Daly Cherry-Evans will make his comeback to State of Origin next Wednesday night. However, he’s been served a total sh*t sandwich.
Brought into a badly damaged side that has only pride to play for, anything but a win will see him banished from the event forever, and his previous time in the wilderness justified.
It’s a telegraphed injustice that should boil the blood of any true Queenslander who is interested in their state’s long-term fortune.
However, DCE has no choice but to chew and swallow like a man possessed, and you can bet he will put up the fight of his life.
The last time Cherry-Evans played in a State of Origin match was on Wednesday June 17, 2015, at a packed MCG.
With Cooper Cronk unavailable, DCE was drafted into the number 7 jersey and – as had happened the year before in Game 2, when he stepped in for Cronk – Queensland lost the match and the series came down to the third game.
However, Cherry-Evans wasn’t there for the Maroons’ triumph in the decider as he’d begun his time in exile.
While no one ever said it, it seems clear he was made a scapegoat for the losses the Queensland juggernaut endured in the absence of Cronk.
I’m an unabashed fan of DCE as a player and as a bloke. Sure, like most people, I don’t like Manly that much – my personal experience is that their fans have a nasty habit of rubbing salt into wounds beyond an acceptable point – however, every dealing I’ve had with Cherry-Evans has always increased the esteem in which I hold him.
He truly is a good bloke. He speaks well, is polite and he’s genuinely friendly. He has clearly been raised well.
And he can play very well.
Yet people despise him.
Part of that is surely because he plays for the Sea Eagles.
Some of that is probably due to the Gold Coast Titans backflip – which the Gold Coast Bulletin so nicely articulated.
However, unlike the mass of popular support that was shown for the Rabbitohs to re-enter the NRL, few have ever lifted a finger to help the Giants-Seagulls-Chargers-Titans. How people can suddenly be outraged when DCE, within the rules, chose to stay for what is still the richest deal in rugby league history is – at best – opportunistic.
Cherry-Evans’ problem is that he is totally his own man. He is completely comfortable in his own skin and just as confident that his footballing ability is at least the equal of any other player. Those are wonderful qualities to have as a club’s chief playmaker and captain – essential, even.
However, if you are the up-and-coming star at a successful club, the established star players might not like it much. Anthony Watmough certainly didn’t.
For all of Watmough’s refreshing candour on the matter though, he still reveals that he was expecting his grand-final-winning wunderkind halfback to be happy playing for $50,000 a season. There was nothing unreasonable in DCE’s actions to demand more money, but there was plenty of problems with expecting him to play for peanuts.
When you add Cherry-Evans’ great qualities to the greatest representative side of all time it can also go bad. If you’re a star in that team, you’d probably expect the likes of Cherry-Evans to doff his cap and tug his forelock in deference to his superiors.
And maybe he should have. Who knows? Maybe he did. We don’t know why Cherry-Evans was put on the outer. All we know is that he was.
On the surface of it, you can say that he failed to step into the void that the great organiser Cronk left when he got injured in the early stages of Origin 1 2014 – which also saw him out for the second game – and that Queensland lost both games as a result. You can then go on to say that this thesis was proved when the same scenario happened in Game 2, 2015.
However, let’s not forget that Cherry-Evans wasn’t leading around a team of rookies in those games. His teammates included Billy Slater, Johnathan Thurston, Cam Smith, Greg Inglis, Corey Parker, Sam Thaiday, Darius Boyd and Justin Hodges.
All of those players also lost those games and, in reality, had more responsibility due to their seniority to get the team over the line. However, somehow the blame ended up with the rookie.
And so many people have believed it and accepted it as gospel. What a joke.
Ben Hunt had a poor game in Origin 2 and has now been benched. However, Kevin Walters is adamantly refusing to scapegoat him in a show of support the type of which DCE himself could have benefited from in 2015.
“To blame him for what happened in Game 2 is absolutely ridiculous,” Walters said this week. “That’s never been our view, that’s never been our stance. We had 16 other players out there.”
However, no one ever actually ever came out and said that DCE was the reason that the Maroons lost those two matches in 2014 and the one in 2015. No one openly blamed DCE at all. Yet somehow everyone knew that was the case. He was the change that was made. We all heard “he’s disruptive”, “he’s a dickhead”, “no one likes him”.
As the Sydney Morning Herald reported, Cherry-Evans himself is at a loss on the matter.
“It really is a tough one. There were no quotes or comments … it was just rumours. Nobody actually came up and told me … except for Anthony Watmough,” he said.
So we don’t really know if those rumours are true, yet we’ve just accepted them as fact.
Walters has come out and said those rumours are false – sort of: “I don’t have a problem in any way with him and neither do our players.”
Of course, the only players from DCE’s last game in 2015 that remain in the side are Billy Slater, Will Chambers and Josh McGuire. It could well be that the people who had a problem with Cherry-Evans are now gone and all of a sudden his skill set is very much in demand by Walters.
“We had to have a look at DCE who’s been in great touch for Manly and just that experience around the halves is something that we haven’t had in this series and I think that’s an area that we’ve been not let down in but an area we can better at,” Walter said at the team announcement.
“DCE can fill those shoes, he’s captain of Manly, he’s played in a premiership-winning team which neither Ben [Hunt] or Cameron [Munster] have done…
“He’s played Origin football, he’s played Test football, and in games 1 and 2 we lacked a bit of leadership in those positions and he provides that.”
However, look at the key warning words there: “We had to have a look at DCE.”
There is a suggestion that maybe this game is that ‘look’ and if he doesn’t win, well, that’s it.
And that just isn’t fair. Cherry-Evans is by far the best-credentialled of the available halfbacks for Queensland. At 29 he’s got the most games under his belt, the most finals, the most grand finals, and the most premierships. The contenders – Ben Hunt and Ash Taylor – combined don’t match his numbers.
But Walters is having “a look”. And he’s doing it with Cherry-Evans leading the poorest Queensland side I can remember seeing.
His starting props are a second rower and lock forward. His back row of Felise Kaufusi and Gavin Cooper is the weakest I’ve ever seen in Maroon. Will Chambers’ tackling isn’t up to scratch. Andrew McCullough is an 80-minute player but Ben Hunt is the utility. Can Hunt play centre, wing or fullback?
However, Cherry-Evans’ position is clear, despite all of this: win or be dropped – and for good this time.
As Queensland legend Billy Moore told Fairfax Media: “He’s had a bit of time in purgatory, DCE. He gets the chance to put up or shut up.”
However, Queensland should note their own history when it comes to being quick to change playmakers. One of the large factors in their dynasty was sticking with their playmaker combinations, while NSW had constant changes in the halves.
| NSW | Queensland | |||||
| Year | Five-eighth | Halfback | Total combinations | Five-eighth | Halfback | Total combinations |
| 2005 | Trent Barrett 1 / Braith Anasta 2 | Brett Kimmorley / Andrew Johns 2 | 2 | Darren Lockyer | Johnathan Thurston | 1 |
| 2006 | Anasta 2 / Mark Gasnier 1 | Brett Finch 2 / Craig Gower 1 | 2 | Lockyer | Thurston | 1 |
| 2007 | Anasta 2 / Greg Bird 1 | Jarrod Mullen 1 / Kimmorley 2 | 3 | Lockyer | Thurston | 1 |
| 2008 | Bird 2 / Anasta 1 | Peter Wallace 2 / Mitchell Pearce 1 | 2 | Ben Hunt 1 / Thurston 2 | Thurston 1 / Scott Prince 2 | 2 |
| 2009 | Terry Campese 1 / Barrett 2 | Wallace 2 / Kimmorley 1 | 3 | Lockyer | Thurston | 1 |
| 2010 | Jamie Lyon 1 / Barrett 2 | Kimmorley 1 / Pearce 2 | 2 | Lockyer | Thurston | 1 |
| 2011 | Jamie Soward | Pearce | 1 | Lockyer | Thurston | 1 |
| 2012 | Todd Carney | Pearce | 1 | Thurston | Cooper Cronk | 1 |
| 2013 | James Maloney | Pearce | 1 | Thurston | Cronk | 1 |
| 2014 | Josh Reynolds | Trent Hodkinson | 1 | Thurston | Cronk / DCE / Cronk | 2 |
| 2015 | Pearce | Hodkinson | 1 | Thurston | Cronk / DCE / Cronk | 2 |
| 2016 | Maloney 2 / Matt Moylan 1 | Reynolds 2 / Maloney 1 | 2 | Thurston | Cronk | 1 |
| 2017 | Maloney | Pearce | 1 | Anothony Milford / Thurston / Cameron Munster | Cronk | 3 |
| 2018 | Maloney | Nathan Cleary | 1 | Munster | Hunt 2 / DCE | 2 |
| Total | 12 | 11 | 23 (19) | 5 | 5 | 20 (9) |
NSW had 12 different five-eighths and 11 different halfbacks, while Queensland had just five of each, With Karmichael Hunt and Scott Prince doing very brief cameos due to injuries to other players.
Whatever happens, Walters should – and needs to – stick with Daly Cherry-Evans into the 2019 series, regardless of the result in Origin 3. If he doesn’t, he’ll risk not only making the same mistakes the NSW selectors did for 13 years, but he’ll also be forsaking Queensland’s best halfback option.
I fear Walters may make that mistake.
I fear that Kevin Walters has served Daly Cherry-Evans a shit sandwich and now he’s got to chew like hell and swallow hard or his representative career – such as it has been – will be over for good.
And it just isn’t fair.
Forty Twenty
Guest
I said before the series started this year that I was hoping DCE was going to miss selection in the QLD team because I thought NSW were likely winners and if that happened he would almost surely be the scapegoat. If he played well and they lost he would become the retrospective scapegoat given a year or so as well. One issue about being perceived as being unpopular or being unpopular is that it skews the judgement of the critics. The gymnastic feat and the wrestlemania with a team mate along with a style of communication which is much better than the average player but doesn't meet the Choc Watmo yobbo standard along with the stellar contract unfairly cloud his performance appraisal. DCE is similar to John Howard in some ways in that a lot of people are going to bag both of them no matter what they do or did, where JT and co are similar to Bob Hawke in that they can rarely do wrong. Best case scenario for me is that NSW win a close one with DCE man of the match and Jake T man of the series.
Jeffrey Lebowski
Guest
DCE has been handed a possible regular spot on a platter. Qld will win origin 3 and probably comfortably. The blues were lucky to win the series. Latrell’s total domination of Chambers has been the biggest positive for the blues. Hunt wasn’t bad but the penalty try was the correct call and his grubber at the end was 2 big moments that went against him. DCE’s failure in 2 games replacing Cronk was Meninga’s fault more than Cherry’s. Cronk has been steering the team around with JT identified weaknesses, traditional 7 and 6. He should have got JT to run the team and taken all responsibility and pressure off DCE first up. The maroons have picked the best pack they’ve had all series. While Inglis is big and strong he offers nothing in attack and his play the balls are annoyingly slow. He’s not the massive loss people think. Oats will terrorise Roberts and TT and what DCE does provide is a far better kicking game than Hunt and Munster. Qld have marched down the field far easier than NSW in both games. A decent kicking half would have capitalised on this with repeat sets and pressure kicks. I believe this is why Taylor should have been picked but that’s another article. DCE back flipping on the struggling QLD side the Titans will never sit well with true Qlders. The 6 months work their staff put in preparing for his arrival and he sat there giving strange smug media interviews knowing he was waiting for Manly to come back to the table. His initial low contract isn’t Manly and his team mates fault. He could have negotiated a definite lump sum to be paid at the end of his contract with possibility of an upgrade pending form. He walked into a totally stacked team but once those players left we’ve seen how good he really is. Far from bad but not great. If Morgan was fit or Taylor was a year older DCE misses out on this chance. DON if you read this please start writing lots of articles, I love hearing your opinions.
Peter
Guest
The solution to that (Hunt's poor defence in the middle) would be to have him defend at halfback and move DCE into the middle. DCE is one of the best defending halves in the NRL and makes more tackles per game than any other half. In fact, the only other NRL half who gets near him in tackles made happens to be Cameron Munster. As someone said above, for all the talk that he is on a hiding to nothing, the ball is in his court. This is DCE's chance to silence the knockers and as both a Manly and DCE fan I hope he puts in an absolute blinder next Wednesday night, win, lose or draw.
Bearfax
Roar Guru
Well said Tim. I'm totally with you on this one. I just don't get it. So many on this forum have an obvious dislike for DCE. And for doing what. Demanding a better pay for being a premiership winning half back. So no one else ever does that, is that what you are all saying. And the point was he didn't stop turning up for training. He just said he would do it if negotiations didn't start. Gee that makes him such an evil character to so many out there. Probably reading too much negative propaganda from the media and being sheep like and believing it all. My goodness there is some distorted thinking out there. And as for no longer playing as well as when Foran played, absolute rubbish. He is a far more complete player now than then. He was easily the best half last year and if you look at the stats it confirms it. Get off his back. He would never come back at you with such negative commentary.
RoryStorm
Guest
Tim, Daly has openly said he still sits by the phone waiting for selection news from Walters. He is up for this game and he is prepared to make his mark. He believes he is up for this game and he is prepared to back himself. I believe Walters had no choice but to pick Daly based on what Hunt has dished up so far. On the strength of Daly's confidence I'm going to back QLD to win this game. Afterall, it's not like NSW smashed QLD. In fact, to use an old expression, if the ball had bounced a little bit different NSW may well have been 0-2 down themselves. Daly Cherry Evans has been waiting for this chance again so he can stick it up quite a few newspaper hacks and tv's supposed sport's journalists and talking heads.
Don
Roar Rookie
A more likely precedent is the Gorden Tallis and StGeorge example. He wanted to get out of a club contract to play Superleague for the Broncos and his remaining contract was being paid out. He had to sit out the season. He didn’t have to play at the Dragons but whilst he was still contracted to St George and they were unwilling to release him, he couldn’t play elsewhere. The Sonny-Bill scenario was him exiting to play overseas in another code so not going to a competitor.
Nat
Roar Guru
That's fair enough. Aside from the results of their respective teams Hunt also has the edge in their individual stats. Runs and Tkls are roughly the same but TA, LA, LBA, Err and PC are in Hunt's favour. My point is, he deserved his start this year but couldn't get the job done. To Tim's point, this opportunity is far from a poison chalice but Daly's chance to stamp his authority on the game. Halves, like good props, come into their own in mid-to-late 20's so he has the chance to secure the spot for years to come and he doesn't have to be sensational to do so. That said, either Morgan finds form or Taylor has team success to compliment his stats (similar to Cleary), either could displace both Hunt and DCE next year. It's good to have choice but we would want to settle on a spine pretty quickly.
James
Guest
As a lifelong Manly fan, I have watched DCE all over the place with his effort, and attitude.. He regularly doesn't turn up to play in any given match. Then the following week he has a blinder. He most certainly is one overpriced player imo. I for one would be happy if he wasn't at the club.. He hasn't been picked on his current form obviously.. Nonetheless I agree with the above article totally, and despite being a staunch blues supporter, I would like to see him have the match of his life.
Taree Raider
Guest
I agree 100%, if I was DCE I wouldn't have respectfully declined the offer & waited until that desperately wanted him for the 2019 series from the start. It is a cop out by QLD. Kevin Walters has been shown in a totally new light on the back of failure.
Roger
Guest
"What mouth" seems to work pretty well though Kurt :)
Kurt S
Roar Pro
Almost inevitably lose? Come.on Tim.. the comp has been closer than that.. a few converted tries, a bee's nether closer for a Gaigai true that was called a try by the infield ref and we have a whole different agenda. Personally as a qlder I am happy for NSW's well deserved win.. it sets up next year. I have a feeling, unfortunately, from Walters continued comments that he is a figurehead more than a leader in the Queensland Hierarchy.. and that is sad.
Kurt S
Roar Pro
Which the halfback was happy to sign on for. Not for one year.. but three.. where was the forethought? If he failed he would have been happy to leech off the club.. he wouldn't have done the noble thing and down graded his contract would he, Tim?
Kurt S
Roar Pro
What mouth was meant to be Whatmough. Hard to edit on a phone
Kurt S
Roar Pro
Tim, I can see your point and personally being in business where contracts are the norm, I understand both sides of the equation. People who aren't privy to these sort of interactions might find the whole thing unseemly. I will try to walk a fine line and put both sides into perspective. I may well fall from the line but it is worth the shot. 1. A young kid with stars in his eyes get a manager and said manager pulls off the opportunity for a 3 *50k deal. Where were the reservations that he was going to give the big leagues a run and rip and tear them a premiership? Poor forethought from him, his mentors and his manager? Was Manly willing to offer a one year deal but the manager pushed for three? 2. Kid goes well and is the talk of the town. Helps bring home the crown and all is Rosey.. until someone realises he is still on 50k. Now the next reaction is probably the most important in this whole scenario. I don't know a business management team that sees a golden goose like a premiership winning, young pivot that they can lock up for life and then decide they want to screw that player over. They will find a way to improve the playing position for the term of the contact. And remember, it was a contract DCE was happy to sign 12 months prior. I've personally been involved in more amendments to contracts, in my working history, unakin to this that I have forgotten most of them. Generally in business, everyone is happy to share the fortune.. it is a minority who try to really screw what they have. I'm out on a limb here and saying the manager, the player or mentor has possibly , in some unintentional way, maybe, (again) possibly misinterpreted something and tensions frayed. But to ever threaten to not train, if that is the case is not acceptable and becomes a liability no organisation needs. What mouth and his group.. well if they took "unders" he took a less than stellar choice in my opinion.. to take less than going rate with just a promise of future riches... What mouth.. I got a bridge for sale.. freshly painted and all. If you are going to take unders, surely your manager who you probably pay over 10% must set up a contract confirming future 'overs' playments.? It is all a sad story.. I think on this information, alone the player managers need to be auditored by independent officials representing the NRL.. Something stinks here.
jameswm
Roar Guru
You really think that’s how it works in sport? Contracts are never upgraded? Nice try b
immmy
Guest
Joe I really do hope you are right. I really think QLD are in a position where the best halves pairing is not obvious . To me (and the selectors as well) the answer is not Ben Hunt . I think Munster is a given at 6 but the 7 is not so clear cut. I am happy for DCE to have a go . If he acquites himself well fantastic but for Tim to suggest that DCE will be dropped if QLD lose is fanciful. If DCE has a good game he will be back even if we lose . Tim is just preordering an excuse for DCE if he blows up under the pressure.
Midfielder
Guest
Thanks for that, it does not seem to come out those supporting comments our media at times is woeful
damo
Guest
I'd be interested to see that tested in court: player willing to pay the club the full value of what they would owe him in order to leave? After all, the club isn't exactly losing money to not pay him & break the contract. Of course they could argue about market forces, available comparable players etc etc but if you are paying a bloke minimum wage it would be a bold argument to say he's irreplaceable or worth so much more to the club (merchandise, marketing etc) I don't know the laws on this but I have the feeling there may be a precedent in the SBW- Bulldogs situation.
Emcie
Roar Guru
He has been defended by them though, the problem is that they don't write the newsarticles and whenever anyone would stand up for him or deny there was any issues around him the media would just treat it as if they were covering something up. Mal Meninga has on numerous occasions taken responsibility for DCE's performances by saying that the coaching staff never did enough to adapt the gameplan to DCE's style when he has played.
Joe
Roar Rookie
DCE will play a blinder and be the QLD half for next years series.