JARROD Wallace is set to pledge his future to the Broncos despite James Tamou’s departure opening a potential starting spot for him in the Cowboys’ engine room.
Wallace has become a man in demand, with the off-contract Broncos prop piquing the interest of Sydney clubs and having his services offered to Queensland rivals the Cowboys.
The Cowboys’ front-row stocks took a hit on Thursday when Tamou informed the club he is heading to Sydney next year. With Cowboys bench bookend Ben Hannant, 31, entering his twilight years, Wallace, at 24, would be an ideal recruit for the premiers as one of the most promising props on the open market.
But after starting against the Raiders in a 26-18 win on Thursday night, Wallace says he is committed to the Broncos and plans to formally ink a two-year extension in the coming weeks.
“This is the club I want to stay at,” Wallace said.
“The Cowboys are a great club, they won the grand final last year and they have some champion players in Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott who anyone would love to play alongside.
“But my preference is to stay. Anything can happen with contracts, but I love being coached by Wayne Bennett and being mentored by guys like Corey Parker and Sammy Thaiday. I’m happy to be playing my footy here.”
Wallace, a 109kg bookend built like legendary Broncos prop Shane Webcke, has undergone a major metamorphosis in the past two seasons.
In 2014, he barely saw game time under former coach Anthony Griffin and admits his confidence was so low he could have easily been axed by the Broncos.
But the arrival of Bennett and the tutelage of Parker has seen Wallace flourish, instilling the confidence to believe he can one day spearhead Brisbane’s forward pack.
“The last two years I feel like I am starting to fit in a bit more now,” said Wallace, who made 34 tackles in 47 minutes without a miss against the Raiders.
“I am not just the kid coming in filling up the numbers and I put that down to a couple of boys like Corey Parker, he has been a massive mentor to me.
“It was really tough (not getting game time under Griffin).
“If I didn’t have my mentors there and I didn’t have my partner who picked me up at my lowest, who knows where my NRL career would be now?
“I don’t want to ever be comfortable or complacent. I want to be a starting front-rower on a regular basis and if I get the opportunity I will take it with both hands.”
Broncos skipper Parker said Wallace is now an integral part of Brisbane’s quest for their first premiership in a decade.
“In the last 18 months Jarrod has been enormous,” he said. “In his early days, there were some games where he wasn’t put on and I assume it was because some people didn’t trust what he was doing.
“But he has certainly evolved as a young forward. He still has a lot of work to do but I’ve always had a soft spot for Jarrod.
“I feel very proud that he would see me as a mentor because he’s turned into a very handy footballer and hopefully he stays at the Broncos for a long time.”
