Sea Eagles say clash with Roosters won’t distract DCE
Scott Bailey and Jasper Bruce |
Manly coach Anthony Seibold insists “seasoned pro” Daly Cherry-Evans will be unfazed by the hype as he comes face to face with the club where he is likely to finish his storied NRL career.
Cherry-Evans will on Saturday night meet the Sydney Roosters for the first time since he shocked the NRL by announcing his intention to leave Manly at season’s end.
The Roosters have firmed as the likeliest destination for Manly’s most-capped player, who is set to slip through the Sea Eagles’ fingers after they bungled an offer of a contract extension.
A formal announcement on the future of 36-year-old Cherry-Evans is not expected until after the Sea Eagles’ and Roosters’ seasons are over.
Seibold does not expect the intrigue around the fixture to weigh on Manly captain Cherry-Evans.
“He knows how to prepare really well and dilute the noise,” he said.
“If there has been a little bit around, certainly we haven’t seen it with Chez’s actions at training this week.
“He’s a really seasoned pro, so he can separate the two I’m sure.”
The clash at Brookvale Oval also carries significant finals permutations.
Defeat would leave the Roosters in an uphill battle to play finals given they would be two wins outside the top eight, while Manly could drop to 10th spot if they lost.
Seibold insisted Cherry-Evans’ focus would be on Manly, who are seemingly locked in a three-way battle for eighth spot with the Roosters and Dolphins.
“He certainly is really determined to finish this season and his time at Manly on a positive note,” the coach said.
Jake Trbojevic this week predicted that facing the Roosters could bring out the best in Cherry-Evans, rather than it acting as any kind of distraction.
Cherry-Evans has not told Manly teammates of his plans beyond this year, but Trbojevic suggested speculation about a move to the Roosters was hard to ignore.
“I haven’t heard that from Chez, but that’s the way it seems to be going,” the Manly vice-captain said.
“I suppose people out there know, and they always seem to be right.
“If he is going there I am sure he would want to go out there and want to impress them.
“So hopefully that works for us and he puts in a great performance and we go out and play really well.”
Roosters coach Trent Robinson downplayed the Cherry-Evans story this week, labelling it a “sideshow” to the club’s focus.
“There was a lot of talk at the start of the year about us and Cherry and him not staying at the club, but since then there hasn’t really been much said,” captain James Tedesco said.
It comes as Manly tie Ethan Bullemor to a new four-year contract extension less than two weeks after the forward celebrated 100 NRL games.
The 25-year-old has become a reliable role player off the bench for Manly since arriving from Brisbane in 2022 and will remain with the club through 2029.
AAP
