Daly Cherry-Evans opens up on Manly exit, Origin axing and NRL future ahead of 350th game
As he prepares to run out for his 350th NRL game, Daly Cherry-Evans has opened up on his looming Manly exit, his Origin axing and given a rare hint at his future, declaring he is not retiring.
Daly Cherry-Evans has opened up about his Queensland axing and declared he won’t be retiring from the NRL in the hope of snapping a 15-year premiership drought.
Cherry-Evans will celebrate his 350th NRL game for Manly in Saturday’s showdown with the Dolphins at 4 Pines Park.
It will be the Sea Eagles skipper’s penultimate appearance in front of Manly’s loyal fans before he departs Brookvale at season’s end, most likely for a one or two-year career swansong with the Roosters.
At 36, ‘DCE’ is the NRL’s oldest active player but has shown tremendous durability, failing to play 20 games in a year only once (2016, 19 matches) in 15 seasons.
And a desire to taste NRL premiership glory for the second time since his 2011 debut triumph continues to drive the man from Mackay.
“The one thing I didn’t know after we’d won the comp in 2011 was how hard it was going to be to get back there and win another one and it hasn’t happened since,” he said.
“In the later part of my career I’ve really appreciated what a special time in my life that was.
“The desire to win another competition’s never gone away. It’s ingrained in me.
“The big reason why you play the game is to ultimately be that last team left on grand final day with the trophy. It makes 2011 special, but it’s still burning.
“You want that feeling of winning a competition.
“It’s tough not being able to achieve something that you so desperately want, but that’s also such a big part of the thrill of why you keep doing it, because you know it’s worth it.”
PLAYING ON
Cherry-Evans dropped a bombshell early in the season when he revealed he would not be remaining at Manly beyond the end of 2025.
He has stubbornly refused to reveal what next year holds, with many believing a move to the Roosters is a fait accompli. But this is the NRL and nothing can be ruled out.
Cherry-Evans wouldn’t talk about his future this week, other than to confirm he wouldn’t be hanging up the boots.
“I’m not feeling the same as what I felt when I was 28, but I still definitely believe that I can uphold a standard that allows me to play in the NRL for a bit longer,” he said.
“I’ve always backed myself.
“There’s people around you that will tell you the honest truth and that’s something that’s always helped me keep things in perspective when I am playing poorly.
“I’ve got the right people that are telling me when I’m playing well, and the right people are telling me when things aren’t going so well.
“I’m not getting that advice to retire. I still feel as though there’s more left in me.
“If that’s the case, while the fire’s still burning, you keep going, right?”
BURNING BROOKY
Cherry-Evans has come under fire for keeping his cards close to his chest, with some believing it has contributed to Manly’s poor season.
He has remained steadfast and said he wasn’t the first player to leave a club, pointing to Penrith’s roster changes during the club’s four premiership dynasty.
“The last four years Penrith have won. They’ve lost big name players every year and it hasn’t destabilised them,” he said.
“I feel like we pick and choose what narrative we want to attach to a club. That’s the one the critics of me wanted to attach to Manly, so I haven’t lost any sleep over that narrative.
“I don’t really have any regrets, to be honest.
“But tough times have taught me some really valuable lessons along the way. Whether you’re going through bad form or making a big life decision about where you’re playing.
“You second guess yourself, but you’ve just got to go deep down to what your values are and who you want to be as a person and what you want to stand for.
“As long as you do that, you can’t really go wrong.”
MAROON AXING
Cherry-Evans’ turbulent 26-game Origin career came to an abrupt end when he was dropped after Queensland’s series-opening loss to NSW.
Maroons coach Billy Slater was vindicated when new No.7 Tom Dearden dominated the next two games to clinch the Wally Lewis Medal in one of Queensland’s most famous series victories.
Cherry-Evans didn’t get the opportunity for an Origin farewell but understood that was a risk he took when he refused to put an end date on his representative career.
“At the time it was tough,” he said.
“One way to look at it was how lucky I was to be able to play for Queensland so many times and be a part of some really special series wins.
“I was able to accept it and then really get behind the boys.
“Having a good friend in Cam Munster lead them to the victory was great and I’m super proud of the way Tom stood up.
“That (no farewell) comes at a cost for trying to play for so long. You won’t necessarily get to choose how it ends.
“It was the same for the Australian jersey. I had an amazing run there (21 Tests).
“It hurt not getting picked for Queensland but once you accept it you can move on and enjoy it. It gave me peace of mind knowing I had done a job for Queensland and it’s now someone else’s turn.”
MILESTONE MAN
Cherry-Evans is gutted that Manly is facing a finals flop in his last season at the Sea Eagles.
He will celebrate his milestone on Saturday but admits the round 27 finale against the Warriors at Brooky will be an emotional night when he farewells the only NRL club he’s known.
“When I first came down here, I just wanted to play one game,” he said.
“What’s kept me in the game for as long as I’ve been is the mental side of things.
“I have had tough patches of form, losses as a club and we haven’t made finals. They really challenge your beliefs, what you stand for and how much you want it.
“I’ve always wanted to stay in this game enough to fight for it. I’ll always try and come out the other side.
“We haven’t had the success that I had at the start of my career, but I’ve got great relationships and been able to celebrate milestones with these blokes that have become my good mates.
“That’s what makes good friends, right? It’s not always about you, it’s about being there and supporting your friends when they’ve got their time in the sun.”
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