Gold Coast captain Ryan James believes Jarrod Wallace's NRL defensive efforts will earn him a call up to Queensland's State of Origin side for game two in Sydney.
Wallace was 18th man for the series opener and James says the prop would help a leaky QLD defence which conceded 28 points in game one.
"He gets a lot of wraps for his runs, but his defence is just as important ... He's got a great engine and has shown he can play at the top level, it would be very fitting if he pulled on a Maroon jersey," James said.
While uncapped at representative level, statistics show Wallace can mix it with the best in the NRL.
During the Gold Coast-Cronulla round eight clash, the former-Bronco matched it with NSW Origin star Andrew Fifita.
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Wallace ran for 176m and racked up 39 tackles compared to Fifita's 166m and 20 tackles.
The prop has recorded the third highest amount of tackles in the NRL for his position, registering 394 this season.
After Fifita ran riot in the series opener, racking up nine tackle busts and almost running for 200m, Wallace's inclusion would be justified as an attempt to keep him quiet.
However if Wallace earns selection for game two, it would be a bittersweet moment for his club captain.
"For us, he's been our best forward this year - he wouldn't let his state down," James said.
"As a New South Welshman I probably don't want him to play, he does all the right things that people don't see which would really help that team."
