DRAGONS TO FEEL WRATH OF WALLACE
BEWARE St George Illawarra. You’ll soon have a fired up Jarrod Wallace steam train to deal with.
The Queensland State of Origin front-rower is devastated that he will miss the start of the Gold Coast’s new NRL era under Garth Brennan, still with two matches remaining on his shoulder charge ban from last year.
Wallace has had a disrupted pre-season affected by shoulder, groin and ankle surgeries but is back at training and determined to lead the Titans to success.
The only problem is he won’t be allowed out onto Cbus Super Stadium for their season-opener against Canberra, nor their first away game in New Zealand six days later.
“I’m not going to lie, it does suck knowing that the boys are going to be out there for two games and I’m not going to be there,” Wallace said. “I try to pride myself on not missing any games.
“I missed two or three last year which I was a bit upset about but that’s footy. I will be there every game – I’ll make sure I’m in New Zealand watching the boys … Round 1 I’ll be there as well.
“I know the boys are digging in deep at the moment, I have just got to make sure I am putting in off the field and making sure that when it is Round 3 and I’m ready to go that I am flying.”
Elaborating on just how supercharged he’ll be by the time his first NRL outing arrives – against the Dragons in Toowoomba on March 25 – Wallace declared: “I will be definitely looking forward to that game, that’s for sure.”
The 26-year-old switched from the Broncos ahead of last season and achieved his prime goals including more game time and a Maroons call-up.
He’s already vowing to up his game further, along with planning to be smarter about his aggression to ensure he doesn’t miss any more games.
“I don’t want to be the same as 2017, I want to be better,” Wallace said.
Despite having a minor ankle operation just before Christmas, he expects to be fit for the club’s pre-season trial matches next month.