Manly Sea Eagles stalwart Daly Cherry-Evans rocked the NRL with his announcement last month that he would not be extending his Sea Eagles contract.
Rumours have been bubbling away over what the 36-year-old club man could do next, with questions arising over whether the half-back would be calling time on footy entirely at the end of the season.
‘Daly Cherry-Evans has decided not to accept a contract extension, confirming the 2025 season will be his last at the club,’ Manly wrote in a statement.
‘The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles captain has officially declined a new two-year contract offer, after this week announcing he was leaving the club.’
Some have questioned whether he will remain in the NRL, or seek a move to England in the final years of his playing career, but the former representative Sea Eagle may have given a big clue away on where his future lies.
And that could still be in the NRL, with Cherry-Evans having told Queensland coach Billy Slater he is ‘formally available’ for selection for the upcoming 2025 State of Origin Series, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Manly Sea Eagles stalwart Daly Cherry-Evans rocked the NRL with his announcement last month that he would not be extending his Sea Eagles contract
But according to reports, Cherry-Evans (left) could now be set to continue playing in the NRL for another club, after telling Billy Slater (right) that he wants to play Origin next season
In fact, the outlet even reports that Cherry-Evans could also play on for the Maroons in 2026 – meaning he could be set to stick around in the NRL yet.
The news will come as a huge boost for Slater’s Maroons, as Queensland look to win back the shield against New South Wales, with the first Test to be played at the Suncorp Stadium on May 28.
The reports mean that if Cherry-Evans turns out next month for Queensland, he’ll be the oldest player to have featured in the three-match series. Petero Civoniceva is Origin’s current oldest player.
‘I have spoken to Daly,’ Slater said to The Daily Telegraph.
‘I would be very surprised if he wasn’t available.
‘He has had a fair bit on his plate lately but we have a good relationship, Daly and myself.
‘It started as teammates, now he is the captain and I’m the coach. We are open and honest with each other.
‘The one thing I love about ‘Chez’ is that he knows that every time he pulls on a Queensland jersey, he would have earned that jersey.
Cherry-Evans has put his name forward to appear for the Maroons in the upcoming State of Origin series which commences in May
Some speculation is swirling that the Sydney Roosters are one of the front runners to sign Cherry-Evans
‘That’s the one thing I love about him, that’s how he goes into every Origin game and that’s his mentality.
‘Over the next few weeks, he will be looking to play the footy he can play to put his name up there again.’
It comes as Fox Sports pundit Braith Anasta said on NRL360 are now reporting that The Sydney Roosters are emerging as the hot favourites to sign Cherry-Evans.
Speaking on his departure, Cherry-Evans said that the decision to leave the club had made him a little emotional but said but was understanding of how his exit could disappoint some fans.
‘It’s going to disappoint some Manly fans… so I completely understand if I get booed today because that’s how some people express their emotions,’ Cherry-Evans said to Fox League’s Jake Duke.
‘Honestly, it made me a little bit emotional, or a lot emotional, so I had to really pull it into line to play footy,’ he said.
‘I’m so thankful, I’m so grateful for the support I’ve received throughout the week. At different stages, people have tried to push a different narrative about me but ultimately when you tell them the truth and you’ve got the integrity, people see through that and the people on the hill saw through it today.’
On the flip side, Slater is now at a crunch period in his squad selection for the upcoming series.
Slater (right) told The Daily Telegraph that he was keen to have Cherry-Evans (left) in his squad for 2025
With now just less than a month to go before the first Test, Slater is keen to get Cherry-Evans back in to captain his side.
‘Yeah I would (like to have Cherry-Evans on deck in 2025),’ Slater said to The Daily Telegraph.
Amid all the furore around the Manly star’s shock exit from the club, Slater offered some advice for Cherry-Evans.
‘One thing you need to listen to when you get to the back end of your career, you need to listen to your actions on the field and you need to listen to your performances.
‘I have been there as a player and I’m sure that’s what Daly will do.
‘He is honest with himself. No one wants to play too long but Daly is playing as well as I’ve seen him play.
‘His actions are speaking pretty loudly at the minute.’
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .