NRL round 1: Manly captain Daly Cherry-Evans on stopping Penrith star Nathan Cleary

Even with a dodgy shoulder, Nathan Cleary won Penrith an NRL title and now Manly has to stop him in round 1.

Manly captain Daly Cherry-Evans can’t wait to lock horns with Penrith in round 1. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Daly Cherry-Evans says it will take every Sea Eagle on the park to neutralise marquee Panther Nathan Cleary when Manly and Penrith meet for Thursday night’s mouth-watering NRL season opener.

Cleary is coming off a bumper year for the Panthers – he finished second in the Dally M count, guided NSW to a State of Origin series victory and masterminded the Panthers’ first grand final win in nearly two decades.

Cherry-Evans’ Sea Eagles couldn’t thwart the Panthers in either of the sides’ meetings last season, and as Manly looked to Thursday night’s bout, Cherry-Evans said it would once again be “really hard” to keep Cleary quiet.

“Everyone’s been trying to do that for the last few years now and he‘s still been having some amazing seasons,” he said.

“It‘s not an easy task, but it is something that you have to handle as a full squad.”

Cherry-Evans said his rival halfback’s game was enviable.

“His kicking game has obviously been instrumental in their last couple of seasons and how well they‘ve gone,” he said.

“He’s an extremely strong runner.

“So yeah, he‘s a big part of their game and a big part of what we need to focus on.”

Nathan Cleary was unstoppable for Panthers in their grand final win. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Cherry-Evans said his troops were looking forward to the challenge of facing the reigning premiers in their first match of the season.

“We’ll be up for the challenge,” he said.

“I think it‘s great that we play the best team in round 1, we get the challenge to see where we’re at.”

Manly’s talisman Tom Trbojevic has played with both Cleary and his partner in crime Jarome Luai at State of Origin level and will have some insight into the pair’s dynamic brand of footy ahead of the clash.

“It all comes down to, if you don’t give them opportunities, they can’t really do what they do,” he said.

“(The Panthers) have been the benchmark of the competition for the past two years. It’s a good test first up.”

Cherry-Evans said the Sea Eagles had the chance to prove their doubters wrong by claiming the reigning premiers’ scalp in the first week of the season.

“A lot of people will be tuning in to see if last year was a fluke for the Manly Sea Eagles,” he said.

“And everyone wants to know if the Penrith Panthers are going to be back to their best this year again after winning the comp last year.

“I think it‘s a great matchup.”

Cherry-Evans said he expected a high-quality contest would unfold when one of 2021’s most exciting attacking teams meets the reigning premiers, who were the league’s best defensive team.

“There’s a reason why we’re the first game of the year,” he said.