Queensland skipper Daly Cherry-Evans says the axing of former NSW captain James Tedesco "sucks" because he has been in the same position and understands the pain. On the flip side it is a bittersweet moment as Jake Trbojevic, his soulful, competitive Manly teammate and great friend, has become NSW skipper instead. Cherry-Evans, 35, and 30-year-old Trbojevic will go head-to-head in an old-fashioned 'mate v mate' State of Origin confrontation in Sydney on June 5 in the State of Origin series opener.
"That theme hasn't necessarily disappeared but it has been a bit hard to lean into a bit lately, without those sort of rivalries," Maroons half Cherry-Evans said. Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion. "But two (Origin) captains each coming from the same club is as good as it gets," The pair mark the first club teammates to captain opposing states since 2000, when Sydney Roosters duo Brad Fittler and Adrian Lam led NSW and Queensland.
Cherry-Evans is also a good friend of Tedesco, shares the same management company, and has represented Australia alongside him. The 2011 premiership winner was dropped in 2015 from the Maroons and spent three years in the Origin wilderness. So news of 31-year-old fullback Tedesco's axing in favour of Penrith's Dylan Edwards - after Tedesco and Cherry-Evans had contested four consecutive Origin series against each other as opposition captains - hit home.
"That's hard because I have been there before. I have.
