In one of the more bizarre NRL stories in recent weeks, Manly has tried to negotiate with Daly Cherry-Evans live on NRL 360 on Monday evening after the Sea Eagles captain told the club he’d be leaving at the end of the 2025 season.
Early on Monday, “DCE” alerted the club that he’d found a deal with another NRL club that ran two years; the Sea Eagles had only offered to re-sign him for 12 months.
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Then on NRL 360 on Monday evening, Manly’s owner and chairman Scott Penn shocked the NRL world by contacting Buzz Rothfield directly while he was live on the FOX Sports show to give DCE the two years he wanted in a public fashion.
The club said it was “surprised” by the reports Cherry-Evans had already made up his mind.
“He [Penn] said,” Rothfield shared while recording the show, “Manly were always under the impression that it was a one-year offer to him, but there was no hurry and we will chat when you are comfortable.”
That may not have been Cherry-Evans’ understanding though — Manly’s captain has already been speaking to other clubs for deals from 2026, with The Sporting Base able to report the Redcliffe Dolphins (where Cherry-Evans first played footy) and the Sydney Roosters are the two suitors leading the way for the time being.
Shane Flanagan has also quietly shared interest, with St George Illawarra still needing halves power.
No matter what, Cherry-Evans says he’s unlikely to take up Manly’s late offer: “Respectfully, no [to the deal] because as I said, I’ve been sleeping on this decision since December… talking with my family, we’re ok with the decision.”
Whichever club lands DCE, he’ll likely play there for two seasons before retiring. He may also be on a pretty pay packet for those final two years too, considering Manly’s offer was around $700,000 a campaign. Because he’s turned down their deal, it’s likely whatever has been sent his way ranks higher than that in cash incentives to 2027.
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Cherry-Evans also conceded there’ll “be a lot of Manly fans really upset with this” but it’s something he’s set on — though he did backflip on a Titans deal in 2016, so anything’s possible.
