MIND GAMES

Cherry-Evans calls on motivational guru

DALY Cherry-Evans has enlisted the help of an NRL motivational guru and life coach to ensure he doesn’t crack in the high-pressure moments the Maroons halfback will face in Origin III tonight.

NewsCorp can reveal NRL “mystery man” Joe Wehbe is the quasi-sports psychologist behind the form surge that has inspired CherryEvans’ Maroons resurrection.

An intensely private figure who shuns media interviews, Wehbe has mentored scores of NRL players in recent years.

Several Origin stars have hailed his intriguing methods, with NSW fullback James Tedesco lauding him as the “sports psyche” who has instilled the self-belief to become an Origin matchwinner.

Now Cherry-Evans is a true believer in his secret weapon Wehbe (above), as the Queensland No.7 looks to prove once-and-for-all at Suncorp Stadium tonight that he can step-up as an Origin playmaker.

Cherry-Evans has twice suffered defeats as an Origin starter.

His critics claim he simply doesn’t have the skill set to deliver for Queensland, but the Maroons halfback says Wehbe has equipped him with the mental tools to ensure he won’t choke in the code’s toughest arena.

“Joe has been great for me in football and life,” Cherry-Evans said.

“I call Joe in times of uncertainty and he has cleared my head up. He has me thinking positively about what I need to do and how to handle moments and situations on and off the field.

“I don’t know if he’s a sports psychologist as such, but he helps with my mind. It’s more about my outlook and the way that I approach things. He has really taken away the uncertainty of any situation and put a real clarity around things.

“The clearer you think, the easier your work is. That’s been a big part in my improvement as a footballer and hopefully it holds me in good stead for Queensland.”

Wehbe has become a mental Mr Fixit for many in the NRL world.

Two years ago, he had a brief stint under Broncos coach Wayne Bennett after a recommendation from former assistant Steve Kearney, who had hired Wehbe as his “peak performance coach” with the New Zealand national team. Wehbe is known to bellow phrases such as “trust the ball”, and he speaks to Cherry-Evans about “positive energy fields”.

In the lead-up to some NRL games, Wehbe will phone Cherry-Evans and suggest he run to certain parts of the field.

“I got introduced to Joe at the start of last season,” Cherry-Evans said. “If I have something bothering me, it wouldn’t be uncommon for me to call him twice a week. Joe has taught me to make sure if it feels good in the heart, make sure you do it, because you can’t go wrong following your heart. He makes sure I am nice and clear in my thoughts and what I want to achieve.”