Origin 2020: Daly Cherry-Evans reveals what life with Wayne Bennett is really like
Behind the craggy exterior and curt one-liners lies a Wayne Bennett that only those in the inner sanctum knew – until now.
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Maroons coach Wayne Bennett is renowned for his mentoring tactics and it’s been no different in Camp Maroon.
Ahead of the Origin series opener in Adelaide, Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans has opened up about Bennett’s involvement during the first week of Queensland camp – from playing cards to pumping iron in the gym with the players.
The sprightly 70-year-old hasn’t just been sitting in front of the drawing board and devising a master plan to cause an Origin upset.
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He’s also been busy getting involved in the player’s day-to-day lives inside the Queensland Origin camp on the Gold Coast.
Cherry-Evans has revealed how his influence has helped relax the largely inexperienced Origin squad ahead of Wednesday night’s blockbuster.
“You should see him in the gym – he’d put all of us to shame,” Cherry-Evans said. “Wayne does work out.
“That’s probably the best thing I’ve enjoyed about Wayne’s company.
“It’s not just selective, he literally does involve himself in everything.
“Whether that’s playing cards, or out on the field or when the boys are doing weights, Wayne does put himself in everything.
“His calming influence is great to have around.”
Queensland coaching staff has a remarkable amount of Origin experience – balancing out the inexperience of the playing group.
Forward Josh Papalii is the most experienced Queensland player, with 15 Origin games under his belt.
However, the Bennett and Mal Meninga alliance boasts a combined 52 games as coach and 14 Origin series wins between them.
Cherry-Evans said it was this experience from the top that had Queensland prepared for New South Wales on Wednesday night.
“When people do talk from experience, it makes you become more assured and certain of what’s to come,” he said.
“If we’ve got Mal telling us to expect this or expect that, that means we’re going to be more prepared of what’s to come.
“We’re not going to underestimate NSW.
“We’ve got too many people who have played or been involved in too many Origin series to understand what’s at stake.
“We’ll be more than prepared and a lot of the preparation has come from the coaching staff.”
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Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans has spoken of his burning desire to lead Queensland to a series victory after rebounding from an Origin outcast to state captain.
Cherry-Evans will lead Queensland into a State of Origin series for the second time as captain when the 2020 edition kicks off in Adelaide on Wednesday.
The Manly skipper’s first year leading the Maroons ended in a heartbreaking last-minute loss to NSW in the Game Three decider, which resulted in Queensland’s second straight series defeat.
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It was only three years ago that Cherry-Evans found himself in Origin abyss.
The Mackay product had made six Origin appearances after debuting for Queensland in 2013 and was being tipped to be a future skipper of the Maroons.
But a loss in Game Two of the 2015 series, just weeks after his infamous decision to renege on a contract with the Gold Coast Titans, would be a pivotal moment in his Origin career.
Despite being one of the NRL’s top playmakers, Cherry-Evans spent the next three years out of the Queensland team and was forced to deal with speculation around his popularity in the inner sanctum as Maroons hierarchy repeatedly made perplexing selection choices.
Cherry-Evans was finally recalled to the Queensland team for the 2018 dead-rubber at halfback, helping the Maroons avoid a series clean sweep.
And the retirement of Greg Inglis saw him elevated to captain last year, capping a remarkable rise after he faced the prospect of never wearing Maroon again.
Now 31 and a veteran of 236 NRL games, Cherry-Evans isn’t satisfied with captaining his state. He wants to be remembered as a skipper that hoisted the Origin shield.
“It’s a childhood dream,” Cherry-Evans told News Corp
.
“Playing for Queensland, you start off with those goals at the start of your career. You just want to play one game. Then you want to play more.
“I’ve always been someone that aims high. In the back of my mind I always hoped I would one day be a leader for my state and country. It’s a special feeling.
“I don’t want to miss an opportunity to be a winning Queensland captain, not just a Queensland captain.”
Cherry-Evans doesn’t carry any scars from his three years in the Origin wilderness, but the period made him realise how special it is to play for Queensland.
That is why he will never take the opportunity for granted and is urging Queensland’s nine debutants for game one to embrace his approach.
“I never take coming into camp for granted,” he said.
“I had that lay-off for a couple of years, so any chance I get to come back in I make the most of.
“My advice to the young fellas is don’t waste an opportunity. You don’t know when your last game is coming for Queensland.
“I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to captain Queensland again this year. I want it to be a special series.
“It’s a privilege to captain Queensland no matter what, but I want to be one of those captains that wins for Queensland.”
With the likes of Queensland legends Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk and Inglis retiring over the past three years, Cherry-Evans’ ascent to the captaincy was swift.
He was only back in the Queensland fold for one game before being appointed to the role and will lead one of the least experienced teams in Origin’s 40-year history this week.
Former Queensland coach Kevin Walters handed Cherry-Evans the captaincy and incoming mentor Wayne Bennett saw no reason to take it off him this year.
“Daly is the right man for the job,” Bennett said.
“I had no issue at all with him being captain for this series. I’ve come in late and I didn’t want to create any unnecessary disruption.
“Daly has the respect of the group so he will get the job done.”
Queensland won a remarkable 11 of 12 series from 2006-17, but the pendulum has swung back in NSW’s favour with stars like James Tedesco and Damien Cook leading a Blues revival.
The Blues have won the past two series and will enter this year’s three-game edition as heavy favourites.
Despite facing the prospect of losing a third straight series, Cherry-Evans said the Maroons weren’t feeling any pressure.
“I wouldn’t call it pressure, but we’re definitely really motivated to win after last year,” he said.
“If you’re putting pressure on yourself with that sort of stuff you’re only clouding your head before the game.
“I understand they’ve won two in a row. I’m certainly not ignoring it. But I’m not looking at that as pressure.
“It is 100 per cent motivation. We want to knock them off this year and stop their run.”
If Queensland can win this year’s unique post-season series it will be remembered as one of the great Origin victories.
The Maroons have been decimated by injuries, suspension and retirements, forcing Bennett to name 17 uncapped players in Queensland’s 27-man squad.
Queensland will blood the likes of Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Jaydn Su’a, Lindsay Collins, Xavier Coates and AJ Brimson in Adelaide, young players with extraordinary talent but limited NRL experience.
However, Cherry-Evans sees that as a positive as Queensland looks to snap the star-studded Blues’ Origin stranglehold.
“In Origin you’ve got to defend well – that’s where the games are won and lost,” he said.
“But that flamboyance is something that might separate us this year if I’m honest.
“Wayne and the staff will get us humming defensively, but what we’ve got in the side attacking-wise is a strength of ours.
“Our big fellas will get through plenty of work but we need to make sure they play their natural games.
“Whether that’s footwork or an offload, we want to make sure people are being themselves and playing their best footy. That will help us win.
“The boys won’t be overawed by the occasion or any games they get. They’re here because of good NRL seasons.
“It’s not a mistake they’re here. They’ve earned it by playing good footy.”
Originally published as Origin 2020: Daly Cherry-Evans reveals what life with Wayne Bennett is really like