An interchange player at the Brisbane Broncos, Jarrod Wallace made the brave decision to join the AQUIS Gold Coast Titans in search of more on-field minutes.
It’s fair to say it was a smart move with the hard-running prop forward on the verge of a Queensland State of Origin call up, just ten rounds into the 2017 season
His form for the Titans in recent weeks has been exceptional, earning praise from a number of proud Queenslanders including current Australian Kangaroos Coach Mal Meninga, while his damaging performance during the Gold Coast’s miraculous come from behind victory against ladder leaders the Melbourne Storm on Saturday night were well noted by Maroons Coach, Kevin Walters, who was casting an eye over numerous Queenslanders from the stands.
Learn more about Jarrod Wallace here.
With just one player remaining on the interchange, Wallace played key minutes for Coach Neil Henry against the Storm, a burden he has more than comfortably dealt with on several occasions this season.
While Jarrod’s 240 metres against the Storm on Saturday was inspirational, it was certainly not a one off, coming off the back of a 264-metre haul against the Broncos in the Titans last encounter at Suncorp, however many see his week in, week out consistency as one of his biggest attributes.
One of the first selected for the Gold Coasters each week, Wallace has started in all ten NRL matches to-date this season, averaging 147 metres per game and 32 tackles a match.
Wallace has actually been on the Queensland radar for some time, selected in the 2016 Emerging Maroons squad in 2016, he’s now also well aware that a place in the Queensland team to contest the series opener on May 31st could be achieved on the back of another strong showing against the Manly Sea Eagles at CBUS Super Stadium this Saturday night.
Battling Wallace will be former Gold Coaster, Brenton Lawrence.
Now with Manly, Lawrence hails from Mackay and joined the Titans ranks ahead of the 2011 season after spending time with Gold Coast feeder club the Burleigh Bears the previous season.
With a hulking frame, Lawrence also possesses explosive speed and agility, and while a spate of injuries hindered his time on the Gold Coast, he established himself as a first-grade regular after joining the Sea Eagles in 2013 including the club’s heart breaking grand final loss against the Sydney Roosters.
In 2014, Lawrence, like Wallace two years later was named in the emerging maroons squad, the former Mackay junior also representing the Australian Prime Ministers XIII against Papua New Guinea the same year.
In good form and health, Lawrence is hell bent on making the most of his potential Origin lifeline when Manly arrive on the Gold coast for this Saturdays NRL blockbuster.
