston’s on-field impact and upward trajectory, he added that the 24-year-old’s personal character is what ultimately convinces him the forward will sign a new contract to stay in Canterbury blue and white.
“He cares so much about his team and the club and the way we play, and he’s just starting his journey,” Ciraldo said. “I know he’s been playing for four years, but he’s still below that 100-game mark, and he’s just understanding what it takes to become a leader of a team and a club. He’s going to get there, and he’s going to get there here, I’m very confident of that.
“We love having him here, he loves being here. It’ll get sorted, it just doesn’t need to play out through the media. He’s one of those guys in the dressing room that brings a lot of joy and energy and laughter, and that (the media speculation) won’t affect him, he’ll be right.”
Beyond the contract talk, Ciraldo also shared an update on injured forward Sitili Tupouniua, who suffered a fresh hamstring injury during last week’s loss to the Roosters. The coach stopped short of ruling Tupouniua out for the rest of the 2025 season, leaving the door open for a potential return before the end of the regular season.
Tupouniua will definitely miss this Friday’s crucial clash against South Sydney Rabbitohs, a match that many have framed as an early finals decider, with the Rabbitohs holding a two-point advantage over the Bulldogs on the NRL ladder with just four rounds remaining in the regular season. Ciraldo, however, rejected the do-or-die framing, saying his side is focused on incremental improvement rather than chasing a specific result.
“They’re all important games for us, but if we start thinking about winning or results or outcomes, then we’re going to lose our way and miss somewhere in the process. So this week’s been all about how we can be better at our process,” Ciraldo said.