NRL 2024: How Daly Cherry-Evans has influenced Melbourne Storm skipper Harry Grant
As he prepares to skipper the Storm on Anzac Day for the first time, Harry Grant has opened up on the covert role Daly Cherry-Evans has played in his leadership style.
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Melbourne star Harry Grant has revealed the covert role Manly and Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans has played in his leadership style as he prepares to skipper the Storm into Anzac Day for the first time.
Grant was handed the reins at the Storm in the preseason, taking over the captaincy duties from Christian Welch. The 26-year-old has been surrounded by some great leaders during his time at the Storm - former Richmond captain Trent Cotchin is the club’s leadership consultant - but that doesn’t mean he is averse to taking advice from the outside.
“We have Trent Cotchin on board with us this year, who is doing a little bit of advising,” Grant said.
“I have been having a little bit of a catchup with him which has been good, more so reassurance and a little bit of advice.
“I think the big one for me that I have learned off over the last few years is Cherry-Evans - he has been awesome.
“In State of Origin camp and him as a person, I have so much respect for him since building that relationship with him in 2020 and starting to learn off him.
“You look at the Queensland Origin team, there are a lot of young crew who are coming through and finding themselves as leaders at their clubs.
“I think (Cherry-Evans) just understands his strengths and how to unlock his teammates’ strengths. He is just easy to have a conversation with and he is experienced.
“I like asking questions and he always has good answers for me. I think the best thing is he is always leading with his actions as well.”
Grant has done that himself with Melbourne this year as the Storm have grabbed a share of the competition lead heading into Anzac Day.
They haven’t always been convincing, but they have found a way to win on a regular basis as they prepare to face South Sydney at AAMI Park.
They will start the game against the struggling Rabbitohs as warm favourites but Grant warns it would be folly to write off a South Sydney side littered with representative stars, albeit missing their biggest name in Latrell Mitchell.
“They have the squad to make something of (the season),” Grant said.
“Teams always seem to play well against the Melbourne Storm.”
As for the Storm’s unconvincing form, Grant said: “We would rather take the two (competition) points than for and against - we’re far from our best and that is the pleasing thing for the group.”
Even more pleasing if they can do the same on Anzac Day. The club had a lunch on Monday where they heard from pathways coach Mark Russell and Harry Moffitt, an SAS veteran who is now a performance consultant and works with Collingwood.
Grant’s grandfather was in the air force for a time and he acknowledged Anzac Day wasn’t just about honouring those who served, but also their loved ones who were left at home.
“We touched on it a little bit this week,” Grant said.
“It is very special having the honour and privilege to play on Anzac Day and you want to honour those who have saved us proud.
“That made a good point that the Anzacs and soldiers go away, but there are also the families that are left at home.
“As much as a lot of it is for the Anzacs, there are also those families who have been involved and gone through it.”
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