DCE and his Queensland side were found wanting in the Origin opener against the Blues.
Daly Cherry-Evans says he wants another opportunity to prove himself at State of Origin level, despite calls from the likes of NRL legend Andrew Johns to drop the Queensland captain for Game 2. DCE and his Maroons were found wanting in the 18-6 defeat to NSW in Wednesday night’s series opener at Suncorp Stadium, where the Blues ran in four tries to one and could have recorded an even bigger victory.
Billy Slater and the Queensland players looked dejected after the game and the Maroons coach will surely be pondering changes for Game 2 in Perth on June 15 after seeing his men thoroughly outplayed. NSW halves pair Nathan Cleary and Mitchell Moses controlled the game superbly – particularly in the first half – when their kicking game helped keep the Maroons pinned in their own half and NSW dominate field position.
Cleary played a part in all four tries the Blues scored, including a double to standout winger Zac Lomax, one for his opposite Brian To’o and late Dylan Edwards four-pointer off an incredible Connor Watson offload. However, Cherry-Evans and his halves partner Cameron Munster failed to have much of an impact and the Maroons skipper looked very much like the 36-year-old half who’s been in patchy form for Manly this season.
DCE went into the match as the oldest Origin player in history and was well below his best in his 26th match for the Maroons. And Johns – who also admitted that the Queensland forward pack was dominated by the Blues’ big men – suggested that DCE should be replaced by No.14 Tom Dearden, who looked much more threatening when he was injected off the bench.
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.”
Dearden played five-eighth in last year’s Origin series when Munster was sidelined with injury and was outstanding at five-eighth for Australia in last year’s Pacific Cup. But Cherry-Evans made it clear he would love a chance to prove he’s not a spent force at Origin level in Game 2, despite understanding the criticism that comes with Wednesday night’s loss.
DCE dropped. Mo was less than inspiring. Nanai and Carrigan only decent forwards we had.
DCE wants another crack for Maroons despite axing calls
“Yeah, definitely. I guess with losing comes the question,” the Maroons captain said. “So we’ve opened ourselves up to these sorts of questions, but I’d love the opportunity to come back and correct it.” Queensland legend and former captain Cameron Smith hardly offered a glowing endorsement for DCE when asked if it was time to “move on” the skipper but backed Queensland coach Billy Slater to make the right call.
Well, there’s always that temptation and I think Billy will have that discussion with his selection panel and he’ll go through this game thoroughly,” Smith said. “He’ll watch it multiple times from different angles from the high shot, from a reverse camera, from the shot that everyone watches on TV.
“And he’ll pick it to pieces and he’ll do his due diligence on what happened. There’s no doubt that the key position players of Queensland lacked a bit of cohesion tonight. In the crucial moments of the game they just couldn’t get the job done.”
The Maroons were ill-disciplined, clunky in attack and suspect in defence – missing a whopping 48 tackles. And Queensland coach Slater said it was something he would need to address to try and find answers. “That’s probably something for the review, and looking through the tape and, obviously sitting down with the group. At the end of the day it’s got to come from the players,” he said.
