Daly Cherry-Evans ‘truly unsure’ about his 2026 plans, says Manly coach Anthony Seibold

Manly Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold is convinced that Daly Cherry-Evans is genuinely uncertain about his NRL future heading into next season.

The club’s captain revealed on Monday that he will not be with the Sea Eagles in 2026, yet he stopped short of confirming his retirement.

Should he choose to continue playing, the Sydney Roosters are in pole position to sign him if he remains in Sydney, while the Dolphins appear to be the likely destination if he decides to move north.

Cherry-Evans previously had an early release request denied at the conclusion of 2023. Although his contract runs out at the end of 2025, he indicated to Seibold and the club last December that he was seeking an extension.

Despite having expressed a desire to leave on two occasions, Seibold dismissed suggestions that Cherry-Evans does not wish to remain with the Sea Eagles.

“I don’t believe it’s a matter of him not wanting to be here. I’ll keep our discussions private as that’s the proper approach,” he stated in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald.

“I truly feel that Chez is honest about his uncertainty for his future.

“Does he want to continue playing? He turns 37 next birthday. Can he still play? I reckon he probably can, but only he holds the answer to that.

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“As a 36-year-old who has clocked up 332 games for our club – plus representing at Origin and for Australia – the final decision lies with him.

“Naturally, fans are keen to learn [where he might play next], but I firmly believe that Chez hasn’t reached a decision regarding his pathway.

“We are merely three rounds into a lengthy 27-match season. I think he deserves the time to figure out what he wants to do. It’s a physically demanding sport.”

The club had discussions regarding a two-year contract extension before officially presenting an offer on Tuesday morning after the news broke.

Amidst this week’s upheaval, Seibold noted that DCE’s early notification has allowed the club ample time to strategise “what our next steps will be.”

“We certainly don’t want to divert our focus from the present,” he said.

“Our season has started positively. We’re maintaining our usual approach internally, and I’m eager to witness how our connection translates into performance on Sunday.”

The Sea Eagles are set to face Parramatta on Sunday afternoon at Brookvale Oval.