News Reed Mahoney names player to watch this season

[2ndphase]

“I think he’s ready for the NRL and he’ll definitely play some footy for us.”

ETHAN LEE CHALK
STAFF WRITER | FEBRUARY 22, 2023 - 12:36PM
1609


New Canterbury Bulldogs recruit Reed Mahoney has named back-rower Jacob Preston as the player to keep an eye on this season ahead of Round 1.

Having signed a four-year contract with the Bulldogs in 2021, Mahoney will slot into the starting hooker role at the club. His debut in the Bulldgos colours is highly anticipated, as he will return to the club that originally scouted him as a junior.

The 24-year-old will join the team from the Paramatta Eels where he was listed in the team that made the Grand Final against the Panthers. During his time at the Bulldogs arch-rivals club, he played 101 games and scored 19 tries.

Despite being so young, he was named as co-captain of the Bulldgos alongside Matt Burton and Raymond Faitala-Mariner. Speaking to the media, Mahoney was asked which player is destined to have a breakout season in 2023.


"Young Presto," he replied.

"Jacob Preston is going to have a breakout year. I think he's ready for the NRL and he'll definitely play some footy for us."

Yet to make his debut at the first-grade level, Preston played 12 games for the North Sydney Bears last season in the NSW Cup. During his 12 appearances, he impressed scouts on both sides of the field. This led to him securing a contract with the Bulldogs until 2024.

In attack, Preston scored seven tries, made seven line-breaks, had seven line-break assists and ran an average of 96 metres per game. While in defence, the edge forward made 320 tackles at a 95.2% efficiency rate.

In the same media interview, Mahoney was asked how the spine of the Bulldogs will shape up this season. It will be a completely different spine than it was last season with Mahoney taking the No.9 role and Hayze Perham reportedly the first-choice to play fullback.

Although it will take time for the players to get used to each other and their skillset, the spine showed promise in the pre-season match against the Cronulla Sharks.

"We're a new spine and we're still trying to learn off each other and have all them combinations but we're working really hard," he said.

"I think overall the detail of things we didn't get right we'll have a look at and that's what trials are for."

 

[Foxalldayeveryday]

Avo needs to be fullback. He may not be flash bit gets the job done.

 

[flamebouyant]

He do3s look the goods!

 

[Benno Bulldog]

Taken me nearly a week to get over that trial loss…I was bitterly disappointed, I guess the trauma of watching the side regress back towards the last few years efforts needs to be bit more balanced against combinations gaining experience. Preston looks like a worker…

 

[B-Train]

We've got a good one in Preston. I reckon he'll be one of the best breakout players in the NRL this season and by the end of the year, Gus will have to upgrade/extend him like he did with King and Kiraz last year.

 

[CQDog]

We've got a good one in Preston. I reckon he'll be one of the best breakout players in the NRL this season and by the end of the year, Gus will have to upgrade/extend him like he did with King and Kiraz last year.

In talks now to extend someone said on here, think Gus said it on the radio. I think he’ll stay, pathway at the Roosters was blocked so he won’t go back to them surely

 

[Chris Harding]

Taken me nearly a week to get over that trial loss…I was bitterly disappointed, I guess the trauma of watching the side regress back towards the last few years efforts needs to be bit more balanced against combinations gaining experience. Preston looks like a worker…

Yep. It was deja vu all over again. Yet, some saw improvement and promise in the team.
I guess I missed that, with the 20 point thumping we were given.

 

[B-Train]

In talks now to extend someone said on here, think Gus said it on the radio. I think he’ll stay, pathway at the Roosters was blocked so he won’t go back to them surely

I reckon he'll be a long term starter for us. Gus is always proactive in extending and upgrading these guys ahead of time before other clubs come circling.

 

[Vlasnik]

Yep. It was deja vu all over again. Yet, some saw improvement and promise in the team.
I guess I missed that, with the 20 point thumping we were given.

Last year it would have been 50. I keep thinking back to the trial where the Panthers FG side lost to our reserves then went on to have a good year. That gives me hope that when games and wins count towards premiership points our guys will put on a better show and be more competitive during the season.

 

[Bulldogs09]

Last year it would have been 50. I keep thinking back to the trial where the Panthers FG side lost to our reserves then went on to have a good year. That gives me hope that when games and wins count towards premiership points our guys will put on a better show and be more competitive during the season.

The only thing giving me hope is kikau and Pangai are our two most destructive and creative players. They are huge outs.

That said they hooked hynes with 20-30 to go?

First half was close and if the flop averilo managed to score a try he should of who knows how that turns out. That was massive turning point.

The other things like burton being terrible and hopefully just a case of in neutral and getting some minutes back from surgery along with Mahoney being off (his first game was outstanding I expect a lot more like that then the second). Jac was off. A lot of those guys were.

The only real downer is flopagun is such a Fucking spud that it’s hard to see a way to go with the better teams (sharks are certainly one) with him in the squad. The positive is its almost over and he will not be a liability much longer.

Preston and pele look to be something.

Thought Thompson and Sutton looked very good which is handy when you factor in really king and tpj should be helping lay a platform with kikau out wide.

I don’t think rfm can be that edge player personally he wasn’t impressive for me. Rather Preston (huge call this early but just me personally)

 

[Jippst]

Last year it would have been 50. I keep thinking back to the trial where the Panthers FG side lost to our reserves then went on to have a good year. That gives me hope that when games and wins count towards premiership points our guys will put on a better show and be more competitive during the season.

Same,I think the hot training session the day before would've def had some impact from their effort on Sunday..we'll that's what I'm hoping...

 

[InGusWeTrust]

Money’s only 24?! Hahaha mad, he’s got his best years ahead of him.

 

[Bulldogs09]

Same,I think the hot training session the day before would've def had some impact from their effort on Sunday..we'll that's what I'm hoping...

Do we know this actually even happened ? It sounds like a excuse.

 

[Moedogg]

Last time I was this excited about a young 2nd rower coming through was Josh Jackson.

I reckon Preston will be a try scoring machine.

 

[silva]

Put him on the right edge RFM is over the hill

 

[Cujo]

Do we know this actually even happened ? It sounds like a excuse.

That came out before the 2nd trial, so unless it was released to mitigate any disaster that might occur in that game, I believe it had some bearing on our performance, though to what extent who knows...
Only time will tell with the proof being our performances during the season proper..

 

[speedy2460]

Taken me nearly a week to get over that trial loss…I was bitterly disappointed, I guess the trauma of watching the side regress back towards the last few years efforts needs to be bit more balanced against combinations gaining experience. Preston looks like a worker…

The trial wasn't as bad as you claim. The team was competitive for the first 20 minutes. They then lost Kikau.
The coach then began to rotate players. The Sharks kept their main team on the park.
It was an exercise to see what the young pups could do. They went very well. There will be a very competitive team
in against Manly.

 

[J_B]

Actually the first 35mins we were 1 try apart with the team that ran 2nd last year , As usual TK overeating again

 

[J_B]

It was 12 - 4 untill the 38th minute 1st half , people need to relax and have faith lol

 

[D- voice]

“I think he’s ready for the NRL and he’ll definitely play some footy for us.”

ETHAN LEE CHALK
STAFF WRITER | FEBRUARY 22, 2023 - 12:36PM
1609


New Canterbury Bulldogs recruit Reed Mahoney has named back-rower Jacob Preston as the player to keep an eye on this season ahead of Round 1.

Having signed a four-year contract with the Bulldogs in 2021, Mahoney will slot into the starting hooker role at the club. His debut in the Bulldgos colours is highly anticipated, as he will return to the club that originally scouted him as a junior.

The 24-year-old will join the team from the Paramatta Eels where he was listed in the team that made the Grand Final against the Panthers. During his time at the Bulldogs arch-rivals club, he played 101 games and scored 19 tries.

Despite being so young, he was named as co-captain of the Bulldgos alongside Matt Burton and Raymond Faitala-Mariner. Speaking to the media, Mahoney was asked which player is destined to have a breakout season in 2023.


"Young Presto," he replied.

"Jacob Preston is going to have a breakout year. I think he's ready for the NRL and he'll definitely play some footy for us."

Yet to make his debut at the first-grade level, Preston played 12 games for the North Sydney Bears last season in the NSW Cup. During his 12 appearances, he impressed scouts on both sides of the field. This led to him securing a contract with the Bulldogs until 2024.

In attack, Preston scored seven tries, made seven line-breaks, had seven line-break assists and ran an average of 96 metres per game. While in defence, the edge forward made 320 tackles at a 95.2% efficiency rate.

In the same media interview, Mahoney was asked how the spine of the Bulldogs will shape up this season. It will be a completely different spine than it was last season with Mahoney taking the No.9 role and Hayze Perham reportedly the first-choice to play fullback.

Although it will take time for the players to get used to each other and their skillset, the spine showed promise in the pre-season match against the Cronulla Sharks.

"We're a new spine and we're still trying to learn off each other and have all them combinations but we're working really hard," he said.

"I think overall the detail of things we didn't get right we'll have a look at and that's what trials are for."

Originally I had Preston on the bench after the first trial, then after the second he did nothing but confirm that he is ready to be the right second-rower, as much as I like RFM unfortunately he is a bench player.