The Daly Cherrygraph

[MadMarcus]

I wonder what would have happened if DCE never played for Manly.

I assume we probably would have kept Trent Hodkinson.

Would we have still won 2011? I think so.

Would we have won 2013? Probably not.

Would we have had more cap space to keep the glory team together a bit longer? Yes.

Would that have been a good thing? Hard to say. Gift and Choc were both busted at their new clubs, so from a roster perspective it was probably for the best that they left. But I believe that culturally we still haven’t recovered and DCE should take some responsibility for his contribution to the club’s poor culture.

Overall, I don’t think the club’s results over the last 15 years would have been much different. They may have been better, they may have been worse.

If you asked the question “what if Brett Stewart never played for Manly?”, “what if Geoff Toovey never played for Manly?” or “what if Cliff Lyons never played for Manly?” I think the answers would be far more definitive.

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

I wonder what would have happened if DCE never played for Manly.

I assume we probably would have kept Trent Hodkinson.

Would we have still won 2011? I think so.

Would we have won 2013? Probably not.

Would we have had more cap space to keep the glory team together a bit longer? Yes.

Would that have been a good thing? Hard to say. Gift and Choc were both busted at their new clubs, so from a roster perspective it was probably for the best that they left. But I believe that culturally we still haven’t recovered and DCE should take some responsibility for his contribution to the club’s poor culture.

Overall, I don’t think the club’s results over the last 15 years would have been much different. They may have been better, they may have been worse.

If you asked the question “what if Brett Stewart never played for Manly?”, “what if Geoff Toovey never played for Manly?” or “what if Cliff Lyons never played for Manly?” I think the answers would be far more definitive.

Interesting "What Ifs", MadMarcus.

I'm not sure about Hodkinson. I think he was preferred (by Des) over Cherry and was then poached by the Bulldogs, which is why DCE eventually got his shot.

But I also wonder how DCE's career would have played out if he'd never made the top grade here. He debuted in a really strong side, in a team well and truly on the rise, and was able to win a premiership in his first year. That would not have happened if he hadn't come through at Manly and wound up somewhere else. He was not a "generational talent", and it's not like other clubs were lining up to poach him from the lower grades.

Would he have got a starting role in another NRL club? Would he have made much of an impact on the NRL as a whole? Or would he have bounced around from club to club, never tasting success, and be selling real estate on the Sunshine Coast by now.

I think he wants the experience and ease of being at a strong club again - and who can really blame him for that? Hence going to the Roosters. But he still might want to stop and consider what this club has done for him and his career every once in a while.

 

[CoreyWaddellSuperFan]

I wonder what would have happened if DCE never played for Manly.

I assume we probably would have kept Trent Hodkinson.

Would we have still won 2011? I think so.

Would we have won 2013? Probably not.

Would we have had more cap space to keep the glory team together a bit longer? Yes.

Would that have been a good thing? Hard to say. Gift and Choc were both busted at their new clubs, so from a roster perspective it was probably for the best that they left. But I believe that culturally we still haven’t recovered and DCE should take some responsibility for his contribution to the club’s poor culture.

Overall, I don’t think the club’s results over the last 15 years would have been much different. They may have been better, they may have been worse.

If you asked the question “what if Brett Stewart never played for Manly?”, “what if Geoff Toovey never played for Manly?” or “what if Cliff Lyons never played for Manly?” I think the answers would be far more definitive.

All valid questions looking back, but gosh I'm looking forward to a Manly team without him.

Three more games

 

[madmax]

DCE article on FOX…….again. Seriously I’m over reading about him. At the end he says again he has no regrets leaving!! Well mate we at Manly have no regrets about you leaving also. Just go FFS!

 

[The '47ers]

DCE article on FOX…….again. Seriously I’m over reading about him. At the end he says again he has no regrets leaving!! Well mate we at Manly have no regrets about you leaving also. Just go FFS!

Let it go then mate, just don't read the article!
He's living rent free in your head.

 

[Rafferty]

Let it go then mate, just don't read the article!
He's living rent free in your head.

His lived rent free for 15 years…….

 

[Bearfax]

In a side like Melbourne,I feel he would be considered easily one of the very best players this generation. Same with Penrith, Sydney City. He was an exceptional talent otherwise how is to QLD selectors continuously brought him into their side, despite his unpopularity owing the the Titan's action. He was our regular test half. And this when he is playing in a side barely able to make the 8. Are the state and test selectors such bad judges? The suggestion about Hodkinson having an impact seems unlikely given Manly only just got into 8th spot the preceding year, with Foran in the side and much the same side that played in 2011. In tests he was a 76% winner. In SOO in a side that had many of their best retired, he still had a 50% win ratio.

The money issue never seems to go away, even though it was the Manly clubs poor recruitment action that brought DCE back. Understand he was being offered $1.3 million a season at the Titans for 4 years (not much less was offered by Cronulla). Would he cop the criticism and return to Manly for much less. In fact it was less ($1.25 per season but over 10 years). Manly were offering far less (about $750,000 a year I understand) in initial negotiations before THEY withdrew the offer in order to chase Foranwho when then joined Parramatta for $1.2 million per season over 4 years

Other players have walked out of Manly, without notice. Fulton, Vautin, Foran, Watmough but they weren't criticised. DCE said he was leaving 12 months before, giving Manly time to seek an alternative, and he was conscious young Walsh was on the rise, yet he's demonised.

Sorry, but I just cannot fathom the negativity about this player who I think gave his all, was rarely injured and was captain. 350 games, awards everywhere, yet not good enough. ?????