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Daly Cherry-Evans watched the NRL grand final at a vineyard in Orange owned by Canterbury great Peter Mortimer.<\/p>\n
The Mortimer family had asked Cherry-Evans if he was keen to make the trek west over the Blue Mountains, and all they requested in return was that he answer a few questions from the crowd.<\/p>\n
There was the usual grilling about Cherry-Evans turning his back on the Gold Coast Titans.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe punters love it, they always want to know about the Titans, and if I ever write a book, there could only be one or two chapters,\u201d Cherry-Evans said.<\/p>\n
The Manly captain also predicted Brisbane would defeat Penrith, but his only wish was it would be a close game.<\/p>\n
When Nathan Cleary produced a 20-minute masterclass to inspire one of the great grand final comeback victories for Penrith, Cherry-Evans got the thrilling finish he wanted.<\/p>\n
But part of him must have been thinking if he would ever wear the Australian No.7 jersey again.<\/p>\n
Cleary finished last year\u2019s World Cup as the Kangaroos\u2019 halfback and was odds-on to start in the Pacific Championships.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat night I wasn\u2019t naive, and I thought there was absolutely no chance Nathan is not playing halfback for Australia,\u201d Cherry-Evans said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the whole time I was still thinking to myself that I had a good year, and I was hoping to be in the squad somewhere.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a full-blown optimist and always felt there was going to be another chance at some stage to wear the Australian No. 7 jersey.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Daly Cherry-Evans fires a pass at Kangaroos training this week.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>NRL Photos<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t know how or where or when, but I always kept playing and believing and staying patient.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m lucky enough to get a game this weekend, and can\u2019t wait to wear the green and gold.\u201d<\/p>\n Cleary will not feature for Australia in the coming weeks because of a knee injury, which paved the way for Cherry-Evans to start at halfback on Saturday night against Samoa.<\/p>\n It will be his 19th Test. Considering he is 34 and Cleary only 25, Cherry-Evans could have called time on his international availability after last year\u2019s World Cup, but held off in case a scenario like this presented itself.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like you\u2019ve got two options, you can complain and sook and feel sorry for yourself, or you can keep trying \u2013 it\u2019s as simple as that,\u201d Cherry-Evans said.<\/p>\n \u201cI just love the game. What do I do, say \u2018no\u2019 to Australia, then something like this [the Cleary injury] happens and I miss out altogether. Imagine if I had come back from the World Cup last year and retired from rep football?<\/p>\n \u201cI know it\u2019s getting closer to making that call, but I\u2019ll know when the time is right, and it\u2019s not right now. Someone will declare it soon and hope they\u2019re right. But only I will know.<\/p>\n \u201cRep footy still ticks so many boxes for me. It\u2019s so easy to appreciate something more when it\u2019s taken away from you.<\/p>\n \u201cNot many people get to play for their country. It\u2019s an opportunity I can never say \u2018no\u2019 to. And now here we are.\u201d<\/p>\n Cherry-Evans had another excellent year, captaining Queensland to an Origin series win, and leading the way like he always does for Manly.<\/p>\n Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga will love the fact Cherry-Evans feels right at home with the Queensland combinations, including halves partner Cameron Munster. Fellow Maroons Selwyn Cobbo and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow will make their Kangaroos\u2019 debuts.<\/p>\n There are mixed memories for Cherry-Evans playing in far north Queensland, with Townsville the scene of the Blues\u2019 50-6 hammering in Origin I in 2021, but then Manly\u2019s 46-18 final-round triumph against the Cowboys that same year, which featured the famous 110m try scored by Tom Trbojevic after the full-time siren.<\/p>\n The opening Test will be extra special for Manly with their cult hero Gordon Chan Kum Tong to make his Samoan debut, despite having played only two NRL games.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m really proud of him, and to see him named at hooker during the week, it\u2019s a great little reward for the couple of games in first grade where he held his own, and showed there\u2019s definitely a career in first grade,\u201d Cherry-Evans said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe jersey presentation for him during his club debut featured a lot of family, so I can only imagine how proud his family will be when they see him play for his country.\u201d<\/p>\n Cherry-Evans, who played three Origins, 22 club games he was available for and the Prime Minister\u2019s XIII fixture, will spend time in his home state of Queensland after the Test series, before helping kickstart next year\u2019s season with the Las Vegas double-header.<\/p>\n Penrith assistant Ben Gardiner will oversee his first game as Samoan coach, and sprung his first surprise during the week by naming Stephen Crichton at five-eighth. Samoa met Australia in the World Cup final but will be missing Jarome Luai (injury) and Joseph Suaalii (concussion) for the return bout.<\/p>\nMost Viewed in Sport<\/h2>\n
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