Daly Cherry-Evans’ fallback plan to ride out NRL off-contract storm
Maroons and Sea Eagles captain Daly Cherry-Evans can afford to ride out his NRL off-contract storm, backed by a rainy-day plan he started when he was 23.
Maroons and Sea Eagles captain Daly Cherry-Evans can afford to ride out his NRL off-contract storm, backed by a rainy-day plan he started when he was 23 now worth millions.
The Queensland State of Origin captain unleashed a media and fan frenzy after announcing he was not just leaving Manly at the end of the current season, but also rejecting a subsequent two-year offer put forward by the club to retain him.
But there’s good reason why he’s in a much better position today than he was a decade ago when he broke Maroon hearts by backtracking on a move to the Gold Coast Titans.
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He is among NRL players who have been diligently building up a relative fortune in real estate, spurred on by record growth levels especially since the pandemic.
All up he and wife Vessa Rockliff have a hold strategy, selling just two homes they’ve put funds into, according to records - Mermaid Beach for a $200,000 gain and Curl Curl for $545,000 - with current Cherry-Evans purchases valued circa $7.5m..
There are four listed to Cherry-Evans spread across Freshwater, Curl Curl, Pendle Hill and North Parramatta in Greater Sydney, according to property records – prime property in a region he’d find difficult to leave.
Rental income on them was over $110,000 a year, though he could add another $30k to that tally if he upped the rent to what it’s estimated the homes are worth for tenancy.
The former Redcliffe local has now formally rejected an offer to remain with Manly after the 2025 season, leaving his options open, whether it be other NRL clubs, a career change to media or, indeed, full-on property investing.
Freshwater
His real estate journey began when he was 23 with a 53sq m two bedroom unit, bought for $500,000 in Freshwater, NSW.
In 13 years that property has escalated in value to now be estimated at $1.35m if he sold it for top dollar – a rise of $850,000 in that period.
He first listed it for rent at $540 a week two years after buying it, with the price rising to $625 a week during the pandemic in 2020, and then $700 a week two years ago.
He still has loads of leeway to up the rent, with estimates stating the property is capable of as high as $895 a week.
Curl Curl
The couple bought a four-bedroom house in Curl Curl on a 478sq m block for $1.355m almost 11 years ago in 2014. They went on to sell the home five years later for $1.9m – a gain of $545,000.
But before doing so, another home in the area struck their fancy, so there was a window when they were landlords for their first Curl Curl home – with records showing it was priced at an astounding $1,395 a week in 2018.
They bought a second Curl Curl house for $3.4m in August 2018, which is today valued as high as $6.16m.
That’s a $2.76m gain in seven years - perfect if considering financing further investments.
The four bedroom, triple car park property faces the ocean and could bring in $85,800 a year in rent, with a house on the same street fetching $1,650/wk in February.
Mermaid Beach
In between the purchase of the two Curl Curl properties was a tumultuous period when Cherry-Evans contract was coming to an end and he made promises to move to the Gold Coast Titans. He went as far as to buy a house at Petrel Avenue in Mermaid Beach to move his family into.
The 405sq m property was bought in May 2015 for $1.45m – almost 10 years ago – and rather than effect a speedy resale where he’d lose thousands of dollars in fees and charges, he decided to rent it out, listing at $1,300 a week.
The house was finally sold in January 2019 for $1.65m, a gain of $200k that you’d hope would have gone some way towards covering the cost of his indecision.
Pendle Hill
Three years ago Cherry-Evans bought a $580,000 unit in Pendle Hill, reportedly off a company owned by Joe Wehbe who also heads Ignite Sports Management – the firm that now manages his career.
The 87sq m two bed two bath unit is today valued as high as $660,000.
He had it listed for rent at $485 a week, though estimates put the potential income off that investment at as much as $740 a week if he wanted.
North Parramatta
The most recent purchase in the Cherry-Evans’ name is a three bedroom townhouse in North Parramatta.
The 139sq m property was bought for $1.35m in December 2023 and is today valued as high as $1.56m – a rise of $210,000 in 15 months.
It was listed for rent in August last year at $1,050 a week.
Originally published as Daly Cherry-Evans’ fallback plan to ride out NRL off-contract storm