Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans under pressure. The Maroons were forced to swallow a disastrous 18-6 loss at the hands of New South Wales in their first game of the State of Origin series. As the team’s chief playmaker, Cherry-Evans is under greater pressure to justify his performances. At 36 years old, he might find himself at greater competition from younger emerging talents, such as Tom Dearden, the North Queensland co-captain.
The loss represents an anguished period for Cherry-Evans, the halfback who inspired the Maroons to a 2-1 series win in 2020. Following the loss, former rugby league great Andrew Johns questioned Cherry-Evans’s position as Queensland’s starting halfback. He implied that he was pleased to handke the baton to Dearden. Johns stated, “No one beats Father Time and DCE is what, (36)? I think they have to pull the trigger and bring Dearden in.”
Dearden was five-eighth in last year’s series and was outstanding at No.6 for the World Cup winning Australians throughout the Pacific Cup. Now, he himself has become a leading replacement candidate. His impressive performance has led some commentators, including former Maroons player Shane Webcke, to propose bringing him into the starting lineup. As Webcke pointed out, in our current predicament, Queensland is the real tragic hero.
In the face of that external pressure and public outcry for a real change, Cherry-Evans sounded firm on his leadership and the direction of his team. He acknowledged the natural scrutiny that follows a loss, stating, “When you lose, it’s just natural in this game that those questions will be asked.” He emphasized the importance of self-reflection, remarking, “I just have to go away, look at my own performance and where I can help the team get better.”
After this heavy criticism, Cherry-Evans has done a lot to prove that he knows this personality in his team’s locker room, and that they can prevail against the odds. “It’s a greater sign of a team facing adversity, overcoming obstacles and that’s the opportunity we’ve got in front of us,” he said. He expressed confidence in his teammates and coaching staff, declaring, “I believe in the group and I believe in everyone, from the coaching staff to the playing group.”
Maroons coach Billy Slater provided clear backing for his team following the loss. He even went on record saying he wouldn’t make any knee-jerk changes in the wake of the surprising loss. He explained how critical it was to keep the team balance. Slater’s comments reflect a commitment to maintaining faith in Cherry-Evans’s leadership while balancing the need for improvement.
More than that, Queensland has never lost the opening Origin match at home. When they win, they win the series and take it with two remaining games on the road. This impressive statistic hangs over the head of Cherry-Evans and his squad as they get ready for their biggest test yet. The captain stated, “Queensland will be cheering from afar, so we have to do them proud.”
To say Cherry-Evans’ tenure as Australian captain thus far has come under fire, is an understatement. He recognizes that leading a team through adversity is part of his job: “Because of the role I have for this side, I will definitely take my share of responsibility and look really hard at where I can help the team get better for the next game.”
