Hardworking Jesse ready for challenge
HE was a blockie’s labourer at the start the year and now Jesse Yallop will finish a grand finalist.
The former Kirwan High national champion has hit his peak for the Blackhawks heading into the Hastings Deering Colts decider.
But it has not been an easy road for the young flyer.
Yallop spent most of the pre-season splitting his time between nine-hour days on the job site and Blackhawks training, regularly arriving at the field covered in cement and mud, and worn out.
Still he refused to give less
than 100 per cent, and it was his commitment to his craft that had coach Dave Elliott convinced he would become a key member of his squad.
Yallop was still a work in progress, though, starting the season with the Blackhawks before being dropped to the Townsville District Rugby League competition for more game time.
He spent several weeks on the wing for the Centrals Tigers, where he continued to develop his craft and fought his way back into the state league set-up.
“He played some games and he went back (to local league), he just needed
improve,” Eliott said. “He has found his own feet and at the moment we wouldn’t replace him with anyone. He is very quick and very tough.”
The Blackhawks flyer realised the reward for that hard work last weekend as he scored a hat-trick to seal the Blackhawks spot in the finals.
While he might have traded in the concrete for the carpentry, starting an apprenticeship with DNA Constructions NQ, Yallop said he had not forgotten the days where he would leave the job site to drive directly to training.
For the young winger, it took those hard times to earn
a chance to play in this week’s decider.
“We would work from 6am to about 3.30pm, and I would head straight to the field after,” he said.
“I would be gassed turning up to training, but I just kept turning up.
“I wanted to keep my spot in the side. I just had that drive to play footy, I just love the game and love playing footy.
“(Last week) was unreal, it was the best feeling.
“You work hard all year to play a GF, you finally get there and it just feels unreal.”
Yallop said he refused to drop his head this season,
even when Elliott sent him back to Centrals mid-year.
Rather than kick stones all the way to Tigers training, the young gun used the time in the TDRL to harden up and find that extra gear.
“I think I took it well, I just tried to better myself and go out and play well,” Yallop said.
“I just copped it on the chin and went out and played pretty well actually and I got to come back.
“I felt good (when Dave called me back), I was just thinking I really wanted to keep that spot at the Blackhawks. I just wanted to play really well.”