Dubbo’s Isaah Yeo has paid tribute to outgoing Penrith Panthers captain Peter Wallace after the hooker announced his retirement this week.
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The 240-game veteran revealed he played for two years without an anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, but it was a more recent shoulder injury that prompted the decision to retire.
He now moves into Penrith’s coaching ranks.
“It’s just the kind of bloke he is,” Yeo said in a video on the club’s official website.
“A wonderful leader, no nonsense and just gets on with his job.
“He’s done a tremendous job for Penrith and Brisbane and now he’s going to do a tremendous job for us … with the coaching.”
The pair’s relationship had a rocky start, with Yeo copping a “spray” from “the fiery redhead” in only his second NRL game.
“I didn’t run a good line for him and he got jammed I think from the backrower,” Yeo said. “Not an ideal start but I think we’ve improved since then … he’d be one of my closest mates.”
He backed the hooker and former halfback to be a head coach one day.
“He’s respected by all his peers, knows the game of football well … really smart so I think he’d be tremendous,” Yeo said. “We’re excited to have him around.”