State of Origin 2018: Blues to target under-pressure Daly Cherry-Evans in game three
HAVING signed up to lead the Blues for the next two years, NSW coach Brad Fittler has set his team a target for next week: ruin Daly Cherry-Evans’ Queensland comeback.
Blues
Don't miss out on the headlines from Blues. Followed categories will be added to My News.
KEVIN Walters handed Daly Cherry-Evans his first Queensland jumper in three years on Monday. Brad Fittler has vowed to take it back.
In his bid to guide New South Wales to a three-nil State of Origin clean sweep, Blues coach Fittler says his side need to shut down Cherry-Evans and prevent him becoming the Maroons’ long-term playmaker.
KENT: Cold Cronk hints at Smith truth
BUZZ: Kangaroos set for Blues overhaul
INCOMING: Fittler messes with winning formula
“Given the history with him and Queensland, he’s going to want to be great,” Fittler told The Daily Telegraph.
“There is a position there to be taken obviously and he could have that for the next five or six years, I’d say.
“We need to take it away, make it a tough day for him. He made his way in there (back in 2015) and then they chose someone else. When you’re winning, it’s very hard to be push your way in.”
“His game was good on the weekend but some of his games haven’t been great,” Fittler said.
NSW skipper Boyd Cordner and debutant Tariq Sims will be edge defenders ready to pommel Cherry-Evans.
Asked would he target Cherry-Evans, NSW star Tom Trbojevic said of his Manly teammate: “We’re not too focused on Queensland but when you cross that white line, everyone in a maroon jumper is the opposition.”
Fittler offered one reason why Cherry-Evans had his off-field critics.
“He must be interesting, you write about him,” he said. “He’s not your run-of-the-mill bloke. He is most probably worth talking about.”
Selection seemingly ends ongoing talk that Queensland had continually overlooked Cherry-Evans due to personality issues — although this Maroons team no longer has Johnathan Thurston or Cameron Smith.
NSW and Sea Eagles forward Jake Trbojevic, however, was full of praise for his club captain.
“We love him — he’s a great captain and a great leader,” Jake Trbojevic said. “We are all really good mates with him.
“The perception people have, you don’t listen to that. No one listens. He is honestly a really good bloke. He’s a legend.
“I’m not sure why, it’s quite frustrating, especially when you know him and you’ve got a lot of respect for him. People are out there bagging him, I’m sure it’s pretty hard on him.
“For a lot of his career, people have been into him but he is very mentally strong, he deals with it pretty well. He deserves to be there, I’m just so happy that he’s in there.”
Trbojevic says he is also happy enough to target him next Wednesday.
“It’s still game on” Trbojevic said.
“That’s footy — you try and get at the halves and hooker in the middle. He’ll get a bit of traffic I’d say but I’m sure he’ll handle it.”
Tom Trbojevic also praised Cherry-Evans, saying: “He does cop a fair bit but he doesn’t deserve it. People often put losses on him but I don’t think that’s fair. It could be the way he is portrayed in the media. He is possibly an easy target which I don’t think is fair.”
NSW will train at Coogee Oval this morning before enjoying a day off on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, now he is set to coach NSW’s State of Origin side until 2020, Brad Fittler wants to thank a team of rugby league part-timers for his new one-year Blues contract extension.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal Fittler signed an original two-year deal which included a clause for an automatic third season should he win a series.
After securing a 2-0 series lead over Queensland in Sydney, the NSWRL board immediately ratified Fittler’s extension.
And Fittler claimed coaching minnows Lebanon into the World Cup quarter-finals last year significantly helped his chances of becoming NSW coach.
The Cedars’ surprise success, Fittler said, erased any “doubt” over his coaching capabilities.
“I’ve got thank the (NSW) players but, if anything, I most probably have to thank the Lebanese players more than anyone,” Fittler told The Daily Telegraph.
“Without their performance, there was a lot of doubt if I was going to get the job or not.
“What happened, just listening to a lot of things, their performances sort of took a lot of doubt away.”
Asked was he referring to doubts over his coaching, Fittler said: “Yeah, whatever it was. Just doubt. I don’t know.
“There were other people going for the job too so it had nothing to do with misreading. They (NSWRL) were in a position to pick someone, they had opinions, assessments, they had to do that sort of stuff.
“The Lebanon thing just worked in my favour.
“Then these boys (NSW) coming up and doing what they did. It is a huge thanks to a lot of players.”
Fittler went on to further praise his champion team of Blues.
“You think about the manner in which they did it, to come from behind in both games. It is pretty impressive,” he said.
“The fact I got another year is purely down to their courage and wanting to work for each. But I just want to worry about the job at hand at the moment. Plenty happens.”
NSWRL chief executive David Trodden spoke highly of Fittler’s approach and dedication to Origin this season.
“When the board appointed Brad, they wanted his contract structured so he would be rewarded for success,” Trodden said.
“He couldn’t possibly have been more impressive than he has been in his work to date. So he deserves the reward that the board have in-built for him.
“As an organisation, I think we have every reason to expect plenty more good times following off on the work he has done this year.
“In the past, our organisation has shown itself to be one that supports its own people so if that success was replicated in coming years, then there would be no reason to change anything.”
Fittler has taken a lighter, left-field attitude toward Origin this year with spectacular results.
NSW will head to Brisbane for next week’s third game seeking the state’s first 3-0 whitewash since back in 2000 when Fittler was captain.
Originally published as State of Origin 2018: Blues to target under-pressure Daly Cherry-Evans in game three
Push for Ivan Cleary to coach NSW Blues is over
The NSW Blues’ coaching options are dwindling fast with Penrith premiership coach Ivan Cleary the latest big-name candidate to withdraw from the race. See the contenders to replace Michael Maguire.
Storm coach puts end date on career
Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has opened up on his future and putting a potential finishing date on his legendary career.