Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo is confident boom back-rower Jacob Preston will re-sign with the club despite suggestions in recent days that the current offer isn’t near what he and his management are looking for.

Preston has one more year to run on his current deal but would be free to negotiate with rivals on November 1 if he doesn’t put pen to paper with the Bulldogs.

The Roosters and Bears have been mentioned as potential landing spots, but it might not even get that far based on the events of the past few days.

“I’ve got no worries about Jacob not being here,” a defiant Ciraldo said on Thursday.

“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.”

Preston, 24, made his NRL debut in 2023 and is in the mix to make the Australian World Cup squad at the end of the year.

Ciraldo admires everything he does on the field but it’s his character that has the coach confident that he’ll stay at the Bulldogs.

“He cares so much about his team and the club and the way we play, and he’s just starting his journey,” he 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.”

Meanwhile, Ciraldo hasn’t ruled out forward Sitili Tupouniua playing again this year after he picked up a fresh hamstring injury in last week’s loss to the Roosters.

He’ll be a huge out for Friday’s game against South Sydney that has been described as a finals game come early given the Bunnies are two points clear of Canterbury with four rounds remaining.

“I don’t see it that way,” Ciraldo said.

“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.”

Originally published as ‘Don’t believe everything you read’: Bulldogs bite back amid suggestions Jacob Preston could leave the club