Daly Cherry-Evans backflips on Gold Coast Titans deal, sticks with Manly

GOLD Coast are furious after Daly Cherry-Evans backflipped on a deal to join the Titans and are facing a recruitment crisis after building their future around the star.

Daly Cherry-Evans re-signs with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles after, backfliping on the Gold Coast Titans .Picture Gregg Porteous

THE “disillusioned and disappointed’’ Gold Coast Titans have vowed not to allow the Daly Cherry-Evans saga “diminish our determination to be successful’’ despite the star half’s contract backflip.

The Titans face a recruitment crisis after building their future around Daly Cherry-Evans, who today reneged on the deal to sign a $10 million “lifetime’’ contract with the Manly Sea Eagles — by far the most lucrative deal in the game’s history.

‘GOOD GUY’ DCE CAN’T BE TRUSTED

While Cherry-Evans called coach Neil Henry to inform him of his decision and publicly apologised to the Titans at a press conference revealing his Manly deal today, Gold Coast boss Graham Annesley made the embarrassing revelation he learnt of the star’s backflip from the media before finally receiving a call from the player’s management.

We won’t be seeing Daly Cherry-Evans on the Gold Coast next year after he backflipped on the deal. Picture Gregg Porteous

A consummate professional, Annesley refused to cast slurs on Cherry-Evans’ character.

“Disillusioned is probably a better word than angry,’’ Annesley said.

“He hasn’t broken any rules.

“You’d like to think that when someone makes a commitment they honour that commitment.

“He for own reasons decided not to do that and there’s nothing we can do about that, so we’ll move on.’’

But Annesley found it hard to hide his disappointment when revealing he had heard of the move second hand.

“I’m very disappointed we weren’t alerted this morning before it hit the media,’’ Annesley said.

“I don’t really know what has happened (to change his mind), you’d have to ask Daly and his management what has happened.

“The fact is, all along we’ve trusted that a contract is in place. That contract has been signed for several months, it’s been lodged with the NRL for several months.

“Under the rules it can’t be registered until Round 13.

“We weren’t ever going to be in business of harassing him or seeking assurances (because we took him at his word).’’

A disappointed Graham Annesley fronts the media after Daly Cherry-Evans backflipped on a deal. Photo: Mike Batterham

Speaking at a press conference, Cherry-Evans said the Titans were ‘extremely disappointed’ but he could not pass up the opportunity to play at one-club for his career.

“I can’t apologise enough to Neil (Titans coach Neil Henry),” said Cherry-Evans.

“Up until the offer (from Manly) was made, I was going to the Titans.

“They have a right to be angry to be fair, but I’ve done the best thing for my family.

“The opportunity to be a one-club player was very enticing to me.”

The Titans were understandably angry after the Sea Eagles made the announcement this afternoon with Cherry-Evans to stay at Manly in a ‘lifetime deal’ reportedly worth $10m.

Titans coach Neil Henry said the club had restructured its team around Cherry-Evans and his signing had affected other recruitment and retention decisions including letting Nate Myles and Aidan Sezer leave the club.

“The fact that it’s gone on for so long is disappointing as well because it’s affected our recruitment as well,’’ Henry said.

“When you sign a deal and shake a hand you think a deal is done and it’s not, so I don’t know what that says for other players.

But … I think we’ll be attractive for any player.’’

Titans Coach Neil Henry speaks about Daly Cherry-Evans’ contract backflip. Photo: Kit Wise

Cherry-Evans defended his decision to renege on a deal he signed with the Gold Coast Titans, revealing that his family was the most important factor.

“This probably doesn’t look very honourable,” he said.

“But there’s only one thing that could have changed the honour of my word and that’s my family.

The Titans signed Cherry-Evans in Round 1 but under current NRL rules, he had until the completion of Round 13 to pull out of the deal.

Manly has since upped its offer considerably while the Titans’ reluctance to re-sign captain Nate Myles, who went on to sign with Manly, was the turning point in the situation.

The loss of Cherry-Evans is a major blow for the Titans who have also lost five-eighth Aidan Sezer to Canberra for next year.