Wallace sweating on Lockyer's signature
The only person more relieved than Darren Lockyer when he finally signs his new NRL deal with Brisbane will be halfback Peter Wallace.
Wallace had a front-row seat at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday when Lockyer directed a 58-24 clinic against Penrith as Brisbane sewed some finals doubt in the minds of their detractors.
Lockyer has become increasingly frustrated by the delay in finalising third-party deals in his new deal which have nothing to do with the Broncos.
However he can't sign any contract until those deals are finalised by his manager.
Wallace, who played a support act to the champion five-eighth at the weekend, said on Monday he would be happy when Lockyer put pen to paper.
"I'm hoping more than anyone he'll be there for a couple more years," Wallace said.
"I can't believe people knock him," Wallace said.
"What he has done for the game and how he's played the game at the highest level for so long, yet people still find a way to bag him.
"I couldn't learn from anyone better. I'll be pretty relieved when he finally signs."
Wallace said Lockyer's performance in serving up five of the final passes for Brisbane's 10 tries was as good as he has seen from him since moving to the club last year.
"He put on a clinic against Parramatta earlier this year and that was another one," Wallace said.
Wallace said his dodgy hamstring had pulled up a little better than he expected on Monday but he would have to take it easy through the week before lining up against Dragons halfback Ben Hornby in Wollongong on Friday night.
Wallace had an MRI scan last month after a training mishap which revealed a slight tear in his hamstring.
"I'm not sure how bad it was. It's still a bit sore during the week so I have to manage it," he said.
"I guess there's a risk, but I have to play."
Wallace, who has battled his way back from some tough criticism during the Origin series, said players couldn't get carried away by the magnitude of the club's second win in a row against Penrith.
"Last week against Cronulla there were a few pleasing things and yesterday was better again," he said.
"Two decent games of footy in a long time doesn't mean a lot unless we continue to build on it against the Dragons on Friday.
"They're the benchmark at the moment and they're pretty tough down there."
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