Daly Cherry-Evans’ contract saga is finally over after the representative playmaker pledged his future to Gold Coast on a four-year NRL deal beginning in 2016.
Cherry-Evans informed his Manly teammates of the move in the changerooms after their 42-12 hammering at the hands of Parramatta on Friday night.
“Daly just announced it to the boys after the game. It is disappointing but at least he has his future settled and we can get on to playing some good football,” Manly coach Geoff Toovey said at the post-match press conference.
“We are all very disappointed obviously but it gives some clarity around the matter and we can move forward.
“He wanted the players to know before it got out there, he didn’t really want it to be out there, that is the type of bloke he really is.
“He doesn’t want that fuss about it, he made sure he told his teammates first and he wanted them to understand his decision.
“It’s a good thing for him that it is over, he obviously had a fair weight on his shoulders.
The recruitment coup comes after a shocking start to 2015 for the embattled Titans with several players charged with drug offences.
Cherry-Evans, who is set to earn around $1 million a season, will be called upon to rebuild the reigning wooden spooners from the ground up.
The Queensland and Australian playmaker declined to speak to reporters at Parramatta Stadium.
The Sea Eagles will now turn their attention to capturing the signature of five-eighth Kieran Foran, who is also off contract at season’s end.
Foran has been strongly linked to both Canterbury and Parramatta.
Manly’s talismanic fullback Brett Stewart said the loss of Cherry-Evans was a significant blow.
“Obviously it is a big loss for the team and a big loss for the club,” Stewart said.
“But finally we can put it to bed and all the speculation can end … we still have one (key player) to go.
“We were hopeful of keeping both, it would be shattering to lose both, but it is a business these days and they have to look after themselves and their families.
“But hopefully we can keep Fozza.”
Toovey was hopeful the move to the Titans won’t affect Cherry-Evans’ form in his final year with Manly, with whom he won the 2011 premiership.
“He is very focused on his football and I think he will bust his gut to really endear himself to his fellow playing group and make sure finishes with a trophy in his bag.”
Tom G
Guest
Trust me it was ALL about the money.. no-one goes to the Titans to improve their standing in the game. Na matter how many people are trying to suggest that Manly is a side ready to implode, the Titans already have imploded several times over
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Putting it politely Mervyn that is a falsehood..I have remained consistent with my views.I do not appreciate someone telling me what I did not say. I wanted the Reds to stay as I am for expansion,I wanted the Crushers to stay.,The Adelaide Rams ,I had my doubts.In fact if you had bothered to read my many posts,I have defended the Reds when they were in existence,as they had to pay for accommodation and travel for visiting teams.A no win situation. The Mariners had to go. All I have stated re the Storm, in response to a poster who noted the Storm got the pick of players,where they came from.Some came from the Perth Reds,some unknowns.Moule,Geyer,Smith,Kimmorley,Rodney Howe,Lazarus from memory all over the place.NHews owned the rEds and the storm so naturally some players graviateted to the Storm. If you think I defended News/RL when the Sharks was one of the clubs that company did not want initially in the SL,and only got them in at last report,you are kidding. News Ltd just about killed the game circa 1995/7 ,I game I have followed for yonks,and you are proposing I defended the RL when News folded 3 clubs.Yeah and I'm Nelson Mandela.The only thing I supported was players form those axedclubs going to the storm etc.,one hell of a difference.
Muzz
Guest
Do you think that part of the head coaches job is to have a happy camp? Protect the special culture and the successful model that has worked well over time. Identify the bad egg regardless of how much ability he has and move him on. DCE played Manly big time and imo someone should've seen it coming.
The Barry
Roar Guru
If the players are saying they left because of toovey then yes.
Muzz
Guest
IF Foz also moves on TB, then it's only responsible management to want understand why you'v just lost 2 of your most value players.The shortage of quality halves also compounds the issue.The club has also made a significant investment into these 2 players and a number of sacrifices losing Kite, Choc and Gifty. The coach, regardless of his history with the club would be a good starting point when looking for answers.
Birdy
Guest
I have been thinking about Toovey myself lately. Firstly I have got less than no idea about Manly'S problems, but Toovey has hot a proven track record as a coach both in lower grades , as under study and finally in his own right as a first grade coach in extremely difficult conditions ! If Mamly sack him , then maybe they have ore problems than anyone else could have possibly imagined.
Kingo
Guest
DCE has been a dick about this and his form of the last 6 months is rubbish Manly need some forwards they let all their big forwards go to keep DCE who while being a good half back is over rated and definately can't function behind the midget Manly pack . Gonna be a long year for DCE , manly let a heap of players go to keep DCE and now they're gone and DCE isn't even staying . Need some big forwards quickly
The Barry
Roar Guru
Sacking Toovey would just compound the boards inept handling if this matter. He is exactly the right man to restore the clubs culture and lead them into a new era. It will shatter what remains of manly's culture to make him a scapegoat for all of this. The club was about to be torn apart when he took over and he's held them together. Everyone knows how tough he is but he's also intelligent and articulate - although maybe doesn't appear that way at some if the wild eyed post match press conferences. How they could even consider sacking someone who has three top four finishes and a GF appearance in three seasons as a coach, especially considering the circumstances he took over in is beyond me.
Meesta Cool
Guest
I hope so, it is just so hard feeling pain for Manly!. come good again guys it spoils the season when you have no one to hate.... OOoooops, I just remembered The Roosters are still going well!..
The Barry
Roar Guru
EJ - it's been handled pretty poorly by Manly. If half of what you hear is true then DCE has been a destabilising influence and has put many of the existing long term players off side and damaged the tight club culture. Management have appeared to back DCE by moving on Stewart and Watmough. You would think it would be absolutely imperative that they move heaven and earth to keep him. But they've lost him. So it appears they've backed the wrong horse and come up empty handed. I hope for the sake of fans like yourself that this doesn't cause longer term damage to the manly culture. You've gone from a fairly unique situation these days where players were willing to take pay cuts to stay together to having the club torn up by someone who wants to squeeze every dollar out of the joint. With the benefit of hindsight the decision not to tell DCE to get on his bike in 2012 has been costly.
marco
Guest
How wierd is it that a player can announce at the beginning of the season that he has been poached by another club. Manly supporters must be gutted. Going to the Titans , who seem to be a basket case!. Gee the money and package must of been good. All thanks to the NRL. Is this a joke or what?
Hoy
Roar Guru
I think he will regret this... You see young guns all the time, shift clubs, and pow... star wanes.
The Drake
Guest
Good bloody riddens to Desie as well,and all his BS mind games I prefer Tooves ,Desie and his back ended contracts ,I reckon anyone still in doubt including Foz should bugger off and start giving jerseys to players who want to play for the club . The halves were ordinary last night ,both over rated . Manly need to spend some money on big forwards and blood a couple of young halves .
Jimbo
Guest
The Titans haven't got a fan base anywhere
The Spectator
Roar Guru
TOOOOVVVEEEYYYY!!!!!
Chris Love
Guest
I think it's a bit rich to point the finger of Manly's problems at DCE. DCE is a very special player. We saw that very early on and only an idiot in his position would not have demanded an upgrade to his initial contract. Everything that followed has to be lumped on the Manly board. There is a real good reason Hasler left. No one in an environment anything less than what Choc described would have walked out of Manly at that time. They obviously rolled the dice hoping to secure Forevans long term and failed. Choc and Gifty gone now DCE gone. Snake with only a couple of quality years left and Lyon on last legs leaves Manly looking very weak going forward. They'd have to throw overs at Foran now to guid a young half and hope to retain some juniors going forward. Maybe they can drag Steve Menzies out of retirement. Anything would help that seriously weak pack they have now. If Foran's hammy means long times on the sideline this year I can't see them making the 8. My 8 this year is: Souths Penrith Bulldogs Parramatta Nth Qld Storm Warriors Brisbane.
Roycie
Guest
Nothing to do with hating,the way it was done was atrocious . There's a lot going on at Manly that's not good ,some of it is surely due to DCE and it's been obvious in how he handled his negotiations . He should leave now ,too much bad blood at Manly .
Roycie
Guest
Good cal MJB
Roycie
Guest
Good nick of now Cherry
Bigbaz
Guest
Too difficult these days, I live over 2000 k from Balmain these days and realistically the cows are a better fit but I've been a tigers supporter since 1960 and will stick whilst they exist in the NRL.