Cherry-Evans struggles to deliver as Roosters fall
George Clarke |
Daly Cherry-Evans is smart enough to know that the success of his late-career move to the Sydney Roosters will be defined by whether he finishes this year with a premiership or not.
Cherry-Evans is 37 and will depart to Super League club Hull FC at the end of the season after his exit from Manly to sign a one-year deal with the Roosters.
The reason the Roosters went so hard to lure the veteran halfback out of the Sea Eagles was his experience in big games such as Sunday’s qualifying final.
No player has kicked more field goals in NRL history than Cherry-Evans.
But when push came to shove in the dying moments of Sunday’s loss to Penrith at CommBank Stadium, Cherry-Evans couldn’t help the Roosters over the line.
After Nathan Cleary slotted a 72nd minute one pointer to edge the Panthers ahead 13-12, Cherry-Evans shanked one effort then aborted a 40m attempt under pressure, as Penrith went on to win 19-12.
Cherry-Evans won a premiership in his first year in the NRL and has spoken of a desire to finish his career in Australia with a second.
If that is to come to fruition, the experienced playmaker is going to have to conjure something special to help the Roosters to the grand final.
Trent Robinson’s men play Cronulla next week for the chance to face the Dolphins in a preliminary final.
Cherry-Evans has spent all season working alongside Sam Walker in the halves.
But when his partner went down with an ankle injury two weeks out from the end of the regular season, he was thrust into a new-look combination with Hugo Savala.
Robinson neglected the chance to give the pair time to bed in during their final-round loss to South Sydney.
On Sunday, Cherry-Evans performed the majority of the kicking as he and Savala prodded and probed at an otherwise resolute Penrith defence.
The Roosters only scored two tries. Rob Toia crashed over first after Cherry-Evans and James Tedesco combined in the 20th minute, then Mark Nawaqanitawase produced another freakish solo try with a juggling intercept.
But after that, Easts couldn’t find a way through.
Cleary was sinbinned on the stroke of halftime for taking out Savala’s legs when the Roosters man kicked the ball away.
But the Roosters were unable to make their advantage count after the break and Cleary came back to bite them, putting his side 80 minutes from the grand final.
Cherry-Evans faces a longer path to get to that point and must deliver in the clutch moments to vindicate his Roosters move.
AAP