Andrew Johns has anointed Roosters halfback Sam Walker as the man who should be picked in State of Origin 1 to replace injured Queensland star Tom Deaden. Cowboys halfback Dearden is out for 6-8 weeks with a syndesmosis ankle injury, meaning he’ll likely miss Origin 1 and 2 and possibly the entire series.
Maroons coach Billy Slater will now have to find a replacement for Dearden, who won the Wally Lewis Medal as player of the series last year. Dearden was brilliant for the Maroons when he stepped into the starting No.7 role in Game 2 last year when Daly Cherry-Evans was dumped.
Andrew Johns (L) has named the man who Billy Slater (R) should pick to replace Tom Dearden (centre). Image: Getty
Cherry-Evans has stated he hasn’t retired from rep footy, and shapes as a logical replacement for Dearden. But Johns reckons DCE’s Roosters teammate Walker is the man for the job.
Walker has shown some brilliant form over the last two years and has kept the No.7 jersey for the Roosters despite Cherry-Evans’ arrival. Discussing the situation on Channel 9’s Sunday Footy Show, Johns declared the race is between Walker and DCE but said it’s “Walker’s time”.
“I think his style of play at Origin level, especially with the quicker ruck this year, you’ve got to be unpredictable and set plays don’t really necessarily work at Origin,” Johns said. “I probably think just in front would be Sammy.”
Daly Cherry-Evans and Sam Walker are both options for Queensland.
(Getty Images)
Johns ruled out other contenders Jamal Fogarty, Tanah Boyd and Ezra Mam, and said talk of Kalyn Ponga playing halfback was “ridiculous”. Some have floated the idea of Ponga taking the No.7 jersey, which would allow Slater to unleash both him and Reece Walsh in his starting team.
Ponga plays as a virtual halfback at the Knights anyway with his kicking game and plenty of touches at first receiver. But Johns said he can’t see it working at Origin level.
Brad Fittler goes with Daly Cherry-Evans
As for Brad Fittler, he said he’d go with Cherry-Evans rather than Walker due to DCE’s experience and game management. Cherry-Evans played 26 games for Queensland before he was axed as halfback and captain last year.
“If you look at their team, they’re going have Reece Walsh, Hamiso (Tabaui-Fidow), Cameron Munster – they have got players who can score points, so I don’t think Sam Walker will be needed from the point of view of being a creative player,” Fittler said. “I think Cherry-Evans gives you that experience, he’s had 26 games and he’s captained the state to victory, so I think he’s the man.”
Meanwhile, Slater said he won’t ask five-eighth Cameron Munster who he’d prefer to play alongside in the halves. Munster is horribly out of form for the Storm, but will be one of the first players picked by Slater.
And the Maroons coach has declared there was nothing illegal about the tackle that injured Dearden. Josh Addo-Carr gripped Dearden’s upper body and then came down with his legs onto Dearden’s ankle.
The Parramatta winger wasn’t charged on Saturday and Slater said it was simply an accident. “I don’t think there was anything illegal in the incident,” Slater said. “It was just one of those things where he came down a bit awkwardly.”