Former Manly Sea Eagles enforcer Mark ‘Spudd’ Carroll has revealed he had a run-in with Daly Cherry-Evans over the veteran half’s decision to leave the club.
Carroll played 88 of his 185 first-grade games with Manly and won a premiership in 1996. He now does some specialist work with forwards at the club including Ethan Bullemor and Tof Sipley.
The 58-year-old has revealed in a column written for The Nightly that he confronted Cherry-Evans in the sheds before a game late in the season over his “selfish” decision.
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Cherry-Evans dropped a bombshell on live TV in March when he announced that he’d finish up with the Sea Eagles at the end of the season. It was a major shock given it was assumed by many that the 36-year-old — who won a premiership with Manly in 2011 — would finish his career as a one-club man.
But instead he announced that he will depart the club at the end of the 2025 season with the intention to play on elsewhere.
Cherry-Evans’ future has been a talking point all season and while there’s been strong rumours for months that he has agreed to a deal with the Roosters, neither he or the club have confirmed it — only adding to the mystery over his next move.
In Carroll’s column he declared that DCE’s “momentous decision to walk away from the club next year cost them their season” — and that he let the star No.7 know that.
Carroll went on to reveal that while he was in the sheds to talk to Sipley and Bullemor he caught Cherry-Evans “staring daggers” at him.
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Cherry-Evans let Carroll know that he read another column penned by him back in May, which criticised his decision to leave and called for the Queensland representative to retire from Origin so he can put all of his focus and energy into delivering success for Manly.
“At least you’re reading my stuff and I don’t back away from what I wrote,” Carroll responded.
“You’re a legend of this club and played for your state and country and I thought it would be nice if you put all your energy into helping Manly make the eight.
“Instead, you come across as trying to be some sort of superhero and I feel your decision derailed the season.
“As for playing Origin, that backfired. You were the captain and got punted.”
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Carroll claimed he then gave Cherry-Evans one of his “special” handshakes “which has been known to make eye pops” before they went their separate ways.
Caroll praised Cherry-Evans’ legacy in his latest column, saying he will “go down as one of the club’s all-time greats” — but he doubled down on his opinion on the messy exit.
“I truly believe Manly would-be playing finals footy if not for his selfish decision to abandon ship and the way he went about it.
“How you can go on a footy show – with no club gear on – and blindside so many people with such a major career call is beyond me.
“If DCE’s got a problem with me, I can live with that.
“I don’t have any regrets – but I’m not sure he can say the same thing.”
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