The 27-year-old had an amazing introduction to the NRL, leading manly to the 2011 premiership in his rookie season and earning an Australian jersey.

Queensland selection followed in 2013 with the No.7 going on to play six State of Origin games and 11 matches for his country.

But a drop in form has seen him enter the representative wilderness.

His absence could be attributed to off-field woes surrounding his 2015 Titans backflip after signing a four-year multi-million dollar contract with the Gold Coast.

He subsequently signed a $10 million lifetime deal with the Sea Eagles which brought a massive amount of pressure to perform as the side's sole playmaker in 2016 following the departure of his halves partner Kieran Foran.

The newly appointed Manly captain is now behind Anthony Milford, Ben Hunt, Michael Morgan, James Maloney and Mitchell Pearce as next in line behind incumbents Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston, but he is adamant he can return to the form that had many touting him as a future representative captain.

“My rep career right now is non-existent. That’s the honest part of it,” Cherry-Evans told Fox Sports.

 “I haven’t played rep footy in a couple of years and I don’t believe I’ve played a level of football that warrants me wearing a rep jersey at the moment.

“That’s one of the big things that I walked away with last year. Understanding where I am in the pecking order. That doesn’t sit well with me.

“That’s something I really do want to change but as clichéd as it sounds, I really do just have to work hard at Manly.”

Cherry-Evans replaced an injured Cronk in the run-on side for the second game of the 2014 Origin Series but turned in a shocker and has not started a match for his state since.

 “I had the opportunity to do it and I let that opportunity slide. I’m fortunate enough, I think, that it is in my hands to get that back if I play at a level that I hold myself to, and that my teammates hold me to, I can get back there in a rep jersey,” Cherry-Evans said.

“Maybe not this year, maybe not next year. But I will be back there.”