‘You think he cares?’ Big question to define DCE legacy as Manly ‘beef’ lingers

The are calls for Daly Cherry-Evans to step up over the last eight weeks of the season to ensure legacy at the Sea Eagles amid a nightmare draw in their bid to make the finals.

 

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Manly are currently in seventh spot on the NRL ladder on the back of their bye last week, but face a horror month of fixtures against the Storm, Bulldogs, Roosters and Raiders that will make or break their finals hopes.

The Daily Telegraph’s Dave Riccio believes Manly’s chances come down to how Cherry-Evans wants to be remembered at the footy club, before he leaves to join the Roosters as expected.

 

“They have flown under the radar due to the fact that they had the bye last weekend and all this talk around the other coaches and other clubs under pressure Manly are slipping through,” Riccio said on NRL 360.

“But I think it’s only for so long on the basis that they do play the Melbourne Storm this week and we just saw their tough draw there.

 

“For me this comes down to the legacy of Daly Cherry Evans and how does he want to leave this footy club? How does he want to leave this team at the end of this season?

 

“From the way it started and the way it rocketed out of control, early doors when the headlines hit.”

However Gorden Tallis interjected: “Do you think he cares?”

 

“I would like to think he cares and I think deep down he would care,” Riccio replied.

 

“He would care about wanting to finish on a high and how do you want to be remembered?”

 

However, James Hooper believes Cherry-Evans is still angry with certain figures at the club, who were not willing to offer him a big money extension.

 

“He’s clearly got beef with figures at the club,” Hooper said.

 

“That’s part of the reason why he’s left.”

 

Tallis believes the tough draw over the next four weeks could mean Manly have to win their final four games to squeak into the top eight.

 

“They sit in seventh on 22 points, what is the cut off 28 or 30?” Tallis said.

“So they’ve got to win half of their games, so if they have a tough month, they’ve got to win their last four to make the finals.”

 

However, Riccio believes if Cherry-Evans fires, they can beat some of the top teams over the next four games.

 

“But Gordy flip the script if this bloke plays lights out footy for the next four weeks, everything changes,” Riccio said.

 

“He needs to lead them.”

 

But Hooper warned Manly will need more than Cherry-Evans amid their horror draw.

 

“Hang on, with respect they play Melbourne, the Bulldogs, the Roosters and the Raiders,” Hooper said.

“They’re going to need a lot more than just DCE playing 11 out of 10 to have a chance of beating those sides.”

 

Braith Anasta noted the Trbojevic brothers, who are unsigned beyond 2026 also need a big finish to the year.

 

“What about Tom and Jake? They’re not locked in, so it’s a big end of the year for those two as well,” Anasta said.

Riccio agreed and put the situation down to Tom Trbojevic switching to centre in recent weeks.

 

“Yeah, absolutely and only a month ago, there was discussions about him potentially re-signing,” Riccio said.

 

“Well, that’s just been pressed pause on with this situation of Tom playing in the centres.

 

“Suddenly, while ever he’s playing centre, that’s not fullback money as far as a contract extension is concerned, so everything’s on tenterhooks, as far as the Manly Sea Eagles are concerned right now.”