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NRL Rookie of the Year, Daly Cherry-Evans, is the form halfback of the six teams left in the 2011 edition of the competition, and his giant progress this year has him, with Brett Stewart, as the Sea Eagles’ most valuable player.
He is certainly the hardest to replace.
The concern for analysts prior to round one was how long would this frail kid from Queensland last deep into the gruelling 26 rounds of the toughest competition in the world.
He has thrived on the hard training and the heavy tackles. In fact, the more he plays the better he seems to get.
We always knew he could play, but since the suspension of his ‘minder’ Glenn Stewart, he has taken on the added responsibility and risen to a new level.
When the Sea Eagles played the Broncos two weeks ago, he took the field without Stewart, Glenn’s brother Brett, and his 5/8th partner Kieran Foran, at his side.
These three guys represent the brains trust of the Sea Eagles, but importantly are the playmakers.
You could forgive Cherry-Evans if he was lost or intimidated, but he stepped up and took ownership of the team, to give them a fighting chance against a hot Broncos team.
The following week against the Cowboys, he had the services of Brett Stewart and Foran, but it was Cherry-Evans, who ignited the team, when they were trailing the Jonathan Thurston-inspired North Queenslanders.
He made the difference when it was most needed.
Not only is he a future Maroon and Australian number 7, but a future captain.
Channel Nine’s Peter Stirling described his pivot partner Kieran Foran as “the game’s best young player.” Since that statement, Cherry-Evans has not only caught Foran, but gone past him.
He does not seem to have a weakness. He is a good talker and organiser, possesses a great long and short tactical kicking game, bust tackles easily and rates highly among halfbacks for missed tackles, but perhaps his most valuable asset is his ability to read the game well and make the right decisions.
All this is great news for the Sea Eagles except they may not be able to afford to hang on to him.
Cherry-Evans is coached by the club’s two greatest halfbacks in Des Hasler and Geoff Toovey, and they have done such a great job with their young prodigy that if he re-signs, he will claim their mantle in the best Sea Eagle team.
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