State of Origin 2018: Maroons call for Queensland to get behind Daly Cherry-Evans
WHATEVER your thoughts about Daly Cherry-Evans, it’s time to put them aside, as Maroons legends call on fans to unite behind their team to help avoid an Origin whitewash.
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QUEENSLAND legend Steve Walters has implored Queenslanders to unite in their support of Daly Cherry-Evans, fearing criticism about his selection is taking a mental toll on the under-siege halfback.
The former Queensland hooker, now the long-serving Maroons team manager, scuppered claims he is on the nose with teammates and said criticism of his Origin return — particularly north of the border — had been unfair.
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“You expect this type of thing from people in NSW. It’s part of it,” said Walters, who played 14 Origin matches between 1990-96.
“The disappointing thing is that some of the criticism of Daly has come from Queensland.
“We all have our opinions on who should be picked, and that’s fair enough. But once the Maroons team is chosen, we should all support our Queensland team.
“The other day at a press conference, Daly was asked whether he was worried about getting booed while playing for Queensland at Suncorp. I mean, how did it get to this?
“I understand people have a negative view about what went on between Daly and the Titans, and I am sure if he could have his time over, he would do things a little differently.
“But all this talk of feuds and him being on the outer is just not true.
“I have been in seven or eight camps and no one has ever had a problem with Daly. He is always quiet, courteous and a good bloke to deal with.”
Walters said Cherry-Evans had been unlucky at the selection table purely because he had come through at the same time as Queensland’s golden era of playmakers.
“People don’t seem to understand, with the halves in the Queensland team, you have two spots available, and one spot as a utility on the bench,” he said.
“We’ve had (Johnathan) Thurston, Cooper Cronk and Michael Morgan all playing in those positions — and they have been the current Australian representatives in those positions as well.
“It wasn’t that Queensland didn’t want to pick Daly, but the other three were just playing so well.”
Champion fullback Billy Slater, who will captain Queensland for the first time in his Origin farewell, lauded Cherry-Evans’ input over the past week.
“I get along with Daly really well,” Slater said.
“He is a likeable guy and can have a joke around camp, but when it’s time to focus on football, he gets serious and is a leader among this group of guys.
“We have an inexperienced team here and for him to come in with a fair bit of experience, he has jumped straight into a leadership role which has been great.”
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