The Big V club had travelled down the Princes Highway for a Sunday showdown against Geelong Supercats, but came up short, losing 89-85.

Basketball was his sporting priority, a passion he could immerse himself in during winter with the Seahawks and summer with Terang Tornadoes.

Football was always there, but rarely his sole focus. His games tally the last four seasons with Terang Mortlake was 50 — which includes 36 in the reserves.

How things can change. A want to do “something a bit different” prompted Wallace to commit to football full-time in 2015.

The 22-year-old swapped the Bloods for Warrnambool and District league club Dennington and soon found himself leading the Dogs’ forward line.

He went goalless in his first two matches. But his last five have yielded 24 majors, including a bag of 10 against Deakin University last round.

That form prompted Warrnambool and District selectors to come calling. Interleague selection seemed unlikely two months ago, but not any more.

Wallace will start at full-forward when Warrnambool and District takes on Mid Gippsland at Morwell’s Ronald Reserve tomorrow.

“I wanted something a bit different. I’ve played a lot of basketball and I wanted to have a crack at footy, and I wanted to come to Warrnambool,” he said.

Wallace said he rarely played forward during his Bloods days but was relishing the chance to kick goals “just like everyone, I’d say”.

He hadn’t considered playing interleague until the preliminary squad started training.

“Absolutely (it’s an honour). It’s pretty awesome. I never thought I’d play interleague at senior level,” he said.

He was keen to make his mark in front of goals and emerge from the fixture as an improved footballer. “You always learn every time you play,” he said.

“And playing with older blokes is definitely going to help. Different players from different clubs, they’ve always got something to pass on.”