Daly Cherry-Evans’ unhappy Allianz homecoming as Manly’s gap to elite clubs is exposed in Bulldogs defeat

Daly Cherry-Evans endured an agonising afternoon at Allianz Stadium – his home for next season – in a match where Manly were found out to be a side well behind the NRL’s elite clubs.

Let’s hope Cherry the Chook has happier times at Allianz Stadium from next season because this was the unhappiest of homecomings.

Manly’s Daly Cherry-Evans endured an agonising afternoon at the $830m Moore Park venue – his new home ground next season – against Canterbury on Sunday afternoon.

Cherry-Evans’ Sea Eagles were battered, bruised and embarrassed through an emphatic 42-4 loss against the rampant Bulldogs.

This was an insipid performance from a Manly side most thought would be absolutely desperate for a win to push their finals claims.

Excuse the pun but an inconsistent Manly were running around like headless chooks.

Cherry-Evans can only hope Allianz Stadium holds fonder memories when he’s decked out in the famous red, white and blue.

It was not a happy day at Allianz for Daly Cherry-Evans. Picture: Thomas Lisson

And moments after his side’s heavy defeat, Cherry-Evans started preparing for perhaps his biggest, and most emotional, game of the season.

Manly play the Sydney Roosters – the team Cherry-Evans will join next season – at Brookvale Oval this Saturday night.

The protracted mystery around Cherry-Evans’ shift to Bondi remains peculiar, bordering on bizarre.

Cherry-Evans and his teammates will need a seismic improvement to beat the Roosters then qualify for the finals.

Manly were found out on Sunday to be a side well behind the NRL’s elite clubs – and that’s putting it nicely.

And a possible shoulder dislocation to returning Haumole Olakau’atu only added to Manly’s horror.

Cherry-Evans enjoyed some nice touches against Canterbury in the first half but his Sea Eagles fell apart in the second half.

MATCH REPORT

“Bronson Xerri, you bloody beauty!”

That’s the sentiment out Belmore way after the rejuvenated centre defied two nasty facial gashes and a broken nose to score a vital brace in the Bulldogs’ 42-4 win over the Sea Eagles.

Xerri, 24, looked in real strife after having his face sliced open by teammate Viliame Kikau’s boots in the 37th minute.

Referee Ashley Klein halted play for several minutes as trainers attempted to stem the blood flowing from twin cuts on Xerri’s nose and mouth. However, after passing an HIA, he returned to the field during the second term to play a starring role in Canterbury’s big win.

“I’ve broken it 100 times before, so it’s nothing new to me,” Xerri said post-match

“Looking back now, I kind of scared everyone, but I was just in a bit of shock.

“I was a little bit dazed there, but I’m glad I passed [the HIA].

“I knew the boys kind of needed me there … all I wanted to do was get out there and do my job.”

Tries to Sam Hughes and Jacob Kiraz had Cameron Ciraldo’s men ahead 12-4 at the break, and while Kiraz’s second made it 18-4 after 55 minutes, it was Xerri’s rapid-fire double that ultimately sealed the deal and propelled Canterbury to second place on the ladder.

Xerri cops stray boots.

The former Shark also finished the match with 199 running metres, one line break and one line break assist, and has more than justified Canterbury’s decision to throw him a lifeline after he missed four seasons of footy through a doping ban.

“He’s worked really hard on his game ever since coming back last year,” said Bulldogs skipper Stephen Crichton.

“Just his attitude coming into training.

“I don’t think he even knows it, but he’s a leader in the team and all our young players look up to him.”

“That’s massive for me … to hear ‘Critta’ [Crichton] say that, it means the world,” Xerri added after hearing his captain’s kind words.

Bronson Xerri returned in the second half. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

That said, Xerri wasn’t the only star for the victors. Five-eighth Matt Burton was also superb, running for 240 metres, as was fullback Connor Tracey, who cut Manly’s defensive line to shreds on multiple occasions during the second stanza.

“I think the great thing was that it wasn’t obvious who our best player was,” coach Ciraldo said.

“Everyone played their role, and we got a team performance like that.

“That’s what we’ve really been trying to build towards.”

In many ways, it was highly appropriate that Sunday’s match celebrated 30 years since the Bulldogs overwhelmed the Sea Eagles 17-4 in the 1995 Grand Final. Having won their last three games on the hop, the Sea Eagles needed a fourth to break back into the top eight. However, after a competitive first half during which they went set-to-set with their opponents, they folded badly during the second, conceding five unanswered tries.

Haumole Olakau'atu suffered a dislocated shoulder. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Likewise, they lost Haumole Olakau’atu during the second half, who re-injured his right shoulder in what was his first game back since round 15.

Canterbury opened the scoring in the 13th minute of play when Jason Saab’s loss of a Burton bomb gifted Hughes with his third career try. Kiraz then crossed in the 29th, before Saab struck back eight minutes later.

The completion of Kiraz and Xerri’s doubles ensured that the game had been wrapped by the 65th minute, but late tries to Enari Tuala (72nd) and Hughes (75th) ensured that the Dogs could celebrate the club’s 1000th win in style.

Originally published as Daly Cherry-Evans’ unhappy Allianz homecoming as Manly’s gap to elite clubs is exposed in Bulldogs defeat