DCE still hungry to lead the way
DALY Cherry-Evans has outlined his plan to captain Queensland until 2025 as the in-form Manly ace prepares for an Origin-style showdown with Broncos halfback rival Adam Reynolds.
Cherry-Evans’ halfback tussle with Reynolds will be one of the marquee duels of Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night. Cherry-Evans returns to Suncorp, the scene of his 2020 Origin heroics, in the best form of his career. The Maroons maestro leads the NRL for kick metres with 4090m, just 6m ahead of Reynolds (4084) as the champions brace for a scrumbase tactical battle.
After three years in Origin exile, Cherry-Evans has been Queensland‘s halfback mainstay since 2018 and he plans to keep it that way for another three years.
“It’s great to see other halfbacks doing well, but I’m up for the challenge,” he said. “Competition is great in any walk of life and it’s certainly bringing out the best in me. I actually enjoy people comparing me and Nathan Cleary and I love watching him play. He‘s top shelf. We’re at different stages of our careers, he’s got the world at his feet, but there’s a World Cup at the end of the year and that’s part of my goal.
“In terms of Origin, it’s really pleasing to see the evolution of Sam Walker.
“It’s important Queensland’s stocks are healthy and it’s great to see young playmakers such as Sam and Tommy Dearden coming through.
“But their development doesn’t change the fact that I love playing for Queensland and I’m still as passionate as ever about wearing the Maroon jumper for as long as I can.”
Cherry-Evans’ competitive fire has been stoked by the ultimate Origin rollercoaster ride of the past 18 months.
In November 2020, the veteran of 16 Origin games celebrate his career highpoint when he skippered Queensland to the biggest series boilover in interstate history as Wayne Bennett returned with 14 debutants to stun the Blues.
Within eight months, Cherry-Evans was digesting the pain of Queensland’s horror 2021 campaign. Under Bennett’s coaching successor Paul Green, the Maroons fell apart, suffering a record 50-6 loss in Game One in Townsville before surrendering the Origin shield with an embarrassing 26-0 shutout at Suncorp.
Cherry-Evans helped engineer a face-saving 20-18 victory in Game Three, but the wounds are still raw for the Queensland skipper.
“It was a really difficult series,” he said. “Personally, it was devastating. I went from the highs of captaining Queensland to a series win to the lows of watching NSW completely dominate us.
“We had so many dramas and things go wrong last year.
“But I’m a competitive person and if I get the chance, I want to right some wrongs this year. I feel as excited as I was in my first season.
“Trust me ... I will be playing for Manly, Queensland and Australia as long as I can.”