“Nothing there”: Cherry-Evans slaps down criticism of referee visit before Game 1

He was spotted in conversation with Ashley Klein.

Manly Sea Eagles and Queensland Maroons captain Daly Cherry-Evans has slapped down criticism of Ashley Klein’s visit to Manly Sea Eagles training.

An image published by The Sydney Morning Herald on Sunday pictured the skipper sitting with Klein at Brookvale Oval, with the pair appearing to be laughing near the players’ tunnel onto the playing field.

Concern was raised by the New South Wales Blues camp given Klein is the appointed referee for Game 1 of the 2025 State of Origin series, but speaking to the media on Monday, the veteran halfback who is also currently busy negotiating his own future away from the Northern Beaches said there was nothing to it, and that the pair didn’t discuss refereeing or tactics for Origin 1.

“I’m not going to be able to remember the conversation exactly because I don’t remember it being anything more than a conversation,” Cherry-Evans said per News Corp.

“We have referees come out to our training sessions weekly at Manly. They are humans. They are people. They have families and more often than not we’re just talking about our kids and how they are misbehaving.

“We are all human and like to talk about our problems, it’s as simple as that really.”

Cherry-Evans is well regarded as one of the better captains towards referees and the media, but the meeting with Klein didn’t stop eyebrows from being raised, with both camps accused of various tactics when it came to getting in the good books of match officials over the years.

The Queensland captain said referees attend Manly training on a weekly basis though.

“Read into it what you will, but there’s nothing there for me,” Cherry-Evans.

“That’s a weekly occurrence for us. If you come down to Manly training on any given week you will snap me with the referees at training.

“I’d like to think I have a good relationship with all referees.

“I’m respectful, empathetic for the way they have to sometimes play to the rules.”

“Read into it what you will, but there’s nothing there for me,” Cherry-Evans.

“That’s a weekly occurrence for us. If you come down to Manly training on any given week you will snap me with the referees at training.

“I’d like to think I have a good relationship with all referees.

 

“I’m respectful, empathetic for the way they have to sometimes play to the rules.”