A devastated Jarrod Wallace was given one day to sulk over missing out on Queensland’s State of Origin game one squad before beginning his road to redemption.
Wallace was shattered to be overlooked by Maroons coach Kevin Walters for the series opener at Suncorp Stadium.
A trio of strong performances for Gold Coast in the NRL though has proven the ticket back with Wallace one of two players called up for Sunday’s game two in Perth by the Maroons.
The 27-year-old and Newcastle’s Tim Glasby will replace injured pair Joe Ofahengaue (knee) and Jai Arrow (ankle) as Queensland look to wrap up the series at Optus Stadium.
A chat with Titans’ trainer Dan Ferris was enough to ensure Wallace wasn’t down on himself for too long after the game one omission.
“I’m not going to lie – when I got that phone call on the Sunday I was very gutted,” Wallace told AAP.
“Monday, I probably kicked cans a little bit but Dan Ferris said ‘look, I’ll give you a day to kick those cans … You’ve got until 7am and you better be back to you’ and I was like ‘yep, sweet’ and then just back into it.”
In the three games since the Origin I team was named, Wallace has averaged 192 running metres and 24 tackles for the Titans.
“I just had to go out and do what I needed to do and play footy, do the best I could and I thought I did that,” Wallace said.
Wallace, Glasby and the rest of the Queensland squad will assemble in Perth on Monday in a short preparation before the historic first Origin in Western Australia.
Joining the team will be Melbourne’s Christian Welch, Newcastle flyer Edrick Lee and St George Illawarra playmaker Corey Norman as reserve players.
QUEENSLAND ORIGIN II TEAM: Kalyn Ponga, Corey Oates, Michael Morgan, Will Chambers, Dane Gagai, Cameron Munster, Daly Cherry-Evans (capt), Dylan Napa, Ben Hunt, Josh Papalii, Felise Kaufusi, Matt Gillett, Josh McGuire. Res: Moses Mbye, Jarrod Wallace, Tim Glasby, David Fifita.