Queensland’s rugby league captain, Daly Cherry-Evans, wants to keep playing as halfback and make history for his team. This comes after a former great player for the other team (NSW), Andrew Johns, said Cherry-Evans should be replaced.
Queensland lost their first game of the series against NSW. After that, Johns said that Tom Dearden should take over Cherry-Evans’ position as the No. 7 halfback.
Johns said, “I think they have to pull the trigger and bring Dearden in.”
Dearden usually plays another position but has played well before.
Cherry-Evans, who is the oldest player to ever play for Queensland in these games, didn’t play his best in the last match. However, Queensland has never taken their captain off the team in the middle of a series.
Another Queensland legend, Shane Webcke, said it’s a tough situation.
“I am a bit worried. There’s some serious questions to be asked. And unfortunately, one of them I think might be Daly Cherry-Evans.
“I just feel like he’s at that point in his career. And when you see him with (No.6) Cameron Munster tonight, the magic wasn’t there. And that worries me.
“And I hate to suggest something about a bloke like Daly Cherry-Evans, but I feel like at the end of the last series, we probably lost the opportunity with a bloke like him.
“He’s 36 years old. But the opportunity was probably there to reinvent a bit. And I think we might pay a price for not having done that,” Webcke concluded
Cherry-Evans knows people talk like this after a loss. But he wants to make history by winning the series.
Queensland has never lost the first home game and then won the series, which has two away games. They now need to win in Perth and Sydney to win the trophy.
Cherry-Evans said, “Those stats are there to be broken. That’s the mentality we’ve got to have, create our own bit of history.”
He also said, “Sometimes you have to do things not the way you planned it at the start.”
He believes his team can overcome this: “It’s a greater sign of a team facing adversity, overcoming obstacles and that’s the opportunity we’ve got in front of us. I believe in the group and I believe in everyone, from the coaching staff to the playing group.”
He added, “Queensland will be cheering from afar, so we have to do them proud.”
Cherry-Evans also responded to people saying he’s not good enough anymore.
“When you lose, it’s just natural in this game that those questions will be asked.
“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,” added Cherry-Evans.
Cherry-Evans has been in this situation before. In 2020, his team was called the worst ever, but they still won the series. That’s why he still thinks they can win this time.
He said, “There’s a lot of people in this group who have played a lot of footy together.”
He finished by saying, “This is going to be our greatest test and because of the relationships and the talent in the team, that’s why I’ve got so much belief we can do this.”
Source: Australian Associated Press
