Incoming Manly coach Trent Barrett will give Daly Cherry-Evans a roving licence similar to Johnathan Thurston in a bid to give his star playmaker greater control of the side.
In his first interview since taking over from Geoff Toovey, Barrett said he wanted Cherry-Evans to mould the side into his own over the coming years.
He said that the 26-year-old halfback was wasted playing on just one side of the field and will be given permission to float across field during his reign.
Thurston is one of the few NRL playmakers who carries the ball on both sides of the ruck and Barrett said he wanted Cherry-Evans to copy the North Queensland captain’s game plan.
“I’d like to see him on the ball, I don’t want to see him locked on the right-hand side,” Barrett told NRL 360 on Fox Sports.
“I think it’s the waste of a champion player.
“You’ve got Johnathan Thurston (who plays on both sides) and I think Daly can have a similar effect to what JT does at the Cowboys.”
Barrett has started work at the club’s Narrabeen base in preparation for the 2016 season.
He comes to the Sea Eagles after a stint as Penrith assistant coach.
Barrett was moved on by Panthers management after speculation linking him to the Manly job began to emerge.
He denied having signed a contract before Toovey was officially sacked and said he was disappointed at being pushed out mid-season by the Panthers.
“I was disappointed, to be honest, that I was asked to move on,” Barrett said.
“But I understood (coach) Ivan’s (Cleary) call there, the speculation surrounding me and the Manly job and being linked to it was a disruption to the side.”
Liger
Guest
I think it will be good to make the both halves run around the field and not to stick in one side of the field only
S.L. Craven
Guest
Manly will be a much different side next year. All the psychological drama has been put in a sack and dropped off the cliff at Palm Beach.
Mike Dugg
Roar Rookie
There is only one Thurston
Renegade
Roar Guru
Agree with you both. He will no doubt have to deliver to his price tag and I think his individual performance will, he certainly has the potential to be the best player in the competition.... this year was a write off.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I agree eye. DCEs management played the contract negotiations out in public but the man himself didn't do anything wrong. I think he's an intelligent, articulate and interesting bloke who doesn't just talk in cliches. People have a very short memory. Through most of 2014 he was the form player of the comp including his game against the Raiders when he scored a try, made multiple line breaks and had 6 or 7 try assists. But because they don't like what happened with the contract negotiations it becomes DCE can't play. If you're paying your main man 1.2M a season you need him running the show. What Barrett has said is just common sense.
Samtwocan
Guest
I've said it before that if the Sea Eagles win the majority of their games early in the year all will be forgotten at Manly ... Look out if they loose their first five though . Barrett may surprise a lot of people .
The eye
Guest
Cant begin to fathom the hate mentality against Cherry..the only person in the world who's ever legally optioned out of a contract.. Barrett clearly states in the article he wants him to play all over the field LIKE Thurston..but the first 2 posters come out firing..good luck to him..
Owen Whish
Roar Rookie
DCE will show his true colours next year, and they wont be pretty.. Big Mal realised this year that he wasnt up to scratch. He is, and never will be anything like the likes of Thurston/Cronk.
nopuritan
Guest
Did Trent Barrett just compare DCE to JT? I don't know if Manly will win many games next year but training should be a barrel of laughs. Barrett clearly has an excellent sense of humour