Daly Cherry-Evans cops Origin dagger as claims emerge around Billy Slater move
NRL reporter Brent Read has claimed Queensland coach Billy Slater could have already made up his mind on the future of Daly Cherry-Evans ahead of State of Origin Game 2. Cherry-Evans is the man most under pressure heading into Game 2 of Origin after Queensland were thoroughly outplayed 18-6 in Game 1 at Suncorp.
Cowboys halfback Tom Dearden was already putting pressure on Cherry-Evans heading into Game 1, but Slater opted to select the 36-year-old for his leadership and experience. However, Cherry-Evans offered very little against the Blues and struggled to match the intensity of the game.
Cherry-Evans went into the match as the oldest Origin player in history and was well below his best in his 26th match for the Maroons. NSW legend Andrew Johns called for Slater to pull the trigger and make the change for the Maroons who are seeking answers having lost their last three straight matches.
While Slater alluded to minimal changes after the match suggesting the personnel were not the issue, reporter Read has claimed the coach has already made up his mind. Speaking on Triple M Radio, Read claimed the mail suggests Cherry-Evans has played his last Origin game
The reporter claimed Slater would move on from the 36-year-old in a desperate bid to rescue the series in Perth. "There was a lot of mail on Friday that Daly was fighting an uphill battle to keep that No.7 jersey, that Tom Dearden would come into the team, but my understanding is right now, Daly will not be in the team for Origin 2 and his Origin career is over," Read said on Saturday.
Former NSW player Wade Graham claimed that would be a huge call from Slater having felt the coach got his bench wrong. Graham was critical of Reuben Cotter working on the edge and felt the Maroons need three front row forwards coming of the bench.
But former NSW forward Nathan Hindmarsh suggested coach Laurie Daley needs to be careful of the Queensland side bouncing back after a number of their players had arguably their worst games wearing the jersey. "I don't think any of these Queenslanders that have had the pressure put on them, Cameron Munster and the Harry Grant's, they won't play that bad again," Hindmarsh said. "I don't think there will be mass changes. Maybe one or two in the forward, but I wouldn't touch their spine."
Graham and Hindmarsh suggested the players will be revved up to repay Slater and felt he wouldn't change tinker with the team to drastically. Regardless, Johns felt after the game there needed to be changes.
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Speaking after NSW dominated Wednesday night, the legendary halfback suggested Slater can't be afraid to make the hard call. And this started with captain Cherry-Evans potentially finishing his career.
"Look, no one beats Father Time and DCE is what, (36)? I think they have to pull the trigger and bring Dearden in," Johns said on Channel Nine. "I don't know where the improvement comes with this group. NSW, if they were on tonight, they win by 40 or 50. They left so many tries out there and they'll be better for that.
"I don't know if they can go up another level, Queensland. I think there has to be changes with (Canberra prop) Corey Horsburgh, he's one I think can add something. (South Sydney forward) Jai Arrow is an Origin player, but the big one is Dearden and whether they pull the trigger on Dearden with DCE."
Despite the swift backlash, Cherry-Evans sat next to Slater in the post-match press conference and asked for another chance for redemption. "When you lose, it's just natural in this game that those questions will be asked," he said.
"I just have to go away, look at my own performance and where I can help the team get better. I am certainly not the one to lose self-belief, that's for sure. 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. It's always difficult after a loss being in the position I'm in. It's not lost on me."
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