'Like Alf and Wally': Maroons' new dynamic duo

Westpac NSW Blues coach Laurie Daley has compared Queensland’s new halves pairing of Tom Dearden and Cameron Munster to Maroons greats Allan Langer and Wally Lewis.

Dearden will start in the Queensland No.7 jersey for the first time in Origin II at Perth’s Optus Stadium on June 18 after unseating veteran halfback Daly Cherry-Evans, while Munster takes over the Maroons captaincy.

While some in the NSW camp were surprised that Queensland coach Billy Slater axed his long serving skipper, Daley declared himself to be Dearden’s No.1 fan.

“If anyone has ever listened to my radio show that I do [2KY’s Big Sports Breakfast], I reckon he's the person I've wrapped the most over the last 18 months," Daley said.

“I just love everything about him and he's going to be a difficult challenge for us because he is just a threat every time he has the ball, and him and Munster, if they're in a running frame of mind, then it's going to be a big test for our defence.”

Daley also expects the captaincy to inspire Munster and said the pair reminded him of Langer and Lewis, who each have a statue at Suncorp Stadium after dominating Origin together and individually.

“I don't buy into what the opposition do, but what I do know is that Tom Dearden is a great player,” Daley said.

He is just continually at you, he never rests and the moment you rest is the moment that he finds you. He's sort of got a little bit of Alfie about him.

“Alfie was one of those players that was always at you, at you, at you, and the moment you made the wrong decision, he was through. That's why Dearden is such a good player.

"He is such a good tough player, he challenges the line and he's a massive threat for us.”

The halves pairing in the Queensland Rugby League Team of the Century, Langer played 34 Origins at halfback and Lewis partnered him at the scrum base in 14 of his 31 Origin appearances.

Lewis, who was bestowed Immortal status in 1999, captained the Maroons on 30 occasions and was voted man-of-the-match in eight Origins due to his ability to produce the winning play or change the momentum of a game.

The Wally Lewis Medal is awarded to the Origin player of the series. 

Asked if Munster would be to Dearden what Lewis was to Langer, Daley said: “Well, he’s played like Wally at Origin level before, hasn’t he”.

“You just know that he's going to be in and around the football and he's going to want to lead, so we have to make sure we’re on song,” continued Daley, who played opposite Lewis and Langer for NSW.

“With the way that they run the ball they are just going to come at you. It's not like you can sit back because every time they get the ball, they're just going to be testing your line.

“That'll be the challenge for us, to be consistently good at defending together.”

Dearden and Munster had not played in the same team until last month's Origin series opener at Suncorp Stadium, won 18-6 by NSW, and they have never been paired together in the halves before.

However, Dearden - Munster's replacement at five-eighth in the third game of the 2022 series and all three Origins last year - believes their playing styles align, and they can pose the threat that Daley forewarned 

“I just reckon we're both sort of similar players in the way that we like to run the ball and try and put the defence under a lot of pressure," Dearden said.

“I know if we can combine well and work well with each other and find that connection throughout the week, hopefully we can build a good combination for next Wednesday."

While Munster doesn't captain the Storm, Dearden said he had the attributes to be a great leader for the Maroons.

“I just think he leads so well with his actions and I think that's what is going to make Munny such a great captain," Dearden said.

“He was always a leader in this squad anyway and he just leads to his actions and his tenacity and the passion that he has for playing for Queensland. I think that's what's going to make him such a great captain."