Returning Wallace expecting big things from Brisbane

Peter Cassidy | rugbyleaguelive.com | 08/07/08 | 0

The injury-plagued Broncos are sitting five points clear of the competition front-runners but halfback Peter Wallace insists the Brisbane club is ready to surge home and enter the finals amongst the NRL’s top-four teams.

Tipped to make his return from injury alongside skipper Darren Lockyer against the Bulldogs on Sunday, Wallace said the club's tough run with injury and Origin duties has earned them a tough finals-footy mentality.

"We've got a good draw with six of our last nine matches at Suncorp so hopefully we can have a good run and power into the semis," Wallace told News Limited.

"We've got a lot of boys coming back from Origin, injury and suspension and you can get a bit of complacency when that happens.

"But if we get out there like we did at the start of the year and start building again we can make a charge for the top four."

Wallace, who ruptured a testicle in Origin II, expects will play his return game for Brisbane alongside Lockyer who is making a speedy return from knee surgery.

"I heard this morning Locky could be back on the weekend and that's good news for us," Wallace said.

Broncos performance director Jeremy Hickmans was yesterday talking up Lockyer's chances despite past comeback failures which have frustrated his efforts to regain full use of his reconstructed right knee.

Hickmans has cleared Lockyer to return to team training on Tuesday.

"He'll train with the squad tomorrow (Tuesday) and we'll build him up through the week," said Hickmans who's given Brisbane's Origin players an extended break.

"His rehab this time has gone fantastically and we're looking very positive for the weekend."

If we get out there like we did at the start of the year and start building again we can make a charge for the top four... Peter Wallace, Brisbane halfback