State of Origin 2018: Daly Cherry-Evans puts his own spin on his Queensland exile

IT hasn’t taken Queensland’s comeback kid Daly Cherry-Evans long to put his own spin on his Maroons exile. PLUS the Dragons’ epic rematch and finals hopes for the Raiders.

IT hasn’t taken Daly Cherry-Evans long to settle straight back into the Queensland way of life.

After clean bowling Ben Hunt out of the starting team, Cherry-Evans immediately rewrote history by putting his own spin on the past.

Cherry-Evans came out this week and blamed his previous lack of Origin success on the fact he tried to play too much like Cooper Cronk.

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Daly Cherry-Evans has his own narrative. (AAP Image/Jono Searle)

“I certainly got lost in trying to be someone else last time I was playing,” the Manly halfback said.

“And that was down to how much respect I had for the people that were playing and the people’s spots I was filling in for.”

But I seem to remember the reason Cherry-Evans was banished back in 2015 was because Johnathan Thurston basically accused him of playing for himself and not being enough like Cronk.

While Thurston didn’t mention Cherry-Evans by name, he said when Cronk was returning from injury that year: “Coop is great at a lot of things but, playing beside him, one of the things I have grown to appreciate is his ability to not just take charge of a game when he needs to but also the way he knows when to step back and let other guys do their thing.

DCE gets a second bite at the cherry.

“We don’t rely on one bloke to win us the game. We’re at our best when we’re able to get everyone involved in the game — and I think at this level that’s what I have learned is the job of your halves.”

It only makes the messages being sent out by Queensland all the more confusing because didn’t Kevvie Walters basically guarantee Hunt’s spot after the loss in Sydney — before demoting him to the bench?

This year Hunt has only lost three of the 15 games he’s played for St George Illawarra, while Cherry-Evans gets his crack after winning just three of 12 games for Manly in 2018.

LISTEN! Nick Campion and Tim Williams hash out all the details of Origin III, ask who has the most to gain from the dead rubber and ask if Penrith’s season is on the ropes.

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DRAGONS WORTHY OF A REMATCH

St George Illawarra head to Melbourne attempting to crash tackle one of the NRL’s longest-running hoodoos.

Having lost the 1999 grand final to the Storm, Anthony Mundine produced one of his great clangers, dubbing Melbourne unworthy premiers days before their grand final rematch at the MCG in round five 2000. History shows Melbourne handed out a 70-10 hiding.

And in the years since, the Storm have won 14 straight against the Dragons in Melbourne.

Can the Raiders pull off the impossible? (Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

HOPE FOR GREEN

Most people reckon the top eight is done and dusted heading into round 17. I’m not so sure there is not still hope for Canberra.

While most probably gave up on the Raiders after crashing in Brisbane, stranger things have happened, especially when you look ahead at the draw for the Warriors and Broncos.

On 14 competition points, the Raiders can only afford to drop two of their remaining nine matches. They start with the Bulldogs on Saturday, followed by the Cowboys in round 19.

Although the Warriors are in fifth spot on 22 points, they have a tough draw coming up. After the Panthers, they play the Broncos in Brisbane followed by the Storm in round 19.

The Broncos are on 20 competition points and face the Titans, Warriors, Panthers and Sharks.

This still could get interesting.

Hoffman calls time with his son Zach and daughter Mia. (AAP Image/Daniel Pockett)

THE HOFF

Retiring Melbourne forward Ryan Hoffman has been a great player — but he must be an even better bloke.

It can’t be overstated that after Hoffman’s announcement this week that he will hang up his boots at the end of the season, Craig Bellamy came out and labelled the 34-year-old the best clubman he has been involved with.

Given Bellamy’s long history as a player and a coach at Canberra, Brisbane and Melbourne, and the many incredible players he has worked with, that’s one huge rap for Hoffman.

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Originally published as State of Origin 2018: Daly Cherry-Evans puts his own spin on his Queensland exile