Bulldogs to target Daly Cherry-Evans after alarming vision of Manly captain raises eyebrows
The defence of the Sea Eagles skipper has been called into question.
Canterbury is preparing for an all-out assault on one of the game's most senior players after watching a defensive mis-read on repeat in preparation for Sunday's huge elimination final against Manly at Accor Stadium. Daly Cherry-Evans' defence has been a sharp focus for the Dogs this week as they welcome back left-edge combination Matt Burton, Viliame Kikau and Bronson Xerri for the club's first play-off game in eight years.
Burton and Xerri missed last week's loss to the Cowboys but return with a mission to terrorise 327-gamer Cherry-Evans. The 35-year-old veteran defends on the right, alongside Haumole Olakau'atu, and is renowned for making some erratic decisions when the play comes his way.
The Sharks exploited it to perfection midway through the first half of last Sunday's final round clash at 4 Pines Park, with Braydon Trindall slipping through a hole left by the Manly skipper's rushed defence before passing for winger Ronaldo Mulitalo to score. "Cherry-Evans' defensive decision is the reason why Trindall gets through," champion playmaker Cooper Cronk said during the Fox League call.
"He's spooked and turns in for no reason and allows the pass to get through to Mulitalo. He turns in and comes up without making a tackle. The indecision of Cherry-Evans makes that play because Trindall stepped through and saw the passage to get the pass through. They stripped the Manly defence and Mulitalo did the rest."
Questions over Daly Cherry-Evans' defence heading into finals
Canterbury players have been force-fed that vision all week and will target that same edge at every opportunity. Matty Johns said: "Manly's right-side defence, with DCE and Haumole Olakau'atu, has been a problem edge for a couple of seasons now.
"Last week it was all over the place and that happens to be the favoured side for the Bulldogs…with (Matt) Burton, Kikau and Bronson Xerri So there is a big opportunity here for the Dogs."
Former Brisbane player Denan Kemp added: "DCE has always been questionable in defence…not necessarily in his effort or his courage to get in front of tackles, just with his reads. Even in Origin at times he's had some poor reads (and) at clubland he is very hard to judge whether he's going to jam in or stay out."
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A crowd of 50,000-plus is expected at Accor Stadium to watch the Dogs' first finals appearance since 2016. The winner will play either the Roosters or Penrith in the second of next week's semi-finals.
