Did Daly Cherry-Evans’ club contract saga kill his Origin career?
The losses are piling up and the pressure is piling on - with his Origin career on thin ice and club future far from certain - the biggest names in the game weigh in on where it all went wrong for Daly Cherry-Evans.
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Rugby league immortal Mal Meninga has compared Daly Cherry-Evans’ potential axing to the stunning demotion of Wally Lewis at the Brisbane Broncos more than 30 years ago as Maroons coach Billy Slater prepares to make the biggest call of his career on Monday.
Cherry-Evans is fighting a seemingly losing battle to hold onto his place in the Queensland side for the second State of Origin game as the Maroons look to save the series at Optus Stadium in Perth.
The Maroons playmaker has made 26 appearances for Queensland, but the shadow of Tom Dearden looms large as Slater looks to make changes after defeat at Suncorp Stadium.
Cherry-Evans retained his place in the Queensland side for Origin I despite some indifferent form over the past two months.
The 36-year-old’s performance failed to ignite the Maroons, with critics suggesting Dearden offered a greater level of energy and attacking spark, when he came onto the field for the final 26-minutes.
Cherry-Evans’ struggles can be traced back to last March when he made the shock decision to announce his plans to leave Manly after 15-years at the end of this season.
While he is yet to announce where he will play next season - the Sydney Roosters are the raging hot favourites - Cherry-Evans’ form has suffered since, as has Manly’s.
Meninga coached Queensland during a period of unprecedented dominance and suggested Daly’s demotion would be one of the biggest calls in Origin history.
“It’s huge, it’s huge,” Meninga said.
“Just as big as when Wayne removed Wally from the Broncos and made Gene Miles (captain). One of the greatest players to play the game just gets usurped - that’s Wayne.
“He makes those tough decisions. So that’s the world we live in. It’s a competitive world. Winning is paramount. When you’re not winning, you get kicked up the arse.
“So you got to make those tough decisions.”
SLATER’S ORIGIN CONUNDRUM
The Maroons are in a rut. After enjoying unmitigated success when he first took charge of Queensland, Slater has tasted defeat in his past three games - and four of his last five Origin matches.
Slater insisted it wasn’t a personnel issue after losing at Suncorp Stadium but changes are in the wind. The most significant could be the captain, whose club form has mirrored that of his side in recent months.
After losing to NSW at Suncorp Stadium in Origin I, Cherry-Evans, 36, went back and starred for Manly in a big win over the Brisbane Broncos.
Cherry-Evans was meant to be rested but insisted that he wanted to take his place against the Broncos and inspired an important win. He then backed up against Newcastle on Thursday night as the Sea Eagles threw away a big halftime lead to suffer a devastating loss.
That defeat prompted criticism from Maroons legends Johnathan Thurston and Cameron Smith - the former suggested Cherry-Evans’ game management wasn’t up to scratch as the Sea Eagles threw away the lead.
“He’s probably the same as his footy team - a bit inconsistent,” Meninga said.
“They had the game under control at half-time (against Newcastle) but then if your middles don’t get any ascendancy or momentum, you play off the back foot.
“That’s what happened in game one (of Origin). The NSW team, that was one of the best defensive performances I have seen.
“I was sort of sitting behind them on the line a little bit. Where I was positioned, they didn’t have a weak spot. It’s not so much the personnel but it, it’s more so the plan.”
DCE RUNNING OUT OF TIME
In his post-game press conference following Manly’s dismal golden-point loss to the Knights, Cherry-Evans was asked whether he felt he had done enough to be picked for Slater’s team for game two in Perth.
“I don’t know - find out Sunday or Monday,” Cherry-Evans said.
Another reporter then asked if he knew where he stood in regards to selection.
“You always find out on Sunday or Monday,” Cherry-Evans repeated.
“I genuinely don’t know what has been said. I understand it’s a pretty busy period when it comes to my name. I’m just doing my best to keep my head down, play and train with the Manly boys and be a good dad.”
Cherry-Evans’ decision to play against the Knights was a story in itself. The game at McDonald Jones Stadium was his fifth for Manly and Queensland in the previous 25 days.
His team needed him and Cherry-Evans wanted to be there for them. His decision to leave Manly at the end of the season raised questions over his commitment but he has responded on the field by turning up for coach Anthony Seibold and his teammates.
“I think as you get older you need to have momentum to play your best football,” Meninga said.
“Chez is a really good runner of the football and he just doesn’t do that enough in my opinion. So he’s happy to manage the game which he’s getting big ticks for.
“I think Cooper (Cronk) made a comment the other day with Matty (Johns) around run first, run first, and then your decision making gets a bit easier.
“That’s when you start to put opposition under pressure. That’s what Tommy (Dearden) gives you.”
HAVE THE ROOSTERS GONE COLD?
As far as the rest of the rugby league world goes, a greater surprise will be if Cherry-Evans doesn’t turn up at the Roosters.
Former Roosters hooker Brandon Smith claimed several weeks ago: “I think (Cherry-Evans) has already been signed and delivered for a while now – everyone’s just too afraid to admit it,” he told 2GB radio.
The ongoing saga of Cherry-Evans and the Roosters has become tedious and boring, to the point of which the drawn-out subject could be detrimental to the future of Roosters young halves Sandon Smith and Hugo Savala, who are diligently going about their work with the veteran’s name looming over their shoulders.
The Roosters won’t offer a formal position about signing Cherry-Evans when a reporter calls.
All inquiries about Cherry-Evans end with the club taking the position of not willing to discuss ‘ifs’ and ‘maybes’.
However, an interesting thread has begun in recent days that suggests some members of the Roosters coaching staff may be getting cold feet over the possible acquisition of the veteran playmaker.
That seems hard to fathom. It is hard to believe that Cherry-Evans would have been so public about his plans to leave Manly without something else up his sleeve.
Yet the suggestion that the Roosters could be second guessing their decision is a reflection of his form over the past month.
THE FINAL CALL
Meninga sums it best. Ultimately the only thing that can guarantee a place in any side is winning. Loyalty goes out the window when you are beaten and Queensland haven’t been on the right side of the scoreboard of late.
It means everyone’s position is up for grabs as Slater looks for the magic elixir to reinvigorate their fortunes.
Dearden may be the answer. He came off the interchange bench in Origin I and made an impact but there is a feeling that he can add more dynamism and threat to the side starting at halfback.
Dearden had a mixed game for North Queensland against Melbourne on Friday night but the sense is that he has his nose in front as Slater mulls over changes heading to Perth.
Adding to his credentials, after starting the season at five-eighth he has played halfback in recent weeks.
“It’s perfect timing for everyone,” Meninga said.
“I knew that Tommy could play at seven. I talked to Tommy last year when he was in the national side around that seven.
“He said I can do it, I’ll be right. He grew up a seven. He’s a competitor. Everyone knows how completive he is. You run at him, he’ll tackle you.
“He will go to the line. He has improved his kicking game. You know what you’re getting. You know he’s not going to let you down.”
Ultimately, Slater’s only motivation will be picking a side that can level the series.
“It’s all about winning,” Meninga said.
“It’s just building strong relationships and trying to get the best out of people. But at the end of the day, if you’ve been working with him and if things are not working out, then you’ve got to make a tough decision.
“That’s coaching. You know, that’s being a head coach actually making tough decisions. I would be a huge call but sometimes you’ve got to make the tough ones. The ability to make the tough ones makes or breaks you.”
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