NRL news 2021: State of Origin 2021, Daly Cherry-Evans, QLD Maroons vs NSW Blues, game two, game three changes, Paul Green
Queensland have been urged to make changes after losing the Origin series to NSW and skipper Daly Cherry-Evans could face the axe.
Queensland have been urged to make changes after losing the Origin series to New South Wales тАФ and skipper Daly Cherry-Evans could be on the chopping block.
The Maroons were humiliated in the first two games of this yearтАЩs series after pulling off a shock upset to claim the shield in 2020.
Rookie Origin coach Paul Green has been copping most of the heat, however Fox LeagueтАЩs James Hooper threw skipper Daly Cherry-Evans in the pressure cooker.
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тАЬThe Maroons are going to have to make some changes because if they keep doing the same thing then sadly itтАЩs just going to be a similar result,тАЭ Hooper told NRL 360.
тАЬDalyтАЩs numbers donтАЩt read great for this series. HeтАЩs had zero try assists, zero linebreak assists in 160 minutes of football. In the opening game, the Blues had 10 linebreaks and the Maroons had one. It wasnтАЩt as pear-shaped in Origin II but it still ended up six to two in those areas.
тАЬI think theyтАЩve got to go in a different direction.тАЭ
Paul Kent agreed that Cherry-EvansтАЩ leadership тАФ or lack of тАФ isnтАЩt helping the Maroons.
тАЬQueensland are at their best when they have a тАШcome onтАЩ not тАШgo onтАЩ captain and Daly hasnтАЩt played that way as the Queensland captain,тАЭ he told NRL 360.
тАЬThey need someone whoтАЩs just going to put the ball under the arm and just say тАШcome on, lets go. Follow me,тАЩ He hasnтАЩt played that way.
тАЬHeтАЩs got it in him but weтАЩre not seeing it out of him and Queensland are at the best when theyтАЩre captain is that type of player.тАЭ
Cherry-Evans hasnтАЩt escaped criticism since the Blues sealed the series with a 26-nil win last Sunday.
The 32-year-old conceded in the post-match press conference that perhaps NSW won because they turned up more motivated after losing last yearтАЩs series.
The NRL 360 panel believe that sort of comment doesnтАЩt bode well for the halfback.
тАЬThat language would have made a lot of Maroons legendsтАЩ skin crawl,тАЭ Lara Pitt said.
тАЬThey fell off their chairs when they heard that,тАЭ Kent added.
тАЬDCE nearly fell on his own sword in that interview after the game тАж You canтАЩt try and sell that when theyтАЩre all professional, itтАЩs the jewel in the crown, itтАЩs the pinnacle of the sport, if you canтАЩt get up for that then what are they doing?тАЭ Hooper said.
