Wells’ show of timbre
Rookie prop nails Titans spot as carpentry career loomed
TITANS contract winner Dallas Wells was all set to pack up shop and quit footy this year.
The Burleigh pivot, once a Keebra Park student, returned to the Gold Coast from Cronulla’s feeder system after the 2016 season with a view not to advance his NRL prospects but rather expand his work portfolio by taking on a carpentry apprenticeship.
He trialled for the Titans in the pre-season but was only still playing at that point, thanks to the advice of his partner Jade.
“I came back up here pretty much to be with family and, like, think of what I wanted to do as a career so I thought I better start something; footy is not everything,” the 23-year-old said.
“I wanted to really just focus on work. I was actually about to take off for work and stop playing footy this year.
“I talked to my boss and we were going to take off and work at, I think, it was Hamilton Island, and then my partner said you have got a preseason under your belt, have one more crack at it.”
That discussion with his boss took place in mid-January and would have seen him be away until October.
Less than four months later, Wells was eating dinner last Friday when his manager called to give him the good news that he had earnt a fulltime Titans development contract.
While he’s hopeful of pushing for a debut – a case strengthened by the dearth of halves options on Gold Coast’s books – he is keeping his feet well and truly planted on the ground.
“I don’t have to work for the rest of the year but I am still going to go down to work one day a week,” Wells said. “I want to finish my apprenticeship.”
He takes the spot of Moeaki Fotuaika on the development list, with the rookie prop promoted into Garth Brennan’s top 30.
Wells declared himself ready to make his comeback for Burleigh in the Intrust Super Cup this weekend against Townsville after missing the Bears’ past two games with a hamstring injury.