FORGET ORIGIN: STAR TITANS FORWARD COPS BLUNT REMINDER OF HIS PRIORITIES
TITANS coach Garth Brennan has urged Origin prop Jarrod Wallace to put the Gold Coast first and worry about retaining his Maroons jersey later.
Wallace will make his first appearance of the season in the Titans’ clash against the unbeaten Dragons in Toowoomba on Sunday.
The Queensland frontrower has finished serving a three-match suspension for a shoulder charge in the penultimate round of last season, which also saw him banned from pre-season trials.
Wallace, 26, had a breakout season after moving to the Titans from Brisbane last year, earning a Maroons debut and playing the final two matches of the series.
He has been named to make his return off the bench at Clive Berghofer Stadium on Sunday and Brennan said he wanted Wallace to focus on the Titans rather than Queensland.
“Last season is last season – there is no use talking about that or worrying about it,” he said.
“He came back (to training) after having some offseason surgeries and didn’t keep himself in the best shape.
“He’s got himself in really good shape now. He needs to go out there and ease his way into the game.
“It’s important he’s there for the team and does what’s best for the team, not so much what’s best for Jarrod Wallace.
“He’s got to focus on the Gold Coast Titans. I’m sure he’ll do that and then the Origin rewards will come after that.”
Wallace proved to be an astute signing for the Titans last year, taking his game to another level following 73 games for the Broncos.
He started in all 21 NRL matches he played last season and Brennan said Wallace’s benching was to help him ease back into first grade.
“He hasn’t trialled and is probably a little underdone,” he said. “Taking him out of those early exchanges might get us a few more minutes out of him.
Halfback Ash Taylor has also been named to return from a hamstring injury.
Brennan said scans cleared Taylor of a hamstring tear but the 23-year-old still had to pass a fitness test.