Phil Rothfield has called for Daly Cherry-Evans to “consider retirement” as his slide in form continues.
The Manly captain struggled again in his team’s 26-12 loss to the Tigers on Sunday, which was their fourth defeat on the trot.
The Sea Eagles are now four competition points behind the eighth placed Roosters with only three rounds remaining, with their finals hopes on life support.
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It’s been widely reported that Cherry-Evans will join the Roosters on a one-year deal for 2026, which will be announced at the end of this season.
But the veteran reporter called on DCE to retire at season’s end, and opt out of his Roosters contract.
“I’m really worried now about the Cherry-Evans situation at the Roosters,” Rothfield said on NRL 360 on Monday night.
“I want to start off by saying I hate seeing champions and great players struggle at the back end of their careers and not knowing the appropriate finish line.
“I would love to see Cherry-Evans right now consider retirement.
“Retire as a one-club champion (and) legend at the Manly Sea Eagles.
“Don’t go to the Roosters. It’ll cost him a few bob.
“Don’t go there and knock a young local junior who is on 80 grand out of the Roosters side.
“I think PR wise it’d be a much wiser decision for Cherry-Evans to pull up.
“I just don’t think he’s playing well enough and next year, at 37 years of age.”
But fellow panellist Brent Read disagreed, believing it’s too late for Cherry-Evans to save face on the PR front.
“The PR battle’s lost Buzz,” Read said.
“It was lost months ago, the PR battle.
“He’s lost that. That’s gone.
“He can’t win that back.
“I think at the moment he’s in a toxic environment, and it’s a toxic environment of his own doing because of the way he’s handled it.
“And I think he’s playing like a bloke who knows that he hasn’t handled it well, and the situation hasn’t been handled well.
“I think when he gets out of Manly and ends up at the Roosters, I think he’ll be a completely different footballer.
“I think you’ll see more of the Daly Cherry-Evans that we know.”
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Host Braith Anasta pressed Read further.
“So you think his defensive reads and areas where he’s really struggled, in attack as well, and all that, is just because of the environment he’s in,” Anasta said to Read.
“I think that’s played a big part in it,” Read replied.
“You’ve got a footballer who has basically destroyed a football club, which is what Daly has, in effect, and his management have done this year.”
