http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/northern-beaches/daly-ready-to-chase-a-big-points-win-with-his-departing-mate-kieran/story-fngr8iii-1227507963808
Daly ready to chase a big points win with his departing mate Kieran
- JON GEDDES
- MANLY DAILY
- SEPTEMBER 01, 2015 3:28PM
Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran could play their final game together on Sunday. Picture: Liam Driver.
SEA Eagles star Daly Cherry-Evans is excited about tackling “mission improbable” alongside his longtime scrumbase partner Kieran Foran for possibly the final time in Sunday’s game against Cronulla at Remondis Stadium.
If the Wests Tigers beat St George Illawarra on Saturday night at ANZ Stadium, Manly will have to defeat the Sharks by a big score to sneak into the top eight.
The other scenario is that Sunday will be the end of the dynamic duo’s potent combination before Foran heads to Parramatta.
“We’ll know our fate a bit closer to the game obviously, so we’ll do the mathematics when we get to it,” Cherry-Evans said.
“Hopefully there is a situation in place where we have to chase a big total.
“It would be fun to go into potentially my last game with Kieran trying to play some really good football.
“There is obviously a slim hope (to make the final eight), but more than anything we are playing for a bit of pride.”
The realisation that Sunday’s game may be the very last time that he plays with Foran and a number of other Manly teammates and coaches, provides Cherry-Evans with some extra motivation.
“I can’t speak for everyone, but for myself, yes,” Cherry-Evans said.
“I have made a lot of good friends over the years and some of those boys are going to be moving on next year.
“So hopefully we can finish the year strong and send off some pretty important people with a win.”
The Sea Eagles find themselves clinging by their fingernails to grab eighth spot by doing themselves no favours after their last two losses to Parramatta and the Roosters.
“I think the fact that we played such good football during the middle part of the year to then just fall on our backsides was the most disappointing part and it was all our own fault,” Cherry-Evans said.
“We played some bad football and we can’t blame anyone else.
“But you can’t help but think playing some really upbeat football for such a long period of time may have caught up to us.”
Meanwhile, it was confirmed yesterday that Willie Mason has played his final game for Manly.
He took an early guilty plea for a shoulder charge in last Friday’s loss to the Roosters and was handed a three-game suspension.