Don't forget the Nate Myles contract was part of the deal to get DCE to flip on Titans. They were best buddies and they bought off Wee Man to convince DCE to stay - so you can lump those two contracts in the one "worst contract" basket
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Snaring Nate Myles might keep Daly Cherry-Evans at Manly
Brent Read and Margie McDonald
- 1:00AM May 15, 2015
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Nate Myles is the captain of the Gold Coast Titans. He is also Manly’s star recruit for next season. Daly Cherry-Evans is the Manly halfback. He is also the Titans’ star recruit for next season.
The pair are reportedly good mates and Myles played an active role in convincing Cherry-Evans to move to the Gold Coast next season.
That was when Myles was still a chance of staying with the Titans. Now Myles has made the decision to move to Sydney’s northern beaches and Manly coach Geoff Toovey is convinced the Titans skipper is doing his level best to convince Cherry-Evans to change his mind and stay with Manly.
It’s a tangled web involving two of the biggest names in the game and a set of rules which continue to embarrass the code. Myles is a Gold Coast employee but if he is talking to Cherry-Evans about the prospects of playing together at Brookvale, he is in effect actively undermining his existing club.
Titans chief executive Graham Annesley says he has no plans to speak to Myles about the matter but described the suggestion as preposterous.
Yet Toovey appears convinced Myles is talking to Cherry-Evans about remaining at his current club, thereby performing a backflip of Olympic proportions on the Titans.
The risk for Cherry-Evans is the ridicule which will follow, although history has shown he doesn’t seem fussed by opinions in the outside world.
He appeared unperturbed when he was paraded around as part of his contract negotiations, raising the hackles of Manly fans and prompting the Sea Eagles to eventually pull their offer from the table.
He appeared unfazed as he tip-toed around the issue of his future, stringing everyone along by refusing to emphatically rule out a change of mind.
Nor has he appeared affected by continuous speculation over where he will play next season. Last weekend, he was instrumental in helping Manly to a win over Newcastle at Brookvale Oval.
Much is at stake and the Gold Coast have the most to lose.
If Cherry-Evans decides to turn his back on the Titans, it will be back to square one, minus their incumbent captain.
If Cherry-Evans decides to honour his commitment, in all likelihood he will replace Myles as Gold Coast captain in 2016, becoming the face of a franchise desperately attempting to secure its future on the tourist strip.
In reference to his imminent move to Manly, Myles has spoken about opting to play out his career at a club with a strong playing roster. When asked about Cherry-Evans’ future, Myles indicated his belief that his Queensland teammate would also look at the roster.
If the pair are on the same page, that would mean Cherry-Evans remaining at Manly. Sea Eagles players certainly remain hopeful their long-time teammate will change his mind and sign a new deal with Manly.
“We’re all giving Daly his space but we’d love him to stay. You saw what he did on the weekend,” prop Jake Trbojevic said.
“That’s his decision. We’re not putting any pressure on him.”
Hooker Matt Ballin knows the influence Myles can have after playing alongside him in the 2010 Queensland Origin team after Cameron Smith injured an elbow.
“As a young guy coming into that team he was very welcoming,” Ballin said of Myles.
“He was a real confidence builder and good player to have a chat too. He became a mate from that. He’s a really good fella and a genuine person.
“He’ll fit into the culture here because he plays the game tough and looks after his mates.”
He could also be a trump card for Cherry-Evans to stay.
“As a mate and as a player I hope he does,” Ballin said.
“But I’m not trying to put any pressure on him. He’s made his decision as far as I’m concerned so we’ll focus on the rest of the season with him at this club.”
Ballin said Myles’ signing was also a fillip for Toovey, whose position has been under scrutiny following the club’s indifferent start to the year.
“A quality player like Nate still wants to be challenged and to be coached to keep improving,” Ballin said.
“So that’s a great step for Toovs. Ever since we’ve been winning a couple of games the pressure has come off him.
“We have to take that responsibility on as players. Toovs can prepare us as well as he can but if we don’t go out on the field and go through that game plan, it doesn’t work.”
