Some more wallace news...
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21821316-10389,00.html
Panther Brisbane boundMatt Marshall
May 31, 2007 12:00am
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PENRITH pivot Peter Wallace is set to turn down an offer to replace skipper Craig Gower as Panthers halfback by pledging his allegiance to the Broncos.
The lure of partnering Australian, Queensland and Brisbane captain Darren Lockyer in the halves under Wayne Bennett is believed to have been instrumental in prising the 21-year-old from his junior club.
In a positive development for the Broncos, who yesterday confirmed the loss of Test flyer Brent Tate, Wallace is poised to agree as early as this weekend to a two-year deal with the premiers believed to be worth about $150,000 a season.
Wallace would have to reject a luring counter-offer to remain at the Panthers, his junior club.
Panthers coach Matt Elliott was tipped to implement a sensational backline reshuffle to keep Wallace at the foot of the Blue Mountains – in which the Melbourne-born playmaker would replace skipper Gower at halfback.
Gower was set to return to hooker, where he began his first-grade career in 1996, given the likely departure of 30-year-old hooker Luke Priddis at the end of 2008.
It was hoped Wallace would move to halfback, potentially to partner off-contract Manly pivot Travis Burns, who is being courted by the Panthers.
Brisbane has rubbished claims it too is in the market for the Sea Eagles pivot, who has also attracted interest from North Queensland and the Gold Coast.
The 22-year-old admits the lure of partnering Test and State of Origin halfback Johnathan Thurston in the Cowboys halves is a tempting one.
"To play with a halfback like Thurston would appeal to any five-eighth," Burns said.
"I'll have to take everything into consideration. Manly have been good to me over the years so it's going to be a hard decision to make."
Auckland-bound Test star Tate will depart Brisbane with the club's blessing.
"If I was his dad I would have said to him 'go son'," chief executive Bruno Cullen said. "He got offered a very good contract and we didn't even table one back to him. Under the salary cap, and given the offer made by the Warriors, our best advice to Tatey would be to take it.
"It's sad to see him go. It's always disappointing to lose someone of his quality. He's been with us since school and he's been a great contributor to the club over the last number of years.
"The salary cap does that to you unfortunately."
Brisbane remains confident of re-signing young stars Greg Eastwood, Joel Moon, Darius Boyd and Steve Michaels in addition to marquee trio Petero Civoniceva, Justin Hodges and Shaun Berrigan.
"I needed a fresh start. I felt I needed another challenge," Tate said.
"It was time for a change. The easy thing to do was to stay in Brisbane
Seriously what the hell are we doing in the recruitment department, Wallace certainly isn't worth the ridiculous figures some would like to throw at him, but his potential certainly is work $150K IMO over say two years.
). Gower is still used to having to cover up the backlines weaknesses, when now they are our strengths. Maybe we need a winger if Daniella/Youngquest can't cover the role but I think this is way down on the priority list.
