FOR a bloke who was once overlooked by just about every NRL club, patience has been a virtue for Daly Cherry-Evans.

It is just as well, because Cherry-Evans is the first to understand he could be waiting a while before the golden door that is Queensland Origin selection swings open for him. Thrown a lifeline by the Sea Eagles three years ago while he battled away on the Sunshine Coast, Cherry-Evans’ world suddenly hit fast-forward.

One minute he faced an uncertain footballing future. The next he was holding aloft the 2011 NRL premiership and celebrating selection in Australia’s Four Nations squad – all at the tender age of 21.

But at Camp Maroon, Cherry-Evans knows his place in the pecking order. With Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk entrenched as Queensland’s halves for the foreseeable future, the Sea Eagles shot-caller is pragmatic enough to accept any Maroon jumper that comes his way will be hard earned.

“Barring injury, JT and Cronk aren’t going anytime soon and I understand that,” said Cherry-Evans, who was part of the Emerging Origin squad which completed a three-day camp under the watchful eye of master coach Wayne Bennett last week.

“I might have to start thinking of playing front row to get in the Queensland side, but I’ll stay patient and see what happens.

“I’m always optimistic I will break into it soon, whether it is this year or next I will stay positive and hopefully play some good club footy and that helps my cause.”

Cherry-Evans is clearly on the Maroons’ radar, with coach Mal Meninga naming him as 18th man for the series opener in Melbourne last season.

During his time in camp, Cherry-Evans struck a bond with Thurston. And even if he has become an Emerging Origin camp stalwart – he has partaken in three consecutive annual get-togethers – the blond-haired playmaker still treasures the experience.

“The good thing is someone like Thurston is always willing to lend a hand when I’m in camp. He is one of the nicer, more genuine people in th NRL, he always has time for younger people and I learn a lot when I’m with him,” he said.

“This is my third (Emerging Origin camp) … I might have to ask Wayne who has the record.

“But you never get sick of it. It’s still a privilege to come to these camps and just to have that thought in the back of your head that you are still part of the selectors’ plans, it’s definitely a good sign.

“You learn a lot in these camps. Wayne said the other night it is a good ice breaker to come in and get a feel for the Origin environment.

“You get to meet some people who will be possibly there in the next few years and you get some structures that are part of the Origin legacy.”

Bennett has no doubt Cherry-Evans and fullback sensation Ben Barba will spearhead Queensland’s next wave of Origin talent.

“I’m sure Ben and Daly will get their chances,” he said.

“I think it’s wonderful, it makes them want it more, they don’t get it easily and when they get it they will value it more.

“Ben and Daly will get their opportunity, they are both wonderful players but it just takes time. I think of Billy Slater, he is the fullback now but he played on the wing when I coached him in Origin and now he’s at the back.

“I’ve been in charge of the (Emerging Origin) program for about a decade now and I still have a great passion for it. It’s been a great success, we’ve tried to develop our own the past few years and create a good pipeline for the Origin team.

“NSW are following the same template and even New Zealand are doing it now.

“It always varies but there are lots of talented boys in the group this year. I think there are a few guys in this camp who will play Origin this year. We don’t have a vast amount of talent but we have to maximise what we’ve got.

“NSW have more numbers than we have, so we have to work harder.

“A lot of the guys have been in our program since they were 15 or 16. I go back a decade when NSW had all the playmakers and we had to combat that.

“It’s our turn now and we have to make the most of it.”