Queensland State of Origin captain Daly Cherry-Evans has challenged his shattered players to make a statement in the NRL before attempting to save their series.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Cherry-Evans' rollercoaster week ended on a high when he starred in Manly's 50-18 flogging of North Queensland, just two days after the Maroons' Origin I embarrassment.
Cherry-Evans set up four tries in the Sea Eagles' big win, after making clear he couldn't get back on the field quick enough after Wednesday night.
And he has told the rest of the Maroons they need to take the same approach in the two NRL rounds before the must-win Origin II at Suncorp Stadium on June 27.
"It's one-nil in the series, we can't change what's happened so the only thing we can do right now is play good footy for our clubs," Cherry-Evans said.
"The 17 players that get picked for the next game, anyone who got to play in the first game is going to be extremely motivated.
"Hopefully they will bring better form in and we can show a bit better connectivity.
"We were disconnected the other night and I think that motivation will bring us together in the next camp."
Queensland fullback Valentine Holmes endured the opposite rebound, with Manly's haul making it 100 points scored on him in the space of 48 hours.
He was at least able to avoid a ban on Saturday morning, not cited for a shoulder charge on Manly's Haumole Olakau'atu.
Cherry-Evans meanwhile admitted it wouldn't be easy to move on from the 50-6 Townsville flogging, which marked the biggest defeat in Queensland's Origin history.
"The first 24 hours was mentally processing it and emotionally and that was pretty hard coming home," Cherry-Evans said.
"Flying down and reality sinking in that we'd just been carved up. But waking up (on Friday) morning I was really excited to come back.
"As I've got a bit older I've learned to deal with my responsibility in a loss.
"There are parts that I was involved in that I'm not proud of from Wednesday night and those things stick with you, in your head.
"The best thing to move on was to change my focus to this (Manly) game. I'm really lucky it was 48 hours later because it was enough time for me to deal with what happened."
Australian Associated Press
