How Wallace lived it up in Paris yet returned in great shape

Jarrod Wallace sampled the culinary delights of Paris in the off-season but has still come back to pre-season training seven kilos lighter than last year and in the best shape anyone at the Titans has seen.

Gold Coast coach Garth Brennan said the Maroons prop was getting around Titans HQ with his shirt off like never before.

When NRL.com spent a couple of days on the Gold Coast this week the word from the players was "you should do a piece on the shape J-Wal is in".

So after visiting a city where cassoulets, beef bourguignon and other calorie-laden delicacies reign supreme, how did he do it?

"I definitely had a holiday over there in Paris. There was nothing I didn't try," Wallace told NRL.com.

"I enjoyed some beautiful red wine and ate lots of baguettes and snails, but I cut back on my meal portions. I took my training kit with me and did some hard training sessions in the hotel gym over there.

"Me and my partner had an awesome time. I left here at 109 kilos and came back at 112 so I thought that was pretty good."

Wallace, who also got engaged to partner Courtney Thorpe in the off-season, has shed that weight and then some more after doing extras and keeping active in his post-season break. No surgeries have also helped.

"My mum works at Fitness First in Mermaid Waters and I was going in there three days a week and training hard," Wallace said.

"I also landscaped my house for most of my six weeks off with my granddad and was doing some hard days in the sun."

"I am weighing in at around 105 or 106 kilos. Last year on a good day I was 112 or 113. I got down to 109 but that was only for a couple of days.

"Having no surgeries in the off-season was a big help. Last year I had my ankle, groin and shoulder done. There's been so many over the years. I haven't had an off-season where I had nothing. This is the first one."

So that is what Wallace did, but the key to his peak condition is a change of mindset. The 27-year-old had a strong start to last year and represented Queensland but his post-Origin performances were underwhelming.

I definitely had a holiday over there in Paris. There was nothing I didn't try

Titans prop Jarrod Wallace

"I don't think I have had a mindset like this since 2017 when I first came here, but then I let myself go and thought it would all just happen for me. I fell into that trap," Wallace said.

"I was very disappointed with myself at the back end of the season but I have come in with a new mindset this year to make sure I do everything at training to make sure I am raring to go."

Brennan told NRL.com that Wallace had blown him away with his transformation.

"Jarrod Wallace is training the house down. I have to say he is in the best shape I have ever seen him," Brennan said.

"He understands that last pre-season he had some off-season surgeries and his weight ballooned, but I challenged him to come back at a certain weight and he nailed that.

"He's getting his shirt off which is scary, whereas last year he was covering up. This year he is getting his shirt off because he feels good about himself after doing the hard work."

Brennan won't be picking his side for round one on reputation or salary. It will be because they have earned the right, and Wallace conceded there were plenty of contenders in his own position.

"We have obviously got some very talented middles all pushing for a spot and I don't know what Garth is going to do round one," Wallace said.

"We've got Ryan James who can play both on an edge or in the middle, which is good for him. Big Shannon Boyd has got to be in there somewhere and then you throw in Jai Arrow and young guys like Moe [Fotuaika], Max King and Jack Stockwell."