Origin 2020: Daly Cherry-Evans sings praises of Ben Hunt and Valentine Holmes ahead of Game 2
Ben Hunt is proving to be Queensland’s super sub and he has been handed the ultimate praise by his skipper, Daly Cherry-Evans.
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Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans has revealed the stern words he copped from Wayne Bennett during the Origin series opener and how it’s set to fix Queensland’s attack.
Queensland will have new blood injected into their spine on Wednesday night when Valentine Holmes replaces the injured AJ Brimson in the No. 1 jersey.
Super sub Ben Hunt is expected to play a similar role off the bench again, becoming a third playmaker on the field alongside Cherry-Evans and five-eighth Cameron Munster.
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After a slow start in Game One, Cherry-Evans said it took a few “stern words” from the head coach during last Wednesday’s game to get him into an attacking mindset.
“I had a pretty good idea of what was happening in the first half and the things that weren’t working for me,” Cherry-Evans said.
“I certainly simplified it in the second half … a couple of stern words from Wayne was probably behind that I reckon.
“It was just ‘run the ball. Stop trying to throw it’.”
Queensland’s five-pronged playmaking attack – Holmes, Munster, Cherry-Evans, Jake Friend and Hunt – are hoped to become a weapon for the Maroons as they look to regain the Origin shield on Wednesday.
Holmes hasn’t played Origin since 2018 following a stint in the NFL but the Queensland skipper was confident he would improve the side’s attacking strike power.
“I am really confident with Val here,” Cherry-Evans said.
“Val is a really special player and you only have to watch Origin of years gone by to see the impact he can have.
“He is just a renowned try scorer at Origin level.
“I know we have made a little change there (shifting him to fullback) but Val just needs to, like all of us, play to his strengths.
“If he does that then we will be an improved side again.”
Cherry-Evans also likened Hunt’s utility ability to that of former Maroons great Cooper Cronk.
“He’s a great player, Ben,” he said.
“He had a massive impact on the first game.
“Cooper (Cronk) was obviously the best example of it (playing off the bench) and we’ve had Karmichael Hunt, Shaun Berrigan.
“You just want players on the field who can turn a game.
“You want certain players who are confident in their ability.
“Certainly, Ben Hunt is a player like that. He can come on and change a game just off the back of his attacking ability and he’s tough in defence.”
MAROONS UNFAZED BY ORIGIN HISTORY
Queensland aren’t shying away from their 2019 Origin demons in an attempt to avoid history repeating itself on Wednesday night.
The Maroons are in the exact same position as they were last year — winning the series opener 18-14, before going on to lose the remainder of the series, including the 38-6 defeat in Perth for Game 2.
Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans said both players and coaches have this week spoken openly about last year’s nightmare result in a bid to learn from their mistakes.
“We haven’t looked at the video (from Game 2, 2019) but it’s been spoken about, of course it has,” Cherry-Evans said.
“The first thing we thought after winning game one (this year), was let’s enjoy this moment but there’s still work to be done.
“Last year, they got us in the last two games.
“People thought Queensland were going to win it after Game One so we’re sitting here the same again.
“There’s some big lessons to be learnt from us.
“We’re aware of where we’re at and where we’ve been but we do believe we can learn from those mistakes.”
The side will have one final training session on Tuesday at Cbus Super Stadium before flying down to Sydney on Wednesday.
It comes as the playing group have vowed to improve on last week’s series opening performance when they pulled off a miraculous victory in Adelaide.
The Maroons will have several new faces, with AJ Brimson (foot) and Christian Welch (concussion) ruled out through injury and Valentine Holmes, Dunamis Lui and Moeaki Fotuaika expected to come into the side.
Kurt Capewell will have a final fitness test on his injured groin during Tuesday’s captain’s run with Edrick Lee on standby as his replacement if proved not fully fit.
Cherry-Evans said the side had to be a lot better than they were in Game One if they were any chance to claim victory in Sydney on Wednesday night.
“We’ve got to be a lot better, to be fair,” he said.
“(The Blues) didn’t play their best footy.
“They’ll be a lot hungrier, they’ll be an improved side.
“We’ll have to take our game to another level.
“What we did in game one won’t be enough to win game two or game three.
“We’re aware of that.”
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State of Origin 2020: Queensland hits back at ‘worst team ever’ sledge