League: QRL back DCE but fans say boo

Daly Cherry-Evans was booed at Suncorp Stadium. Photo / Getty Images

The Maroons insist Daly Cherry-Evans remains the frontrunner to succeed Cameron Smith as captain, despite his savage roasting from the Queensland public on Friday night.

Cherry-Evans has retained the support of Queensland selectors Des Morris and Darren Lockyer as debate rages over his suitability for test and Origin leadership roles.

On the eve of Origin I a fortnight ago, Maroons skipper Smith anointed Cherry-Evans as his captaincy successor but the 26-year-old's treatment of the Titans, reneging on a $4 million contract on Wednesday, has not pleased Queensland fans who once adored him.

Cherry-Evans was incessantly booed at Suncorp Stadium with fans cheering wildly when the Manly ace dropped the ball in the 44th minute of Brisbane's 44-10 victory.

There is a feeling the Queensland Rugby League cannot appoint a captain who has lost fan support.

Morris, Queensland's selection boss for almost a decade, is adamant Cherry-Evans' backflip will have no impact when they ramp up their leadership succession plan.

"Time heals wounds and Daly will be considered later on for the captaincy as he always would be," Morris said. "Gorden Tallis makes some good points about representing the state but we'll look at the best person and Daly won't be discounted because of a decision on his contract.

"The QRL board will have to make the final call but why should Daly pay any price? There's been a stack of blokes who have changed their minds on contracts and there wasn't a hullabaloo about it. Because Daly is high profile, it's a bigger deal.

"I would have loved for Daly to go to the Titans, but it doesn't affect how we see him in the Queensland setup. I have always found Daly to be up front, open and impressive with his leadership qualities. You want to see blokes honour contracts, but to say it could cost him the Queensland captaincy one day, I don't think that's the case."

Former Maroons centre Steve Renouf believes Greg Inglis is a better captaincy option given his greater experience at Origin level.

"Make 'GI' the next captain of Queensland," Renouf said. "This is nothing against Daly. I'm critical of the NRL for allowing players to backflip in the first place.

"But on the issue of captaincy, if Cam Smith has another two or three years, you can't replace him with Daly, who lacks the experience of someone like Inglis."

Lockyer, who passed the Queensland and test captaincy baton to Smith, believes the Cherry-Evans saga will be history when the QRL is required to install the next skipper.

- Sunday Mail