The three words that define the winding career path of Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans
EVERY misstep of Daly Cherry-Evans winding career can be traced back to a single phrase that explains his successes, failures and falling out with former teammates.
Sea Eagles
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sea Eagles. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Titans turn down Norman
- Why does nobody like DCE?
- Mbye set for last game as a Bulldog
- Slater in doubt for Origin II
ANTHONY Watmough’s comments about Daly Cherry-Evans have revealed the extraordinary career path the Manly captain has undertaken. Not necessarily for the better.
And every tentacle comes back to one small phrase: Give Me More.
Watmough was most savage when he revealed Cherry-Evans was going to refuse to turn up to training if the club did not upgrade his contract, even though he had recently signed a new four-year deal.
Watmough was upset senior players at the club had taken pay cuts to stay together and deliver success and that their sacrifice, which kept the salary cap in order, was being threatened by a Johnny-come-lately.
Once again it highlights the sad plight of Cherry-Evans’ career.
He has fallen out with the most influential players at his club during their most successful time.
He polarised the NRL world with his famous backflip on Gold Coast.
After breaking into Queensland in 2013, his third season in the NRL, he has never been further away from Origin selection than now, despite the annual denials from inside Camp Maroon.
And all can be traced back to one small phrase: Give Me More.
***
CANTERBURY have denied rumours swirling the game, once and for all, that they are exploring the possibility of medically retiring Kieran Foran to clear up room in their salary cap.
Probably because the Bulldogs are a million-to-one chance to have the claim paid out given Foran’s long and noted injury history. The unofficial inquiries came from a Bulldogs board member and were not formally sought by the club.
Listen below as Nick Campton and Tim Williams discuss NRL Round 15, the Denver/Pacific Tests, Origin Game II and plenty more.
Subscribe to The League Central podcast on iTunes.
It’s the latest saga at a club trying desperately to get its salary cap in order.
To imagine they might get Foran medically retired is pure fantasy.
As chief executive Andrew Hill said: “It wouldn’t fly.”
Hill knows Foran’s injuries are pre-existing.
***
SOUTH Sydney are aware of Brisbane’s quiet interest in coach Anthony Seibold and have ramped up talks to ensure their rookie coach remains at Redfern.
Seibold is fast firming as the Dally M Coach of the Year after reinvigorating the Rabbitohs.
The Broncos’ interest in Seibold is interesting for what it says about Wayne Bennett’s future at the club.
There was a belief the Broncos were chasing Bellamy because he is generally regarded as the best coach in the NRL and, if they missed out on him, they would re-engage in talks with Bennett.
Certainly Bennett wanted to extend his deal.
The interest in Seibold, though, reveals the Broncos think differently.
***
PETER Wallace’s shock retirement could have cost the Panthers ace more than just a premiership tilt. Wallace was in contention to earn a Kangaroos call-up at the ripe old age of 32.
Australian coach Mal Meninga is a huge fan of the former Panthers skipper and if the traditional mid-year Test had been played, Wallace would have came agonisingly close to earning his first Kangaroos cap.
His partnership with James Maloney would have helped his cause. The retirement of skipper Cameron Smith has thrown the door wide open for the Australian No. 9 jersey with Damien Cook’s opening Origin game putting him in the box seat.
Ben Hunt was used at hooker during last year’s World Cup campaign. Injury also cruelled Wallace’s hopes of return to the Origin arena last year.
***
RAYMOND Faitala-Mariner has been a rare shining light for an otherwise dismal season for the Bulldogs and the back-rower is set to be rewarded with a call-up to the Kiwis squad. Faitala-Mariner is on the verge of making his New Zealand debut when Michael Maguire names his first squad as Kiwis coach on Monday.
The 24-year-old, who played two Tests for Samoa in 2016, is expected to be among a host of new faces named as the Kiwis undergo a generational change following the representative retirements of Simon Mannering, Ben Matulino and Russell Packer.
***
IT is an end of an era for the voices of summer with the bulk of Channel 9’s cricket team not securing contracts with Fox Sports or Channel 7’s new-look commentary teams.
Channel 7 will announce today that former Test opener Michael Slater will join the likes of Ricky Ponting and Damien Fleming in the commentary box.
With Shane Warne committed to Fox Sports alongside Adam Gilchrist, Mark Waugh, Mike Hussey and Brett Lee, it means most of Channel 9’s team have been overlooked. For so long Mark Taylor, Ian Chappell, Ian Healy, Mark Nicholas and more recently Michael Clarke have been the voices of cricket but no more.
***
THE NRL’s changing stance to sin bin players for serious incidents of foul play threatens to spike the number of players sent for 10-minute spells.
This year, there has already been an extraordinary amount of sin bins. The team at Fox Sports Lab crunched the number for us, with this season tracking to have the most sin bins in 23 years.
Prior to Thursday night football this week, there were already 64 players binned, compared to last year where just 43 players were marched for the entire season. The combined total for 2015/16 was 30. There have been .59 sin bins per game this year.
***
THERE is major drama brewing in the English Super League with threats of a breakaway competition happening.
***
CRONULLA’s clash with Brisbane on Sunday is on the verge of a sellout — with Sharks officials tipping it to be their largest crowd of the season.
The numbers will get a boost from Cronulla’s dance spectacular, with 1800 children set to take to the field during halftime in what has became an annual event.
***
INJURED Panthers flyer Josh Mansour has come a long way for a bloke with 18 screws and three plates in his face. There were fears Mansour would lose vision in one eye after a horrific cheekbone injury that resembled that of a car crash victim. But as he aims for a round 20 return, Mansour trimmed his trademark beard as part of Braun’s ‘Sport of Shaving’ challenge.
***
The Star turns green and gold ahead of World Cup. For those who can’t get to Russia, The Star will turn into a football lovers paradise for the next week four weeks.
NRL star Robbie Farah and Sydney FC legend Terry McFlynn will be joined by a host of other celebs and sporting types for all Socceroos games with giveaways, DJ and a football inspired menu.
***
The Socceroos will have the slogan “Be Brave, be bold, Socceroos in Green and Gold” written on their team bus throughout their World Cup campaign. The phrase was the brainchild of James Rankine, of Penrith, who is in Russia ahead of Australia’s first match against France tomorrow after winning a competition.
***
The Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust won the global Stadium Business Venue Technology award for its state-of-the-art ‘Venue Operations Centre and Digital Upgrade’ at a gala ceremony in Manchester, England on Wednesday night.
The Stadium Business Venue Technology award is presented to a stadium, arena or major sports venue that has delivered innovative and integrated technology to transform and improve the way it operates.
“The SCG Trust is delighted to be awarded the Venue Technology award for its Venue Operations Centre and Digital Upgrade,” said SCG Trust chief executive Jamie Barkley. “The SCG Trust takes patron safety very seriously and our new Venue Operations Centre is an integral factor in our commitment to spectators, players and officials.”
Opened in 2017, the Venue Operations Centre forms part of a wider $3.5m investment in security across the SCG and Allianz Stadium. The facility receives 24-hour monitoring and includes video analytics and facial recognition connected to 800 HD and UHD cameras.