Daly Cherry-Evans on Kangaroos’ HUGE selection dilemma as Mal Meninga has to choose between Manly veteran and Penrith star Nathan Cleary: ‘I hope this isn’t my last game’
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Daly Cherry-Evans is hopeful he didn’t play his last game for the Kangaroos but admitted he ‘knew what he signed up for’ when he was named in Mal Meninga’s Rugby League World Cup squad.
The Queensland captain has been Australia’s starting runner before the tournament, but has found his place under threat from Nathan Cleary.
The Penrith superstar has won back-to-back Grand Finals the past two seasons with the Panthers and has been the NRL’s in-form running back for the better part of the last three years.
Daly Cherry-Evans is Australia’s starting running back, but his place is under threat
Cleary marked his debut for the Kangaroos by scoring 28 points against Scotland last week, strengthening his case that he will eventually take over the number 7 shirt from Cherry-Evans.
The veteran playmaker and Cleary were on the field on Saturday, as the Kangaroos defeated Italy 66-6 in their final pool match to finish atop Group B with a perfect record.
Meninga, however, deployed Cherry-Evans at five and eight, a decision that seemed to suggest Cleary will be the starting running back in the knockout stages.
And Manly’s gun admitted he was at peace with the prospect of being passed over for the quarter-final against Lebanon.
Nathan Cleary and Cherry-Evans played together in Australia’s 66-6 win over Italy
The Manly star was deployed at 5:08 instead of running back on Saturday night.
“Don’t get me wrong, I want to be in the final 17, but those decisions are out of my hands,” he told Fox League.
“I’m proud to play two games for Australia and I hope it’s not the last, but if it is, we’ll see.”
“I hope this is not my last game, but if it is, I will be here to support the team.”
Cherry-Evans and Cleary recorded three assist attempts each in the thrashing of Italy with the former admitting he was under no illusions his place would be guaranteed when Meninga named the World Cup squad.
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has kept his cards close to his chest in terms of selection.
The most experienced player on the Kangaroos team, the Sea Eagles veteran, insisted he would be happy to take a backseat for the good of the team.
‘I knew what I was signing up for, Mal [Meninga] told me before coming that this would be an open competition and that I would have to fight for a place,’ he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
‘I love those competitions. I was going to play for Australia [deep into the tournament] or having to be a little selfless and do something for a young group that is coming.’