Peter Wallace is Penrith Panthers’ Allan Langer: Cameron Ciraldo
PETER Wallace may have been forced into premature retirement this year but his influence on the Penrith Panthers has never been greater says head coach Cameron Ciraldo.
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PETER Wallace may have been forced into premature retirement this year.
But his influence on the Panthers has never been greater.
Ahead of Penrith’s title march against the Warriors on Saturday at ANZ Stadium, the 240-game veteran has returned to the field with immediate impact.
Making his debut as Penrith’s official blue-shirt trainer last weekend, Wallace’s on-field presence and communication has been paid the ultimate compliment following the Panthers’ upset victory over Melbourne.
“What Allan Langer is at the Brisbane Broncos, Peter Wallace is for us,’’ Panthers head coach Cameron Ciraldo said.
“‘Wal’ is that calming voice and that knowledgeable voice — it’s like having another leader out there.’’
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Regarded by many at the Penrith club as Ciraldo’s most strategic coaching manoeuvre, Wallace was spotted wearing the blue shirt for the first time as an on-field trainer against the Storm.
Wallace had moved directly from playing into an assistant coaching role following his sudden retirement in June, following repeated knee and shoulder injuries.
However, after Anthony Griffin’s sacking, Ciraldo suggested to Wallace that he secure his qualification to become an accredited NRL on-field blue-shirt trainer — the same role Ciraldo was used by Griffin.
“That blue shirt course took him a couple of weeks to complete, but timing-wise it was a bonus getting him out there a week before semis, against Melbourne,’’ Ciraldo said.
“I feel like it was a really big advantage having him out there.
“Every player respects him and listens to him.
“He’s played with these boys for the first half of the season and he knows what we’re trying to do.
“It’s just a huge added bonus to have a person of Wal’s experience out there.’’
Despite their limited experience as a Penrith’s coaching brains trust Ciraldo, 33, relies heavily on Wallace, 32, who he shares a close working relationship with on and off the field.
The pair — who played against each other during their years in the SG Ball and Jersey Flegg — have rarely been apart over the past month, beginning each day with a 6am coffee together at a local cafe before finishing work at the Panthers academy 12 hours later.
“Since playing, he’s just joined the coaching staff seamlessly,’’ Ciraldo said.
“It’s a really good relationship, we’re both on the same page and we both get along well.
“I’m pretty sure that, if even if I am sending down the message from the coaches box, Wal has already delivered what I’m seeing before he’s even received it from us in the box.
“Out there, I think he helps everyone.
“He provides that constant feedback from a coach’s perspective, about what we’re seeing up in the box, he can give it to the player’s instantly out there.
“He can drive players for extra efforts, or get another few minutes out of our middle forwards, so it’s a really good thing for him to be out on the field for us in any role.
However, Ciraldo downplayed a finals series farewell for the former hooker.
“Obviously he retired before we would’ve liked and so it would be nice for him to be out there for a semi-final series,’’ Ciraldo said.
“I’m sure if we had to throw him out there, he could still do a great job, but I think he’s just as valuable on the coaching staff at this point in time.’’
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