State of Origin 2023: Daly Cherry-Evans vows to win back Kangaroos No.7 jersey from Nathan Cleary
On the eve of a rare Origin milestone, Maroons captain Daly Cherry-Evans opens up on his personal duel with Nathan Cleary, Kalyn Ponga’s axing, and when he’ll retire from rep footy.
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Queensland skipper Daly Cherry-Evans has put Blues maestro Nathan Cleary on notice, outlining his mission to dethrone his NSW rival and reclaim the mantle as Australia’s No.1 halfback.
In a wide-ranging interview, Cherry-Evans declared he is primed for an Origin shootout with Cleary as he prepares to celebrate a special milestone for Queensland in Wednesday night’s 2023 series opener at Adelaide Oval.
Cherry-Evans will become the 33rd Queenslander to be awarded the prestigious Dick ‘Tosser’ Turner Medal when he leads the Maroons out against the Blues in his 20th State of Origin game.
The Maroons champion opened up to News Corp about the honour, his mortality as Queensland halfback, the pain of his three-year exile, the shock axing of Kalyn Ponga and why State of Origin could be a smash hit in America.
“I played every game like it’s my last for Queensland,” Cherry-Evans said. “You don’t know when it can be taken away from you.”
OPERATION CLEARY
Ever the competitor, Cherry-Evans was stung by his axing as Australia’s halfback top dog last November in favour of Cleary, who ultimately piloted the Kangaroos to World Cup glory.
At 34, the Maroons halfback accepts the 25-year-old Cleary is in his pomp as the NRL’s No.1 halfback, but Cherry-Evans is gunning for the NSW magician as he looks to inflict back-to-back series losses on the Blues.
Australia will take part in an end-of-season Tri Nations tournament. Cleary may well be a Kangaroos certainty, but Cherry-Evans is hellbent on outpointing him – starting in Origin I.
“I am not going to retire from rep footy just yet,” the Maroons captain said.
“We have more Australian footy at the end of the year, so I’m going to try and put myself in the picture through form.
“I’m not too proud to say that it’s Nathan’s Australian jersey at the moment and that’s fine.
“He has earned that and deserved that, but if something pops up at the end of the year and he might not be available, I want to make sure the selectors know that I’m playing well enough to be picked for Australia in the No.7 jumper.
“Hopefully a Queensland series win can help me in that regard.”
THE MEDAL
Cherry-Evans will join an elite band of Maroons by clinching the Turner Medal named after one of Queensland’s great administrators.
When he runs onto Adelaide Oval, Cherry-Evans will equal Queensland greats Gene Miles, Matt Gillett and Greg Conescu with his 20th Origin game.
By the end of the series, if he stays fit, ‘DCE’ will match or surpass Maroons titans such as Shane Webcke (21), Martin Bella (21), Cooper Cronk (22), Kevin Walters (22), Matt Scott (22) and Paul Vautin (22).
Cherry-Evans will forever cherish his Medal because he was not supposed to last long enough to receive it. Others were selection untouchables. Not DCE. When he was dropped in 2015, and spent three years out of the team, Cherry-Evans supposedly had his Maroons papers marked. There were rumours big guns Johnathan Thurston and Cameron Smith couldn’t cop him. The duo insist that was never the case.
Yet almost a decade later, Cherry-Evans is still standing, taller than ever, as Queensland captain, the Medal tangible evidence of his resilience.
“I wouldn’t wish those three years out of Origin on any NRL player,” said Cherry-Evans, who was dropped after six games.
“That’s why this Medal means so much to me.
“As a kid, I just wanted to play one game for Queensland, but when I saw the honour roll (of 20-plus gamers) and I realised how special it was, I started to dream of the ‘Tosser’ Turner Medal.
“I dreamt big quickly, but once I got dropped, I had to brush that straight away. All I wanted to do was get back in the side somehow.
“From what I’ve been told, Tosser Turner was a father figure to a lot of Queenslanders, so I have a lot of respect for the name.
“These days, I play for more than just myself and I will be very proud running out as captain for the Queensland people in a milestone game.”
THE MISSION
Cherry-Evans enters his fifth campaign as Queensland captain. He boasts a 50-50 record. The pain of two series losses have been more than eased by the pleasure of two series wins.
There was the intoxicating 2020 boilover with Wayne Bennett’s “Babes” during the Covid-ravaged series, followed by last year’s fairytale triumph that saw Cherry-Evans again hold aloft the Origin shield at Suncorp Stadium.
There is a view the Blues choked in last year’s Suncorp decider. Cherry-Evans wants to go for the jugular. He won’t accept complacency as he looks to pilot Queensland to consecutive crowns.
“It’s not easy,” he said.
“Winning a series is extremely difficult, it takes a lot of physical and emotional investment, and this year will be no different.
“It’s bloody hard to win an Origin series, but we have to find that hunger and passion and make sure we have every chance to go back-to-back.
“It hasn’t been done for a while at Origin level (since 2017) … it’s time for us to go to that new level and build on last year.
“We will have to go deeper and find more motivation and be willing to put more on the line to beat them, because they will want revenge.”
THE BOMBSHELL
The Manly captain was shocked by Knights superstar Kalyn Ponga’s axing as Queensland fullback for Origin I.
While he is Maroons skipper, Cherry-Evans insists he has no power at the selection table, but urged Ponga not to give up hope of emulating him by fighting his way back into the Queensland team.
“I’m a player first,” he said when asked if Queensland coach Billy Slater consulted him on whether to drop Ponga.
“I might be the captain but I’m not a selector. To be honest, I’m glad I’m away from that. I don’t have a clue what’s coming with the team, but as captain it’s my job to keep the team focused and make sure we get the job done for Queensland once it’s picked.
“I’d like to think I’m a good example for Kalyn. I hope his journey doesn’t take as long as mine to get back in the Origin side. Three years was a long time, but it’s worth it when you get back here because Origin is so special.
“This Maroon jersey, this state … if you can get back and do something special with the Queensland team, the fans will always love you and it’s so worth it.
“I just hope Kalyn is OK. While I know he is disappointed, I hope he has the fire in his belly to work his way back.
“This is not the end for him.”
ORIGIN IN VEGAS
The NRL will kick off the 2024 season with a double header in Las Vegas and the code’s US odyssey could be the first step towards State of Origin returning to America.
NSW and Queensland played an exhibition match in 1987 in Los Angeles and Cherry-Evans would relish an Origin game in Vegas in the coming years if the NRL schedule allowed.
“They played an Origin game in the 1980s so it’s not like it can’t be achieved,” he said.
“I think the first step is playing some NRL premiership games up and running over there and once the Americans get a taste of it, an Origin game would blow their minds.
“Logistically, it might be difficult taking an Origin game to Vegas in the middle of the season with travel, but I’m all for the game growing and if we need to take it internationally, I’d certainly be open to it.”
THE FUTURE
Cherry-Evans is fast confronting his mortality as an Origin playmaker.
Contracted to Manly for another two years, the 294-game NRL playmaker could conceivably chalk up 28 Origin appearances by the end of 2025.
By then, Cherry-Evans would be 36 years old, but the Maroons No.7 makes the candid confession he is driven to defeat NSW by the fear that his next game may always be his last in Queensland colours.
“Form is so subjective,” he said.
“At the moment, my body and mind is in sync. I’m in good shape physically and mentally, it’s all going really well, but I’m not being complacent.
“Yes, I have the contract security of another two years, it’s nice to have that peace of mind, but I’m not going to put any timeline on my retirement.
“I have seen so many people say, ‘I’m going to play to this game or this year’ and it doesn’t work like that. Not many get a fairytale in rugby league.
“It’s not something I will ever take for granted. I only have to look back at the time when I was watching it on TV and that’s now given me the perspective to make sure that when I come into Camp Maroon, I play for Queensland as if it’s my last game.
“You can fall off a cliff quickly in this game. A problem can pop up with an injury after years and years of first grade. The NRL takes a toll on all the players physically, so you have to look after yourself, but when your time is up, it’s up.
“I won’t argue when that moment comes, but right now I still feel I am the right man for the job for Queensland and I can’t wait to hopefully lead us to another series win.
“That’s my mentality … I always feel I can lift for Origin.”
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