Cameron Munster’s evolution from wayward star to Queensland captain has been complete.Credit: Getty Images
If Cameron Munster had been told five years ago he would be unveiled as the Queensland Maroons’ captain, he would have offered a laugh and a small shake of the head.
Those close to him at Melbourne Storm are unsurprised, having witnessed his transformation from carefree larrikin to a bona fide leader.
But for the man himself, the pride he feels comes with a heavy heart for the player he replaced in veteran Daly Cherry-Evans.
Daly Cherry-Evans has been axed for game two, replaced at halfback by Tom Dearden and as captain by Cameron Munster.Credit: Getty Images
After 26 caps, the 36-year-old was dropped for game two in Perth following the Maroons’ series opening defeat in Brisbane, with coach Billy Slater informing Munster on Monday night that he would become the state’s 16th skipper.
“It’s terrible circumstances with Chez, I’m really close mates with him, so it was disappointing, and unfortunately, someone had to take the role,” Munster said.
“I spoke to Chez a couple of days ago, I don’t need to go into a whole lot of detail about what I said to him, but he’s obviously been a great captain for this state for a long time.
“I know it’s disappointing for him and his family, and he hasn’t got the opportunity to write the wrongs from game one, but I do.
“That’s a big decision to make to axe your captain, and it puts everyone on notice and makes sure that jersey is not yours, it’s Queensland’s.”
Cameron Munster on Daly Cherry-Evans’ axing
There was a time when Munster’s potential threatened to be wasted, as his off-field decisions put his career in jeopardy.
The most high-profile instance came in 2021, when footage of him and two teammates partying with what appeared to be a white powder led to his demotion from the Storm’s leadership group.
Munster entered himself into a health and wellness clinic to address gambling and alcohol issues, before returning to Melbourne’s captaincy core.
While the 30-year-old does not intend to change his larrikin persona, adamant “there’s a child inside us”, his off-field evolution – which included laying off the booze – braced him for the Origin captaincy.
“Five years ago, I was definitely not looking at it, or thinking about it. I think my wife has played a massive part in that, and my kids,” Munster said.
“Having kids made me have to grow up a little bit more, and I had to be a role model not only for my kids, but kids in the community in Queensland.
“Before that, I was just worried about myself, and not worried about the consequences that were going to come with myself and my name.
“I brought my name into the dirt there for a little bit. I made some poor choices off the field, and now I’m writing the wrongs of that. The consequences didn’t matter to me, but I’ve turned a corner.
“I’m not going to change the person I am, it’s the reason why I am who I am.”
With the “c” next to his name, Munster vowed to be in peak form in Perth, as Queensland fight to keep the series alive.
It is a pledge his Maroons and Storm teammates sensed would occur.
Trent Loiero, who will start at lock in game two, lauded him as “the most competitive player I’ve ever played with”, who had a “fire inside him” that would ignite come next Wednesday.
Winger Xavier Coates then praised him as a “big game player”, while debutant Kurt Mann has watched Munster grow from his schoolboy rival in Central Queensland to the “great family man” he is today.
Centre Jack Howarth, called into the Maroons’ extended squad, credited Munster for his own ascent.
Howarth arrived in Melbourne on a five-year deal in January 2022, having been regarded as one of the most elite young talents coming through.
It would take him until mid-2024, however, to get his chance, having been hampered by injuries and poor form.
The 22-year-old’s confidence was shaken. It wasn’t the expectations placed on him out of high school that he struggled with, but doubts about whether he would reach his potential.
Munster, he said, helped him discover it.
Jack Howarth on the go for Melbourne.Credit: Getty Images
“I’ve never been someone who takes things really seriously and puts that type of pressure on myself, [but] when I wasn’t playing, that’s when I started to question a few things and the confidence went down,” Howarth said.
“He [Munster] is a very confident player, so he’s good at handling situations where he’s made an error, and he’s helped me through those periods.
“He’ll give me a little spray, but I know it’s coming from a good place, and he’ll make sure I get the ball, or I’ll do something good straight after a mistake, and he helps me forget about it.
“He’s always naturally been a leader. You can see how he goes about his business – he has a laugh, but when it’s time to train, he gets his point across and everyone listens.”
