Don’t love it: Cherry-Evans’ empathy for winless Manly
Scott Bailey |
Daly Cherry-Evans admits he felt for his old club Manly after fans booed them and called for coach Anthony Seibold’s axing following their third-straight home loss.
Playing at Brookvale as an opponent for the first time, Cherry-Evans combated his own nerves to play a key role in the Sydney Roosters’ 33-16 win.
Thursday night was always going to elicit emotion after Cherry-Evans’ drawn-out and high-profile exit last year with 352 games under his belt for the Sea Eagles.
And while he was booed with almost every touch, it felt premeditated and at times was followed by laughs in the main grandstand.
In contrast, the frustrations at Manly’s own struggles had far more conviction after a 12-month spiral that began with Cherry-Evans’ announcement he was leaving the club.
A chant of “Seibold out” erupted late, Luke Brooks copped bronx cheers while catching kick offs and a loud chorus of boos rang out on fulltime.
Manly have now lost their first three at home for the first time since 2004, with their only points in 2026 coming from a bye.
“I was here for a long time so I don’t feel great about seeing them without a win yet,” Cherry-Evans admitted when asked about the Seibold chants.
“There’s too many people here I’ve got too much of a friendship with to see sad or down or getting booed. I don’t love that.
“For as much as I can sit there and show empathy, the reality is I’m a Rooster now and that’s where my focus is.
“So while I don’t feel great about where they’re at, I really do have to stay in my lane when it comes to that.”
Cherry-Evans’ connection to Manly remains obvious, as the club’s most-capped player.
He still lives in the area and almost two hours after fulltime on Thursday night sat in the old Manly dugout waiting for a lift home he’d organised with an old teammate.
Whether that was his last game at Brookvale remains to be seen. If he will one day return in a coaching capacity is also unknown.
He spoke with several players on how to handle the occasion, including firebrand Spencer Leniu on his own return to Penrith.
“It was obviously a really bizarre experience,” Cherry-Evans said.
“It felt like (the crowd booed) because that’s what you have to do.
“There was honestly nothing but love from my end. Even after tonight I didn’t feel any hostility … I really did feel like it was in jest.”
For Manly, their clarity could come in the next few weeks.
They have the Dolphins, St George Illawarra and North Queensland, with Seibold desperately needing wins.
He pointed out in the past week he is only three games into a two-year extension signed in 2024, but the spotlight is intensifying.
“I didn’t hear the fans, but what do you want me to do? I turn up, work hard for the group,” Manly coach Seibold said.
The Sea Eagles are set to be without winger Jason Saab for next week’s clash with the Dolphins after he received a one-game ban for his high shot on Hugo Savala.
AAP