DCE’s perfect statement as Hammer blitz seals Slater masterstroke: QLD Ratings

QLD skipper Daly Cherry-Evans steered his state to its biggest win in Sydney, while Ben Hunt and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow also stunned for the Maroons.

Queensland skipper and veteran halfback Daly Cherry-Evans has steered his state to its biggest win in Sydney with a 38-10 victory over NSW in Origin I.

You wouldn’t know he’s 35-years old and in his 14th year of first-grade rugby league because DCE was everywhere in the toughest arena of them all.

Also leading the way for Queensland was fellow veteran playmaker Ben Hunt, who started at hooker.

And Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow was forced to adjust on the run following Reece Walsh’s early head knock but looked right at home at fullback with a hat-trick.

QUEENSLAND PLAYER RATINGS

1. REECE WALSH - N/A

Sadly, the superstar fullback’s night was cut short due to a head knock just under eight minutes into the game.

2. XAVIER COATES - 8.5

It looked like all the joy was going to be on the opposite side to what Xavier Coates was on when Queensland scored a couple of tries down the left edge. But Coates went looking for work and got the rewards — particularly in the second half. He miraculously saved a Nicho Hynes 40/20 and bagged try in the final 10 minutes. Finished with a team-high of 185 metres from 23 runs and five tackle busts to go with his four-pointer.

3. VALENTINE HOLMES - 7

Very experienced in the Origin arena and it showed. Took some early carries and was busy in defence with 13 tackles, although he did miss four. He was owned in a tackle and knocked on but had a perfect night on the boot, nailing all six conversions and a penalty goal.

4. HAMISO TABUAI-FIDOW - 9.5

Talk about adjusting on the run. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow was forced to switch to fullback after Walsh suffered a head knock and although he was caught out of position in NSW’s first try he made up for it with a stunning series of plays. The Cowboys star scored two tries in five minutes and then saved a try when he somehow held up a barnstorming Spencer Leniu. He capped off a stellar performance with a third try in the final two minutes, leaving Blues legend Andrew Johns in awe. “What a talent. The way he runs, it’s like poetry,” Johns said on Channel 9’s coverage.

5. MURRAY TAULAGI - 7

Quite busy in attack, finishing with a try assist, a linebreak and 159 running metres.He was rock solid in defence too with four tackles — no misses — and came up with an impressive one-on-one read on Liam Martin. Taulagi, however, was caught out of position in Zac Lomax’s try... but it didn’t end matter in the end!

6 TOM DEARDEN - 8

Did himself proud stepping into Cameron Munster’s big shoes. The gun five-eighth almost fooled some NSW players with his signature show-and-go a couple of times and also came up with a try-saving tackle on Liam Martin. Finished with a try assist, two linebreaks, a linebreak assist, six tackle busts and 83 metres to go with his 21 tackles, five misses.

7. DALY CHERRY-EVANS - 10

The Queensland skipper is ageing like a “fine wine,” as Cameron Munster said on Channel 9’s coverage. 35-years old and still dominating in the toughest arena. Daly Cherry-Evans set up the first try when he scooped the ball up out of dummy-half and got it away to Ben Hunt. He nailed a 40/20, intercepted an Isaah Yeo ball and put in a perfectly-weighted grubber for another Queensland try. He was also solid in defence making 28 tackles — including one where he put his body on the line to take on Payne Haas — with three misses.

8. REUBEN COTTER - 7

A relatively quiet game by his standards. Coughed the ball up in second half but was still all effort in defence, finishing with 39 tackles, five misses.

9. BEN HUNT - 9.5

There’s just something about Ben Hunt in a Queensland jersey at hooker. Two tries, a try-saving tackle on Stephen Crichton and a very handy kicking game out of dummy-half. What an asset for the Maroons... Another blinder for the 34-year-old

10. LINDSAY COLLINS - 7.5

The star prop was his usual reliable self. Made 128 metres from 12 runs and 25 tackles with two misses in 44 minutes.

11. JAYDN SU’A - 6.5

Had some nice moments in his first Origin game since 2021. Showed plenty of energy in defence and produced a great ball to Selwyn Cobbo in the lead-up to one of Tabuai-Fidow’s tries.

12. JEREMIAH NANAI - 7.5

Was a genuine threat just about every time he touched the ball. Took a strong run in the lead-up to Queensland’s first try and topped the tackle count for Queensland with 43 — but did miss seven.

13. PATRICK CARRIGAN - 8

Got through a mountain of work as per usual without a fuss, finishing with 135 metres from 15 runs — the most of any Queensland forward — and 36 tackles, five misses.

14. HARRY GRANT - 6.5

A bit of an off night for the star hooker. He knocked on while trying to scoop the ball up from dummy half, but did take a couple of threatening runs. Made 32 tackles with two misses.

15. MOEAKI FOTUAIKA - 6

Was a little quiet off the bench and could bring a bit more punch in game two — especially in comparison to what Spencer Leniu brought fro the Blues. Finished with 54 metres and 24 tackles, two misses.

16. J’MAINE HOPGOOD - 6

Didn’t get a lot of opportunities in his Maroons debut — and got a welcome to Origin moment courtesy of a bone-crunching Liam Martin tackle. But was faultless in defence with 16 tackles, zero misses.

17. SELWYN COBBO - 8.5

There were question marks over his inclusion on the bench but it turned out to be a masterstroke after Reece Walsh was taken from the field. Selwyn Cobbo was injected into the centres eight minutes into the game and carved up on the left edge, setting up the ‘Hammer’ for two tries in five minutes — he fended off two Blues players in the lead-up to the second one. Cobbo had a head-scratcher moment when he showed no urgency to defuse a kick that led to Zac Lomax’s try but made up for it with a strong run in the lead-up to Hunt’s second try. Finished with a try assist, two linebreaks, a linebreak assist, nine tackle busts and 141 metres.

18. FELISE KAUFUSI - 5.5

Sat on the bench not expecting to get on the field but became the first 18th man to be activated in Origin when he entered the action in the used in Origin football, came on in the 52nd minute. Made 25 metres from three runs and 10 tackles, one miss.

See the NSW player ratings here.

Originally published as DCE’s perfect statement as Hammer blitz seals Slater masterstroke: QLD Ratings