Veteran Queensland Maroons halfback Daly Cherry-Evans was notably absent from the 2025 State of Origin Game III decider at Accor Stadium, despite several other dropped or injured Maroons stars showing up to support the team’s series-clinching win.
As reported by The Daily Telegraph, sidelined Queensland players Kalyn Ponga, Beau Fermor, and Moeaki Fotuaika were in attendance in Sydney on Wednesday night as the Maroons secured a dominant 24-12 victory over New South Wales.
The trio, who had all featured earlier in the Origin series, joined in the post-game celebrations after Queensland lifted the Origin shield.
The 33-year-old was axed following Queensland’s Game I loss at Suncorp Stadium and has not featured in the Maroons’ matchday squad since.
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His absence from the sideline sparked further conversation about his State of Origin future, especially after former Queensland captain Cameron Smith publicly backed the controversial call to drop him.
“I think the decision to leave Daly Cherry-Evans out of the last two matches, I think that’s been proven to be the right call,” Smith said during Channel 9’s coverage.
“Billy Slater was criticised heavily for making that decision. That’s one of the biggest decisions made in Origin in a long, long time—to leave out a captain like Daly, 26 Origins I think he played, three of those series as a winning captain.
“So it was a big call. And then to put Tommy Dearden in, who plays majority of his football with the No.6 on his back, to come out and then finish as the Wally Lewis Medallist as the best player of the series is just incredible.”
Dearden replaced Cherry-Evans as the Maroons' starting halfback for Games II and III and played a key role in Queensland’s turnaround, ultimately earning the prestigious Wally Lewis Medal for player of the series.
Ponga featured in the opening two games before being ruled out with a foot injury, while Fotuaika was dropped after Game II.
Fermor, like Cherry-Evans, played in the series opener but was not selected again.
On the New South Wales side, injured Blues playmaker Mitchell Moses was seen in the coaching box at Accor Stadium.
Meanwhile, Warriors forward Mitch Barnett, the only other player to feature earlier in the series who did not take part in Game III was reportedly eager to attend but was advised not to travel from New Zealand following recent knee surgery.