Addin Fonua-Blake has heaped praise on former Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans for giving him the leadership skills to help guide Cronulla to another preliminary final.

One of the game’s best front-rowers nominated Tongan pair Jason Taumalolo and Will Hopoate, as well as former New Zealand Warriors captain Tohu Harris, for helping shape him as a player, but said he would always be grateful to Cherry-Evans.

Fonua-Blake left Manly to join the Warriors at the end of 2020 as rumours swirled about how he needed to escape bad influences in Sydney, including bikies, which he was quick to deny .

But Fonua-Blake said Cherry-Evans was the person he could always confide in, and the way he led the Sea Eagles had inspired him to do likewise in the Shire. Fonua-Blake will try to lead from the front

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