Australian coach Mal Meninga has revealed the halfback spot in the Kangaroos team at the end of year Rugby League World Cup is Daly Cherry-Evans' to lose.
Despite Nathan Cleary being the main man for the Penrith Panthers and New South Wales Blues, who won the NRL premiership and State of Origin respectively, as well as finishing second in the Dally M medal race.
Despite that, Manly Sea Eagles veteran and Queensland Maroons captain Cherry-Evans - who led the Sea Eagles to last year's preliminary final - is the incumbent and has the spot to lose.
“Daly is definitely the one to beat,” Meninga told The Daily Telegraph.
“Nathan Cleary is pretty close behind him.
“It’s going to be an interesting year. Whoever comes out on top of that battle will probably be the national seven.
“We’ll have to see how the season pans out but at this stage it’s pretty clear in my mind.
“We’ll see how things transpire. A lot of things can happen through the course of the year.”
Cherry-Evans has played 15 Tests for Australia, however, there will only be room for one of him and Cleary who both play halfback, with Cameron Munster the likely front runner for the five-eighth spot.
The report suggests Meninga is set to bring out another surprise, naming an extended squad for the World Cup in the opening weeks of the NRL season, months before the team will eventually depart to defend the crown when the tournament is played in England.
It's understood James Tedesco - who is one of the leading candidates to be named captain - will see off the threat of Tom Trbojevic to be in the first-choice team.
The tournament will begin just two weeks after the NRL season finishes, with Australia in the same group as Fiji, Scotland and Italy.
