Where to next for Daly Cherry-Evans? Why Roosters and Dolphins make sense for Manly captain
The Daly Cherry-Evans rumour mill is in overdrive over where he lands in 2026. For DAVID RICCIO, there’s only two clubs that make sense for the veteran Manly halfback.
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There’s only two clubs I’m watching closely following the dramatic break-up of Daly Cherry-Evans and Manly.
The Roosters and The Dolphins.
Granted, this mini-series still has a few more episodes to come.
And Bulldogs GM Gus Gould is always lurking in the background.
However, the fact Cherry-Evans has all but mirrored the equally shocking move back in 2017 of Cooper Cronk to quit the Storm for the Roosters, will lead every rugby league journalist to leave calls with brains trust at the tri-colours.
It just makes sense.
Cherry-Evans would be the ultimate mentor for rising star and fellow Queenslander Sam Walker.
Together, they boast the best short and long kicking game in the competition.
Interestingly too, Cherry-Evans is managed by Joe Wehbe, the same agent that takes care of Roosters captain James Tedesco and Cowboys recruit Reece Robson’s business.
The Dolphins have been sitting in Cherry-Evans’ corner for a lot longer than people would know.
Joining the Dolphins would be a homecoming of sorts with the Manly legend born in Redcliffe.
Like Walker, the Dolphins boast their own halves prodigy in Isaiya Katoa.
Equally, Cherry-Evans guiding hand for Katoa, who many rate a future star, would be immense.
DOLPHINS CONFIRM DCE INTEREST
-Peter Badel
The Dolphins are keen to open talks with Daly Cherry-Evans if the Queensland Origin skipper fails to finish his career at Manly.
This masthead can reveal the Dolphins are interested in bringing the Redcliffe junior home and are ready to begin negotiations with Cherry-Evans in the wake of his Brookvale bombshell.
While Manly have launched a desperate 11th-hour bid to keep Cherry-Evans, the Sea Eagles now face a bidding war to keep the premiership-winning halfback.
The Roosters have been linked with Cherry-Evans, but the Dolphins shape as the major threat given Cherry-Evans’ history with the club and links to Queensland as a Maroons State of Origin star.
Dolphins chief executive Terry Reader declined to comment on Monday night but confirmed the club’s interest if Cherry-Evans is available for the 2026 season.
It is understood the Dolphins have the salary-cap room to make a competitive offer for Cherry-Evans, but had yet to lodge a formal expression of interest because they believed ‘DCE’ would be a Sea Eagle for life.
But with the 36-year-old ready to test his value on the open market, the Dolphins will enter the race in a bid to bolster their scrumbase stocks.
Redcliffe have a rising star at halfback in Isaiya Katoa but there is a feeling the Tongan Test young gun needs support and mentoring at the scrumbase and Cherry-Evans would provide just that.
Cherry-Evans has captained Queensland to three Origin series wins and would be the perfect fit for the Dolphins as a Redcliffe product.
The Dolphins have yet to make a formal offer for Cherry-Evans, but have the funds in the salary cap to open negotiations with the Manly playmaker and thrash out his asking price with his management.
Cherry-Evans is on around $1.2 million this season at Manly and while it’s unlikely the Dolphins would match that figure, Redcliffe will provide a serious threat to the Sea Eagles in their desperate to battle to keep him at Brookvale.
As first revealed by this masthead last month, the off-contract Cherry-Evans said he had fielded interest from two NRL rivals inquiring about his services for 2026 and beyond.
“I did have some options,” he said.
“Out of respect to the clubs, I’m not going to name them.
“I didn’t want to shop myself around, so I only spoke to a couple of clubs that I felt I might have an interest to play for.
“I’m very happy at Manly, so I didn’t really put myself out there, but the clubs I spoke to, I got a good indication of where they were at and what their futures looked like.
“I am leaning on the side that I would want to keep playing on.
“I’m definitely not leaning towards retirement. I genuinely love playing rugby league.
“I’ve still got the fire burning within.”
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