Missing shot a regret for Daly

SHATTERED Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans has spoken of his regret at not attempting the field goal that could have made him a hero and brought the Origin shield back to Queensland.

With 90 seconds remaining and scores locked at 20-20, Cherry-Evans set himself for a series-winning one-pointer 35m out, only to change his mind after NSW hooker Damien Cook rushed him into a hurried high kick.

Replays showed Queensland utility Moses Mbye wasting at least three seconds in the lead-up arguing with the referees for a penalty, soaking up crucial time as Cherry-Evans waited for his moment to strike.

The Blues ultimately defused Cherry-Evans’ ineffective kick and raced 95m to drive a dagger into the Maroons and leave the Queensland captain ruing his decision not to roll the dice with a fieldgoal attempt.

Cherry-Evans is one of the NRL’s most lethal field-goal exponents, having landed 19 one-pointers in his career, including several to win goldenpoint thrillers.

“Hindsight is a wonderful thing ... but the shot that I didn’t take will be the one I always regret,” he said.

“I certainly had intentions to have a shot at field goal as the set unfolded.

“I was planning for it, but when the play-the-ball slowed up, it was going to be too much pressure on me and I wasn’t going to get that clean shot that I wanted.

“Had I missed it, there would have been enough time for them to go down the field and they ended up scoring anyway.

“I honestly can’t tell you if I had enough time to have a shot, but judging by the kick I got away, I felt they rushed up on me pretty quickly.

“Had I taken a field goal ... I wouldn’t have got a clean shot away.

“I guess there are regrets but you have to back your judgment in the heat of battle

I GUESS THERE ARE REGRETS BUT YOU HAVE TO BACK YOUR JUDGMENT IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE DALY CHERRY-EVANS

and backing our defence to hold NSW out was the right thing at the time.”

Cherry-Evans was an outstanding leader in his first series as captain and his heartbreak in the Queensland sheds was palpable.

As he reflected on NSW fullback James Tedesco’s lastminute match-winner, Cherry-Evans was barely able to finish his sentence. Tears welled in his eyes as he tried to digest the pain of Queensland’s second consecutive series loss.

“I feel like the rest of Queensland, I’m shattered, really shattered,” he said, fighting back tears.