Bulldog’s Bite: Manly Sea Eagles’ uncomfortable contract talks with ageless Daly Cherry—Evans
The Sea Eagles are desperate to treat club legend Daly Cherry-Evans with respect in his next contract negotiation, but talks may become awkward.
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This could be Manly’s Adam Reynolds’ moment — delicate contract negotiations involving a proud club wanting to show respect and deference to a true legend.
But how much will the Sea Eagles be prepared to pay?
Now that celebrations around his record-breaking NRL 310th appearance have subsided, Sea Eagles star Daly Cherry-Evans has to begin what could be sensitive, and possibly uncomfortable, contract discussions.
Cherry-Evans, one of the game’s highest-paid players at $1.2 million a year, comes off contract after next season.
The Manly halfback has indicated an inclination to play on, and why not given the star halfback is arguably in career-best form.
But he will be 37 when the 2026 NRL season kicks off.
How many years will Cherry-Evans want on his new contract? And how much money will he seek, or be prepared to accept?
Age catches up with everyone – even the great DCE.
The club has so much admiration for Cherry-Evans that he could probably nominate the length of the term he wants.
Would Manly be reluctant should Cherry-Evans want to play another three seasons, meaning he would be just shy of 40 when he eventually hangs up the boots?
Manly would be tempted to agree to a request for a longer deal given Cherry-Evans’ remarkable endurance. He has averaged 23 games in each of his 13 full seasons and has never suffered a long-term injury.
It’s the kind of return you want when you’re paying a bloke $1 million a year.
You just don’t tip out a club legend.
But there is no doubt that the club risks a salary cap mess if Cherry-Evans’ age catches up with him mid-contract.
Manly are more than aware that Cherry-Evans is a Sea Eagles icon, a player the club’s fans adore.
You only had to watch the fans laud their hero last Saturday when Cherry-Evans starred in his record-breaking 310th club game. It was an epic individual performance.
Cherry-Evans cannot play forever and, let’s be honest, players can fall off a cliff quickly when in their mid-30s.
He is the fourth-oldest player in the NRL right now.
There is little doubt Cherry-Evans could still command $1 million a season. For goodness sake, he is still captain of the Queensland State of Origin side.
As unpalatable as it can be to champion players, Cherry-Evans may have to consider a pay cut given his age.
The club, at some point soon, will have to start future-proofing their halves, depending on when Cherry-Evans wants to retire.
And finding good halves these days isn’t easy.
Souths confronted a similar issue with Reynolds, a Rabbitohs legend who was forced out to Brisbane in 2022.
Souths felt Reynolds — at 31 — was too old to offer anything more than a one-year contract extension. The Rabbitohs still haven’t recovered from his exit.
Manly officials are treading incredibly carefully with Cherry-Evans, the club more than aware what he means to the Sea Eagles brand and history.
Sea Eagles CEO Tony Mestrov is one of the best operators in the game. He is a Manly boy and knows what legends mean at Brookvale.
It will take some smooth negotiations – and a little give from both sides – to work out an amicable conclusion.
Manly could move Luke Brooks into the No.7 jumper when Cherry-Evans does eventually retire, but finding a great five-eighth these days can be challenging.
They do have Josh Schuster on their books until the end of 2027, but he has been moved into the back row after failing to lock down a spot in Manly’s halves.
Cherry-Evans would never play for another club.
Or would he? He is a Redcliffe junior and his former club now has a team in the NRL.
If the two parties can’t find an amicable solution, could Cherry-Evans move on in 2026, perhaps to a club desperately chasing an experienced halfback?
The Gold Coast have already unsuccessfully tried to lure Ben Hunt north.
Some players should never be seen in the colours of a rival club and Cherry-Evans should be a Manly player until the day he retires.
Manly and Cherry-Evans will both want what is best for their club but it will be softly, softly from both parties.
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