‘Ripped Band-Aid off’: Legend backs Cherry-Evans call
Joel Gould |
Queensland has “ripped the Band-Aid off” by axing Daly Cherry-Evans and replacing him with Tom Dearden at No.7 and Maroons legend Chris Close insists it was the right call.
Cherry-Evans was sacked as captain and halfback for game two of the State of Origin series in Perth after a 26-game career including the last 19 as skipper.
His last two games for Manly, losses to Newcastle and Gold Coast, have been underwhelming and vindicated Slater’s decision in some respects.
“On this game alone and his performance tonight, it shows that Billy Slater’s call with Tommy Dearden was the right one,” former Maroons half Cooper Cronk said on Fox League after the Sea Eagles’ 28-8 loss to the Titans.
The 18-6 series-opening loss in Brisbane disappointed Close, man of the match in the first two Origins in 1980 and 1981, told AAP the performance of Cherry-Evans and Dearden, who came off the bench, was in stark contrast.
“You have to look at the impact both players had in game one,” Close said.
“Daly Cherry-Evans turned 36 before the match as the oldest to ever play Origin. He goes into the game and carries it (with conviction) once.
“If you look at (NSW halves in game one) Cleary and Moses and look at Dearden and the amount of times they carry the ball, it is vastly different.
“You can’t go into an Origin game and be inert. Just passing the ball and putting a few kicks in, more is required at Origin level. You have got to be the leader in your position. When Tom Dearden came on things did start to happen. We didn’t look dangerous at any stage until he took the field.
“You’ve got to rip the Band-Aid off and get on with it. Sad as it is for Daly Cherry-Evans who has been an iconic performer for Queensland, Billy Slater has identified that his time is up and we need to go in a different direction if we want to look after our future and maintain our levels of performance, not only in this game coming up but in games beyond that.”
Close said Dearden’s Origin debut in the 2022 decider, won by the Maroons, spoke volumes.
“If you go back to the first game that Tom Dearden played in Origin, think about a pass he threw to Valentine Holmes that led to a try,” he said.
“That was an Origin pass and what Origin players need to do. They need to be able to do that at the time when it is needed the most.
“I am not critical of Daly Cherry-Evans. How could anyone be critical of his Origin career? It was remarkable. Many, many times he led the way. But he has got to the stage where he wasn’t allowed to get into that (opening) game. We have got to change that.”
Close said those critical of the axing of Cherry to realise that “the world doesn’t stop” when good players are forced to retire.
“Did the world stop when Wally Lewis couldn’t play any more Origins? No it didn’t,” he said.
“Let’s find another mindset where we find a player who will take over and give us what we need – a performance at a level that is way above what they give on a week-in and week-out basis.
“Every one of those New South Welshman that played in game one played above their club standard to a level that is called State of Origin. Apart from Tommy Dearden, I didn’t recognise anyone in that Queensland side that went above that level.”
AAP
