As Queensland Maroons head coach Billy Slater prepares to finalize his squad for the 2026 State of Origin series, one of the program’s most storied veterans has opened up about his uncertain future in the representative rugby league arena, delivering a refreshingly grounded perspective on his place in the side’s next chapter.
Former Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans, who notched 26 Origin appearances across his career and led the side in the opening game of the 2025 series, has stopped short of formally announcing his retirement from the interstate contest. The 37-year-old Sydney Roosters playmaker, however, has thrown his unwavering support behind incumbent halves pairing Cameron Munster and Tom Dearden, who he says deserve to retain their starting spots for the upcoming series.
Cherry-Evans’s 2025 Origin tenure ended abruptly after Queensland suffered a game one defeat at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium, when coach Billy Slater made the blockbuster call to drop the veteran skipper from the side. Dearden was brought into the starting lineup in his place, while Munster was promoted to take over captaincy. The reshuffled pairing went on to lead Queensland to a historic come-from-behind series win, with Dearden claiming the prestigious Wally Lewis Medal as the series’s best player.
Though Cherry-Evans remains technically eligible for selection and has left the door cracked open for a potential surprise recall, he acknowledged that the current pairing deserves first dibs on the roles, even noting that both Munster and Dearden have faced inconsistent form at their respective NRL club sides this season. “I’m never going to be that guy that just comes out and retires, but I’m very comfortable with the side that they picked last year to win the series in the back end,” Cherry-Evans said in a recent interview.
“Tom Dearden and Cam Munster, there’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that they’re Queensland’s best options going forward. If something ever happened moving down the track, you just keep your options open, and it’d be bloody hard to say no to a Queensland jersey again. But I’m quite clear that I’m not their best option right now and I’m OK with that.”
Reflecting on his decorated Origin career, Cherry-Evans said he holds nothing but positive memories of representing his home state, and has fully accepted the current reality of his position in the squad’s pecking order. “It’s really hard to talk about yourself when it comes to what you’ve done. I’m still playing, so I’ve got nothing but great memories of State of Origin. If I got another chance, that’d be great, but if not, that’s also OK,” he said. “I’m going to continue to work really hard on my game and try and get the Roosters to keep winning footy games and have a strong input in that. But where it is right now, I completely understand it and accept it, and that’s OK. If I’m not picked, that’s fine, I’ll be watching at home cheering for Queensland.”
Slater, who played alongside Cherry-Evans for the Maroons during his own playing career, said he has been encouraged by the veteran’s form and mindset following his off-season move from Manly Sea Eagles to the Sydney Roosters, a shift Cherry-Evans said he needed to reignite his love for the game. The Queensland coach added that a Cherry-Evans recall is widely viewed as highly unlikely, with young playmakers Sam Walker of the Roosters and Ezra Mam of the Brisbane Broncos already in contention for a spot in this year’s squad.
“He’s been great. It’s good to see him enjoying his footy. He said he needed a fresh start, and he’s got that,” Slater told reporters at the MCG on Monday. “He’s the oldest player in our game and he’s doing a wonderful job. I’ve spoken to him a couple of times at games, and it’s good to see him putting some games together. It was always going to take some time with Sammy Walker and ‘Chez’ being quite similar players, but they’re making it work. They’ve got a good roster at the Roosters, so the more they play together, the better they’re going to get. That’s dangerous for the rest of the competition.”