Daly Cherry-Evans confirms decision to quit Sea Eagles despite Manly’s 11th-hour contract upgrade

Daly Cherry-Evans has confirmed his bombshell decision to leave Manly at the end of the season, revealing a burning desire to continue his NRL career beyond 2025. Read DCE’s full statement.

In a bombshell eleventh hour development, Manly will table a two-year extension worth nearly $1.5m for Daly Cherry-Evans in a desperate attempt to prevent the star player from quitting the club after this season.

But the offer appears doomed to fail with Cherry-Evans declaring: “No more footy at Manly beyond this year. I didn’t want anyone to think that I was holding the club to ransom. The club and I have been aware of this decision since December.”

Manly announced the new offer on Monday night, just an hour after news broke that the Sea Eagles halfback would leave the Sea Eagles after this season.

Cherry-Evans told Manly’s coaching staff and players on Monday that he would split with the club after 14 years before Sea Eagles chief executive Tony Mestrov revealed a new offer until the end of 2027 would be tabled with the player’s agent on Tuesday.

Manly claimed Cherry-Evans is a “one club player” but pressed on whether he would accept the late Sea Eagles offer, Cherry-Evans told Nine’s 100% Footy: “Respectfully, no. I have been sleeping on this decision since December.

“The last couple of hours have been bizarre but the best decision for me is to sit back and take my time this year and give Manly the heads-up that this will be my last year with them. This is on me, not them (Manly).

“I definitely want to keep playing, I’m never going to hide that. There is a burning desire to keep going.

“There was no low-balling and there was no animosity there. Manly said they weren’t going to offer anything unless another club offered something. It certainly hasn’t been a decision that has been made overnight but I felt better for letting everyone know.

“I’m not looking to engage in any chats (with rival clubs) anytime soon and I am very content not to make any decision soon.

“I definitely felt it had to be nipped in the bud soon so the club knew exactly where it stood and there’s all to play for this year.”

Cherry-Evans, 36, comes off contract at the end of this year and was widely tipped to end his career at Brookvale, so the revelation he would be departing stunned Manly fans.

Manly had floated a one-year offer before Mestrov cemented a two-season offer on Monday night.

“We will table a two-year offer with Daly Cherry-Evans’ agent on Tuesday morning,” Mestrov said.

“We have been in discussions with Daly over the summer. His form has been amazing this year and he is a one-club player. We want him to be an Eagle for life.”

Losing Cherry-Evans will be a crushing blow for Manly, who have had him on their playing roster since 2011.

The Sea Eagles have tabled an upgraded two-year deal to Daly Cherry-Evans.

At least six clubs would be expected to show interest in signing Cherry-Evans. He has a strong family history with Redcliffe, with the Dolphins confirming interest in signing the veteran halfback. St George Illawarra is another club expected to show bold interest with the Sydney Roosters also tipped to discuss Cherry-Evans.

Currently on a $1m a year contract, Cherry-Evans will wait until later this season to determine which club he joins from 2026 although Manly may want an answer earlier.

“I completely understand the media will speculate all they want but I have absolutely no intention of engaging in anything any time soon,” Cherry-Evans said.

“(Manly coaches) don’t want it to happen but they completely understand the situation.”

Cherry-Evans won a grand final with Manly in 2011 and has been the mainstay of the club over 14 years.

He has played 333 NRL games for the Sea Eagles and represented Queensland in 25 State of Origin games. Cherry-Evans had helped guide Manly into the finals nine times during his tenure at Brookvale.

Originally published as Daly Cherry-Evans confirms decision to quit Sea Eagles despite Manly’s 11th-hour contract upgrade