New Queensland skipper Daly Cherry-Evans insists lessons learned from the Maroons’ recently-retired greats will inspire their quest to reclaim the State of Origin title.
Cherry-Evans says Queensland are entering a new era in Wednesday’s series opener in Brisbane with Greg Inglis and Billy Slater joining Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston in calling it a day.
Yet the future Immortals will be very much present in spirit when the new look Maroons run out onto Suncorp Stadium.
“We have had a lot of Origin experience retire over the last two campaigns, the remaining pieces of that Queensland legacy that was built over a 10-year period are gone,” Cherry-Evans said on Monday.
“Some of us were lucky enough to be involved in that, though, and there are some players who got a taste of that success with those older players.
“We will be drawing on that for inspiration and also using that as an experience to make sure we teach these younger boys the way we feel as though this Origin legacy can continue.”
Cherry-Evans becomes Queensland’s 15th captain, capping a remarkable transformation after ending a three-year exile in last year’s Origin III.
Ahead of just his eighth Origin, he follows in the footsteps of some of Queensland’s greatest players such as Wally Lewis, Darren Lockyer and Smith.
Asked what sort of captain he will be, Cherry-Evans said: “Hopefully a winning captain.
“The names you have just mentioned are so great because they won; they are winners and when they played at Origin level, they were successful.
“Without too much pressure on the result, I can’t wait to get out there and just do my job (but) leading does come naturally to me.”
Cherry-Evans also cleared himself to play just five weeks after ankle surgery.
He pulled up well after a willing opposed session against Queensland Cup side Ipswich on Sunday night along with other injury concerns Jai Arrow (quad) and Moses Mbye (groin).
“I walked in here saying I was 100 per cent so I must be sitting here at 105, 110 per cent by now,” he laughed.
“I felt our week has built up nicely, we trained at quite an intensity, that has instilled a lot of confidence in how I am going to hold up.”