Wallace out of shadows

MAROONS hopeful Jarrod Wallace says quitting the Broncos was the making of him as the Titans enforcer sets his sights on emulating his childhood hero, Origin legend Shane Webcke.

Johnathan Thurston’s withdrawal with a shoulder injury for Origin I has given Wallace a tantalising taste of Camp Maroon following his callup to the squad as 18th man.

If there is a last- minute breakdown in Queensland warm- up this Wednesday night at Suncorp Stadium, Wallace must mentally compose himself for the biggest game of his life.

But for now, Wallace is content to be Queensland’s shadow player, a scenario he could not have envisaged just 12 months ago when he was an interchange regular at the Broncos.

Few players are brave enough to walk away from the Broncos, let alone super coach Wayne Bennett, but Wallace’s shift to the Titans this season has seen him flourish as a starting front- rower.

“It was a move that when I spoke to my family about it, it was going to be make or break for my career,” Wallace said.

“I could have come down here ( to the Titans) and done what a lot of players have done in the past and got comfortable.

“I’d just signed a three- year deal and I could have got comfortable and started playing rubbish footy.

“But I took it as a real challenge to get out of the shadow of the Broncos.

“I wanted to get out of the shadow of the ( Broncos players) that I was always that step behind and really become my own man and make a real dominant ( player of) myself in the NRL.”