Rumours of a potential rift between Daly Cherry-Evans and Manly coach Anthony Seibold have been speculated as a reason for his bombshell call to leave the Sea Eagles.
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Cherry-Evans reportedly told Fairfax that he was leaving Manly at the end of the 2025 season with the Dolphins and the Roosters leading the race for his signature if he plays on in 2026.
Cherry-Evans had reportedly told the Manly club he wanted a two-year extension, while the club were only willing to give him one before pulling a stunning backflip live on NRL 360 and offering him two years.
Phil Rothfield asked the question if the relationship between Cherry-Evans and Seibold is the issue.
“Is he tight with the coach?” Rothfield said on NRL 360.
“DCE got married in the off-season and Seibold wasn’t invited, which I found unusual. I’m not saying there is a feud, I’m just wondering how close they are.”
Brent Read replied: “I hear the same rumours you do and there has been some whispers around for a while that they are not super tight.
“They have a relationship obviously. He is the captain and Seibold is the coach, but they are not necessarily tight.”
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Braith Anasta summed up the confusion and miscommunication between Cherry-Evans and the club in the contract saga.
“The mail from the hierarchy at Manly was they were trying to show him the respect and go about this deal respectfully and it sounds like DCE has jumped the gun with this one,” Anasta said.
“Or his management. Let’s remember there is a manager involved here too. And he has made this call.”
“I spoke to his manager a week ago and he denied there was any drama,” Rothfield said.
“Daly denied there was any drama last night (Sunday),” Read added.
“He said there was no animosity with the club.”
However, Rothfield believes Cherry-Evans felt disrespected by Manly at the negotiating table.
“I haven’t spoken to DCE, but from what I have been told, he felt a little disrespected only getting the one year deal,” Rothfield said.
“That was enough for Adam Reynolds to pack up and go to the Broncos.
“I don’t know if Manly gave him a time limit because whatever Cherry-Evans did, Manly couldn’t wait until the end of the year for him to make that decision.”
Anasta believes Manly may have pushed Cherry-Evans too early initially to make a decision.
“Surely that is not enough because they have got time,” Anasta said.
Manly to do “everything” to keep DCE | 05:06
“Even if it was one year now, that means Manly must have given him the ultimatum that it is only one year because we thought he may negotiate a two year deal. This is a quick reaction. This is severe.”
However, Rothfield believes Cherry-Evans wouldn’t have come out and said he was leaving the club unless he had an offer somewhere else.
“It is a massive story and Manly have been trying to spin for some time that everything is sweet,” Rothfield said.
“I’ve said all along it is an Adam Reynolds type situation where he wanted two years and they wanted one year.
“They wanted half the money he is on now and I don’t think DCE would come out and make that announcement now unless the Dolphins, Dragons or Roosters are in the running.”
Rothfield revealed he has been chasing Nick Politis over DCE’s links to the Roosters.
“I have been chasing Politis for a long time and keep getting a straight fend-off,” Rothfield said.
“It is a mind-blowing story to think he won’t be on the Northern Beaches next year.”
But Read believes Manly have made a recruitment blunder in negotiations with Cherry-Evans.
“There must be more going on behind the scenes at Manly to make this decision when he has been at the club for 16 years,” Read said.
“Strangest penalty ever given?” | 05:10
“You (DCE) live on the Northern Beaches and you have been paid a fair whack by them for a long time. Then you get to a point where you are potentially leaving to go and play for another club and then they give you a two year deal.
“That suggests there is more to it than just contract negotiations.”
Gorden Tallis believes the Dolphins is the romantic option for Cherry-Evans to finish his career at given his family history with Redcliffe.
“There has to be animosity (with Manly),” Tallis said.
“I think he will play on, but he probably thinks, I have given you 15 great years and I want to go home.
“I think the Dolphins is the romance of the game. Cherry and Evans, that’s his family name.”
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