Dolphins tell Cherry-Evans that he will need to make the first move

The Dolphins won’t be held to ransom by Daly Cherry-Evans’ camp and say they will only kick-off contract talks if the Manly star makes the first move.

The Dolphins are refusing to get into a bidding war for Daly Cherry-Evans and have put the ball in his court if the Queensland Origin captain craves a return home.

Redcliffe hierarchy have set the record straight on their purported pursuit of the Manly champion, giving ‘DCE’ an ultimatum as the Maroons captain weighs up his NRL future.

There is a view the battle for Cherry-Evans’ signature is effectively a two-horse race between the Dolphins and Roosters following his bombshell decision a fortnight ago to quit Manly at season’s end.

But Dolphins boss Terry Reader says his club won’t be held to ransom and will only kick-off talks if the Cherry-Evans camp makes the first move.

The Dolphins are wary of being used as a pawn in negotiations to drive up a player’s price.

That has happened before with a slew of prospective Redcliffe recruits, with the likes of Brandon Smith, Kalyn Ponga, Ryan Matterson, Ben Hunt and Cameron Munster holding talks with the club before signing elsewhere.

The Dolphins love the romantic narrative of a Cherry-Evans homecoming – the half-back’s father, Troy Evans, and uncle, Steve Cherry, both played for Redcliffe.

Daly Cherry-Evans in action against the Dolphins.

But unless Cherry-Evans makes a legitimate attempt to inform the club of his desire to return to Queensland, the Dolphins will back Tongan Test ace Isaiya Katoa to be their franchise No.7.

“Anything that gets talked about involving the Dolphins and him (Cherry-Evans) is pure speculation,” Reader said.

“If someone of Daly’s quality is interested in talking to us then we’d be interested in talking to him.

“He’s taking time to work out what he’s doing.

“If Daly decides he wants to talk to us when he has made his mind up, then we will talk.

“We are pretty settled with the squad we’ve got and who we have.”

Since dropping his Brookvale bombshell, at least four clubs have expressed interest in Cherry-Evans, who has no interest in wasting anyone’s time as he prepares to make a definitive call on his future.

Cherry-Evans will only mull over offers from clubs he regards as a genuine fit, with the Maroons maestro claiming he is still undecided about whether to play on in the NRL next season.

Cherry-Evans, who played his 335th NRL game against Cronulla on Saturday night, turns 37 next February and doesn’t want to tarnish his legacy by being a recruitment flop.

It is understood the Sea Eagles skipper’s preference is to remain in Sydney where he, wife Vessa and their three kids are happily settled on the northern beaches, but he is open to a move to Queensland.

As exclusively revealed by this masthead, Cherry-Evans sought a release to return north in November 2023 – to play for the Dolphins or Titans – but Manly rejected that request.

Cherry-Evans is on $900,000 this season and has denied asking Manly for in excess of $1.1 million on any new deal.

That gives the Dolphins hope of being a market player, with Redcliffe having the funds under the salary cap to table a competitive offer for Cherry-Evans if he is keen to begin talks.

Reader scoffed at suggestions the Dolphins have struggled to lure a big-name marquee player from Sydney or Melbourne.

“Half of the unsuccessful swings we had, we didn’t even talk to those players,” he said.

“Just because it gets talked about in the media, doesn’t mean it’s true.

“Who knows what Daly’s doing?

“He’s in no rush and we’re not worried about what Daly’s doing. We’re worried about what our team’s doing.”

Roosters coach Trent Robinson has confirmed his interest in Cherry-Evans.

The Maroons playmaker has ties to the club – his other uncle, Cam Cherry, was a gun prop likened to Arthur Beetson when he signed with the Roosters in 1988, only for injuries to cut short his Bondi career.

Daly Cherry-Evans is expected to end up at either the roosters or Dolphins in 2026. Picture: Getty Images

Current Roosters halfback Sam Walker has welcomed Cherry-Evans coming to the club, but former Sydney coach Phil Gould, now the Bulldogs football boss, rubbished that plan.

“I can’t understand why the Roosters are in the conversation for Daly Cherry-Evans,” Gould said on Channel 9 last week.

“The idea of investing in Sam Walker was so he could be the long-term halfback and learn how to manage and control the team now that senior players have left.

“So you just have to be a bit patient. That would be a knee-jerk reaction to bring Cherry-Evans in over the top of Sam Walker.”

Former Broncos skipper Corey Parker, who played with Cherry-Evans in Queensland and Australian teams, expects the Maroons captain to shun retirement and play on in Sydney.

“I believe he is going to the Roosters,” Parker said.

“It just makes sense. Cooper Cronk went to the Roosters and delivered premierships in his final two years there and I believe Daly can do the same thing.

“Daly lives just up the road and if he signs with the Roosters, he doesn’t have to change too much.

“I don’t believe he will retire.”

Originally published as Dolphins tell Cherry-Evans that he will need to make the first move