Daly Cherry-Evans sat before the camera, explaining his decision to leave the Manly Sea Eagles, a piece of news that sent shockwaves through the rugby league world. He chose his words carefully, trying to quell the high-profile departure storm. He emphasized his choice to handle the matter with respect for his teammates and expressed regret over the media's excessive attention.
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03-25, 2025Cherry-Evans stated, "I've always tried to handle this in my own time, in a way that respects my teammates. It's very unfortunate that this has happened, and I can't change that." He also emphasized that he had done nothing wrong and hoped he hadn't offended his teammates. However, this statement wasn't from a recent press conference but from nearly a decade ago, on the now-defunct Fox League program, to explain a transfer that ultimately didn't happen.
In the early months of 2015, the Manly Sea Eagles were trying to work some "magic" with the salary cap to keep both Cherry-Evans and his partner, Kieran Foran, creating an exceptionally tense situation. After a summer of speculation, Cherry-Evans signed with the Gold Coast Titans that March, only to renege in June and sign a contract with Manly, a contract that defined the future direction of both player and club for the next decade.
The eight-year contract was the longest on record at the time, and given the fickle nature of the sports world, it seemed overly ambitious and difficult to fulfill. But as time went on, Cherry-Evans proved time and again that he was one of the most resilient players in rugby league, and the value of the contract only increased. In rugby, the quarterback position is the most volatile. Teams can spend decades wandering in search of a savior, and even when they find one, there's no guarantee how long he'll last. In this context, stability and consistency are particularly important, and that's precisely what Cherry-Evans has brought to Manly over the years.
Apart from the 2021 season, when new rules boosted offensive statistics, Cherry-Evans has contributed 15 to 25 assists every season since his debut in 2011. That year, he became the first rookie quarterback in 33 years to win a championship, displaying a composure and poise that belied his experience. Over the years, the teams and the sport around him have changed multiple times, but his own precision and composure have never wavered. Choosing his best or worst year is a daunting task, because in the most complimentary sense, they all look very similar.
He doesn't seem to age, rarely misses a game, and jokes about playing forever, which sounds funny, but it's not so funny when you realize he might actually be serious about it. Cherry-Evans is the oldest player in the league this year, but still a top-five quarterback by any reasonable standard, and his game shows almost no signs of aging or stagnation. If he wanted to, he would still be an automatic selection for the Queensland Origin team, and if he dons the maroon jersey again this year, he will be the oldest player in Origin history.
This longevity and stability are astonishing at any position, and even as careers get longer, it's still remarkably prominent, especially for a quarterback – by the end of this season, Cherry-Evans will have started more games at the position than any other player in the country's history. His place in club history is indelible. He is not only the club's all-time leading appearance maker, but also the last active NRL player to have won a premiership with the Sea Eagles. If he leaves, the 2026 season will be the first time in nearly 40 years that Manly has started a season with no premiership-winning players in the team.
Manly CEO Tony Mestrov's comments on Tuesday suggest that the club still hopes Cherry-Evans will "renege" again and accept their two-year offer, indicating that the club understands what they stand to lose. The deal they arranged back in 2015 ultimately brought them one of the best players in their history, because what they paid so much for all those years ago was an almost robotic consistency, if not so good-looking. Cherry-Evans has been a certainty in an uncertain industry, a solid foundation in a world of shifting sands. There's no doubt that many clubs would crave that, and if the 36-year-old wants to keep playing, the competition for him will be as fierce as it was a decade ago.
Rumors have already surfaced that his family ties to Redcliffe could prompt a move to the Dolphins, or that he might make a Cronk-esque dash to the Roosters or Bulldogs for another premiership, or that he might cash in by taking over the rebuilding Dragons. What's certain is that if Cherry-Evans wants to keep playing, he'll have options. He has said many times that he wants his performances to speak for themselves, and now he can comfortably make a decision, so the ending of his career will take whatever shape he wants it to. That's what 15 years of stability can get you.
Manly has lost their navigator and is also losing their direction. Initial reports about his decision mentioned Tom Trbojevic potentially moving to the quarterback position, while Lachy Croker could take his place. The club is excited about young quarterback prospects Joey Walsh and Onitoni Latu. With the funds freed up from Cherry-Evans' salary, they might try to make a splash in the player market. But position changes can fail, even for a player as talented as Trbojevic. Young players, even highly touted ones like Walsh and Latu, don't always pan out, and signing a quality, experienced quarterback has become the most expensive pastime in rugby league.
Cherry-Evans has been such a constant presence that it's hard to imagine what the Sea Eagles would be like without him, not even worth spending time thinking about. Now, Manly is replacing the dominant figure of their recent history, and the rock on which everything maroon and white has been built for the past decade has disappeared beneath the shifting sands. The light of the club's guiding star is fading, and for the first time in years, the path is becoming unclear, and once you're lost in the tall grass, stumbling around in the dark, looking for a quarterback to lead you out of the wilderness, it can take a long time to find your way out again.
