The Daly Cherrygraph

[LeonardCohen]

Unpopular opinion but on his day playing his natural game, not the game we have him playing Luke Brooks is a more talented ball playing half than DCE. Did he cope well at the tigers under the pressure behind a badly beaten pack of forwards... no but he can play and if we boosted our forwards and gave Jake Auther a shot at 5/8 (or lock is Turbo plays 6) we'll be fine especially if we strengthen our forwards. We could still be competitive, be interesting to see who of the talented Aussie half's is killing it in the super league and if we could lure one of them across.

Yeah nah…

I like your ‘blind faith’ but DCE has Brooks covered in every department, including ball playing. Go and watch the pass he threw to Saab against the Eels at Brookvale last year as an example of something Brooks could never think of, let alone do. Go back over some of the long spiral passes he’s throw to the edge over the years, or short balls to players that have scored in big games (inside pass for Snake in 2011 GF, Nanai to win Origin decider, etc). I’m as disappointed as anyone in what’s happened but Brooks is nowhere near Chez in any aspect of the game. Last year we played Souths and gave Brooks the keys to the team and he completely turned to water.

 

[Dion Johnson]

Yeah nah…

I like your ‘blind faith’ but DCE has Brooks covered in every department, including ball playing. Go and watch the pass he threw to Saab against the Eels at Brookvale last year as an example of something Brooks could never think of, let alone do. Go back over some of the long spiral passes he’s throw to the edge over the years, or short balls to players that have scored in big games (inside pass for Snake in 2011 GF, Nanai to win Origin decider, etc). I’m as disappointed as anyone in what’s happened but Brooks is nowhere near Chez in any aspect of the game. Last year we played Souths and gave Brooks the keys to the team and he completely turned to water.

Brooks has plenty to work on, Manly have scored 17 try’s this season and on the left edge only two and they come from bombs, Hoppas take in round one and the try Bully got from the Weekes dropped ball.

Brooks has plenty to do and he needs to get that left edge back to where it was last season.

 

[LeonardCohen]

So, here's my 2c worth on the issue.

Why announce it now, after 3 rounds and a good win, when it looks like we are building nicely (even though we haven't played any "contenders" yet)? If the decision was made back in December, why not announce it then?

How and why do you announce it on a TV show before you have told the rest of the squad about it - you know, your teammates, the ones that put in on the field next to you each and every week.

It's blatantly obvious that he either has or is going to sign with another club. I'm different from a lot of people in that I don't think it's the Roosters. I think it's the Dogs. If it's about money, why leave? I wouldn't think any offer we make is massively significantly different to those from other clubs that aren't desperate. I think he wants another premiership. Dogs are way closer than the Roosters.

As for this season - my personal interest in it and following this team this year is gone. I can't watch a team featuring a player that simply has no interest in being at this club that I love. If he was retiring. or announced he had signed elsewhere, then OK. But his comments about how he's not sure but whatever he does it won't be at Manly - I can't support someone like that. And it sucks that this guy holds the record for most games at our club, and not a true legend like Beaver.

I appreciate this post and agree that it’s hard to follow the team now, knowing the leader wants to abandon ship. The one thing I’m not sure about is the shot at a premiership. Reason being, Dogs are not any closer than we are. We beat them in the finals last year. I agree, he could end up there, but more because of Gus/Ciraldo than a better shot at premiership glory.

I believe he is not enjoying himself at Manly. I think there must be an issue with the football staff/Seibs, etc. If it was money, he’d keep manly as an option in negotiations and/or he wouldn’t have told them it was his last year in December. He’d have no reason to cut them out of the equation. The only plausible reason to say No in no uncertain terms, is because of a breakdown in the relationship. That’s the sticking point that doesn’t add up in all of this - if there’s a better deal elsewhere and no animosity with Manly, why cut them out of negotiations back in December? You’d keep them as an option until all offers are on the table and then decide.

 

[LeonardCohen]

Brooks has plenty to work on, Manly have scored 17 try’s this season and on the left edge only two and they come from bombs, Hoppas take in round one and the try Bully got from the Weekes dropped ball.

Brooks has plenty to do and he needs to get that left edge back to where it was last season.

Absolutely. He is a capable ball player with a nice pass for a running edge forward or a slick pass out the back, but he is limited by comparison with DCE, who has developed one of the best passing games in the NRL over the last 10 years.

I remember 2021, he threw some of the most sublime cut out passes I’ve ever seen. There was one that had to be around 30m and cut out about 3 players against the Dogs in that 60+ point romp during COVID. Later the same year he again put Saab away against the Eels in Darwin with a crazy harbour bridge pass. Great vision and execution.

 

[Pete W]

Hello Silvertails, back in Aus and have been finally lured back by the drama after an off-season hiatus 🙂

This whole situation is quite odd to be blunt, and In my view there are 3 dynamics at play here:

(1) The Club defence angle:

• Mestrov needs to defend the club's position in all this, thats his job
• The club's decision making in light of the accusations of 'lowballing' and mismanagement of negotiations.
• Being accused by the Murdoch press of being 'Filthy' at DCE about the announcement and countering that by trying to dilute this narrative with 'we were always in the know', IE in control
• Needing to avoid the irony of screwing up yet again after the high-profile 'backflip' on the Titans, where ultimately Manly paid a premium to keep DCE long-term, after fumbling the initial negotations and favouring a Foran-led outcome.

Even though that call on a long-term DCE contract arguably paid off, it wasn't by design, rather sheer dumb luck that DCE proved to be so durable, and easily met the Minimum Viable Product of a marquee signing that benefited from the reality of inflation of contractual value. He was far more convincing as a long-term signing than virtually every other player at other clubs on similar arrangements (eg Taumalolo, Ponga, Hunt - who had injury/form challenges over their contract periods)

(2) DCE Legacy angle

• DCE is defending his reputation and right to choose his own path. He is trying to avoid a 'Mercenary' brand to his currently wholesome legacy
• However his reasoning lacks a rational justification. He could have made his decisions under the umbrella of the Manly Club, and ruled out picketing other clubs to make a point of his value.
• He obviously is not interested in a post-game career in coaching with Manly after the way he has handled this
• It's his last year at the Manly club he says. He is leaving the club so he can consider his future - without any pressure. Yet Manly insist the lack of an offer was an agreed upon point.
• His reasons for wanting out of the club to embrace the freedom to 'consider his options' are absolute bollocks. If the club werr not putting any pressure on him to make a decision and not 'withholding a contract', rather waiting on his direction for whether he would play on, then that is understandable - not many players would be eligible for a contract of significant value at his age. Even the NRL valued his benchmark contract at $400k.
• Manly insist they would have presented a contract in the scenario a competitive offer was forthcoming, else they would have waited his decision, assessed his value/form and reacted accordingly. From a bsuiness standpoint it's plausiable.
• DCE is articulate in the way a politician is articulate - he has the ability to sound rational even when he is sprouting bull****. Perhaps he should consider a political career.

DCE is good, but he's not that good. And the Manly Club is either sincere, or mealy-mouthed and gaslighting DCE. Depends who you choose to believe. While DCE sounds professional and expresses himself in a way that is superior to most NRL players and even NRL Media, his logic in this matter has serious flaws - I don't buy that he needed to extricate hinself from the club overall to make this decision. It doesn't impact his market value, and gives him a security blanket to take his time. So either the Manly Club was pressuring him to make a decision (which they seem to deny), or he has used non-existant pressure to make a call as an excuse to justify bailing on being a 1-player club legend, for reasons we don't fully undertand at this time. (but hey, Cooper Cronk might...)

(3) Media is trying to cash in

As this absolutely shi*ts on the normal 'coach under pressure after 3-rounds' crap they have to spin out of necessity due to lack of material.

Fox will milk this like the proverbial cow. Ryles/Payton/Woolfe must be thanking their lucky stars for DCE about now, deflecting heat on their winless starts to the season.

The headlines run by Newcorp should be treated as they deserve - utter contempt. The Manly Club substantially weakened their credibility by pitching a 2-yr offer on NRL-360 though. That was an incredibly bad move. I am embarrassed for the club over that given their explanations since then that an offer was contingent on another club making an offer. So is there an offer from another club? DCE seems coy and evasive on that front.

If Manly were - as they claim - on top of the negotiations with their captain then this shouldn't have been necessary. It should never have got to this. DCE himself claimed he had spoken to the club as far back as December and made up his mind on not being at Manly beyond 2025 - and relayed that to the club, who in turn didn't bother with an offer.

The 2-yr offer they hastily mashed together to give the impression of 'doig something' was clumsy and revealing - regardless of Mestrov's justification it looks desperate and impulsive. It burns the credibility that Manly are in control of this, and hands DCE the power to refuse - which he did - to a public forum. Well done Manly, you now look like a khorum of muppets. Whoever made that call at Manly Clubland? That was simply....Bad. It might actually be the most telling play in this saga actually, as it contradicts so much of Mestrov's diatribe about the collaborative position of club/player. It leads to an undenaible conclusion that DCE had an Axe to grind with the club, who had 'wronged him' somehow. Whether thats the lack of an offer or otherwise is a moot point. The damage is done.

The outcome is that either DCE was not clear in his intentions to the club - which reflects poorly on him - or that the club were not clear in their intentions to put down an offer of substance. This reflects poorly on the Club. The Club has more experience in this than DCE does - regardless of his history or personal gifts beyond the average NRL player. The club wears a lot more blame in failing to address this and pre-emptively damage-control the whole scenario. Now we see Mestrov out trying to mitigate the fallout (doing ok at it to be honest, but really - he sounds a tad disingenuous to me)

Neither party can come out of this clean frankly. If DCE decides to renege on his position and re-sign with Manly now, after what he has said on Fox, he will look like an opportunist. If Manly offer him a contract value well in excess of the NRL evaluation of $400k, they will look captive and weak in negotiation. It hurts all involved.

The most logical explanation is that DCE has already signed with another club, but is not yet ready to reveal it. This undermines my view of DCE as an intellgient operator - he will be a club legend if he sticks it out at Manly until retirement. Chasing 1-2 more seasons at $750k-$1mil max may give him a decent sugar hit, but beyond that he has limited his legacy. Its a weird move - unless he has a succession plan already in place with another club - eg Cronk and Rooters.

It will not surprise me to find out DCE is going to play 1-2 seasons at the Rooters, replacing Townsend at the end of 2025, partnering and mentoring Walker, and giving the Rooters an artificial boost to their credentials during an acknowledged 'rebuilding' phase. And in return, Uncle Nick's brown paper bag has a nice retirement plan mapped out for him in a way that the Manly Club never defined.

If that ends up being the case, then that is on the Club, not DCE. We can't expect every player to be wired like the Beaver, with an unassailable loyalty to the club - which is not really reciprocated (else they would have rectified the tragedy which denies Beaver his true tally of club games, on the technicality of the 'Northern Eagles' debacle). Let's see what DCE's next move is. And in the meantime, lets hope it doesn't de-rail a promising season, and that it galvanises the crew for a big season. After 2022 though, i'm not so confident of triumph in the face of advseristy with this mob.

Roosters won't be re-building in 2026. Their spine will be 1.Tedesco, 6.Walker, 7.Cherry-Evans, 9.Robson, 14.Watson, with plenty more cash to splash around before year's end. Robinson will be using this year to strengthen the young individual talents they have in the their forwards and outside backs, and they plan for a serious assault on the 2026-27 titles, just like in 2018-19. Tbh, not that upset DCE is leaving a year or two earlier, but I don't know how I'd cope watching him grinning as he lifts the Telstra Premiership trophy in a Roosters jersey.

 

[Dion Johnson]

Roosters won't be re-building in 2026. Their spine will be 1.Tedesco, 6.Walker, 7.Cherry-Evans, 9.Robson, 14.Watson, with plenty more cash to splash around before year's end. Robinson will be using this year to strengthen the young individual talents they have in the their forwards and outside backs, and they plan for a serious assault on the 2026-27 titles, just like in 2018-19. Tbh, not that upset DCE is leaving a year or two earlier, but I don't know how I'd cope watching him grinning as he lifts the Telstra Premiership trophy in a Roosters jersey.

That spine looks very worthy, though I don’t know what Toby Rodwell would think after inking a four year deal last season, gun footballer and if he gets a chance this season he will be hard to drop.

A bit talked about earlier this year on how the Rorters were front loading their players contracts this season to have a good go in 2026 and 2027, not a bad strategy if you can get away with it and then fit in a marquee player it two.

 

[rj90]

Inside story: How Daly Cherry-Evans’ 15-year Manly relationship was eviscerated in minutes​

An exit plan that was hatched before Christmas at civil meetings between the Sea Eagles and Daly Cherry-Evans was eviscerated in a matter of moments. This is the inside story of how one of the NRL’s greatest partnerships disappeared into thin air.

Let’s go back to December, because that’s when the seeds were sown for the madness that enveloped Manly at the start of this week.
Daly Cherry-Evans’ future was already a simmering issue within rugby league when he sat down with Sea Eagles officials to talk about what next.

Cherry-Evans’ management had gone to market to source interest in the Manly legend – they hoped to get a price guide on one of their star clients – but received a lukewarm response.

Cherry-Evans acknowledged on Monday night that no formal offers had flowed, so when his management met the Sea Eagles to discuss the latest developments, they opted to head in a different direction.

Cherry-Evans told Manly that he was either heading into retirement or looking to continue his career overseas, a conversation he again confirmed on Monday night.

His time at the Sea Eagles was coming to an end. Manly, no doubt a little taken aback, agreed to give him space and keep his decision quiet out of respect to their biggest name.

The Sea Eagles’ suspicion was that a rival club had shown an interest in Cherry-Evans, but only if they could get him in 2025. Sources at Manly say there were informal inquiries about whether Cherry-Evans could secure an early release for this season but they were politely told that there was no chance the skipper would be let go before the end of his deal.

The Sea Eagles wanted to keep Cherry-Evans and they made it clear they were willing to consider a one-year extension – Manly sources say they discussed a range of valuations in relation to the deal.

However, in their mind there was no need to rush an offer because Cherry-Evans himself was yet to decide whether he would play on after this season.

A job with the club was also his for the taking if he wanted it. The issue largely went quiet through January and February but it heated up in March until one of the biggest stories of the year exploded on national television on Monday night, leading to two hours of mayhem as Manly officials and their talismanic captain aired their dirty linen in the most public of ways.

It was frantic and frazzling. Equal parts mayhem and madness. One of the biggest stars in rugby league had opted to go public with his plans to leave Manly at the end of the season via the Nine Network.

His club’s riposte was delivered via NRL360 on Fox League as they announced they would table a two year deal, believed to be worth around $1.5 million, in an attempt to change their half-back’s mind.

A plan that was apparently hatched before Christmas at civil meetings between the Sea Eagles and their skipper had been eviscerated in a matter of moments. New plans were being drawn up on the run – on national television.

Less than two hours after NRL360 revealed the Sea Eagles new offer, Cherry-Evans rejected it on the Nine Network. Both sides have sought to save face in the hours since. You get the feeling as much as Manly would love to keep Cherry-Evans next year, the relationship is both toxic and untenable.

They always say the first casualty of war is the truth and the sense is that it has been lost in the battle between Manly, their longest-serving player and his management company as they look to secure the moral high ground.

BROADCAST WARS​

Monday night on NRL360 began with a discussion about the ever-improving Bulldogs, but everyone involved was on notice that the rundown could dramatically change in a matter of moments.

Nine News had started their 6pm bulletin by previewing a breaking news story involving a State of Origin and Test star. Just before NRL360 began at 6.30pm at Fox League, there had been whispers it involved Cherry-Evans.

Cherry-Evans’ future had been front and centre only 24 hours earlier when this masthead quizzed him about his plans immediately after the Sea Eagles big win over Canberra at 4 Pines Park.

Cherry-Evans had responded by saying he was a private person who was at a great club with a great team. He didn’t like all the attention that was shadowing him.

He vowed to keep his head down and do his best for the team. He said there was still a decision to be made and he had been in constant consultation with the club.
Chair and majority owner Scott Penn certainly had no inkling of what was to come when he spoke to Cherry-Evans in the dressing sheds after the club’s win over the Raiders.

Penn was back from New York for the week to attend a scheduled Monday board meeting. He arrived in time for the Canberra game and was among a buoyant group of officials and supporters who lapped up the big win over the Raiders.

Cherry-Evans was playing his cards close to his chest but he indicated in his post-match press conference that when the time was right, everyone would know. The time was apparently Monday night. At around 6.50pm, 20 minutes or so after NRL360 had begun, the news broke that Cherry-Evans had told Manly he would leave at season’s end.

NRL360 executive producer Mitch Diffin scribbled the news on a piece of paper, raced in the studio and handed it to host Braith Anasta while the panel was discussing Canberra coach Ricky Stuart and his weekend criticism of some decisions in his side’s loss at 4 Pines Park.

The conversation took a swift and dramatic change. Cherry-Evans was now the news of the day and the story was about to take another significant twist – Fox Sports managing director Steve Crawley was on the phone to Manly chief executive Tony Mestrov attempting to sort the wheat from the chaff as the Cherry-Evans’ conversation kicked off.

Mestrov happened to be speaking to Sea Eagles chair Scott Penn at the time and asked for some time. He promised it wouldn’t be long.

Sure enough, Crawley called back minutes later and Mestrov confirmed the club would officially table a two year deal for Cherry-Evans on Tuesday, believed to be worth around $1.5 million.


Diffin passed the news to Anasta via his ear piece that Manly were stepping up the fight to keep one of their biggest names.

Remarkably, Cherry-Evans soon after told the Nine Network that the first he heard of the new offer was on NRL360. The Sea Eagles insist his management had been told earlier in the day via the club’s head of recruitment Peter Gentle.

The relationship between Manly, Mestrov and the Cherry-Evans camp was getting messy.

THE AGENTS​

Before he was the head of a player management company, Joe Wehbe was better known as the “football whisperer”.

Wehbe was also a Western Sydney property developer but he rose to rugby league fame nearly a decade ago when he was enlisted by Wayne Bennett to help the Brisbane Broncos revive their premiership campaign.

Bennett enlisted Wehbe and some of his unique methods when the Broncos were going through a defensive funk in 2016. He became a household name in rugby league circles, albeit by his alter-ego as the ‘football whisperer’.

Wehbe had also been a close associate of one of the game’s most powerful player managers – Issac Moses – which gave him access to the ears of some of his biggest clients.

By then, the likes of James Tedesco and Mitchell Moses already swore by him.

When Wehbe’s relationship with Moses exploded in courtroom drama, Wehbe went on his own and he took Tedesco with him.

Soon enough, Cherry-Evans would follow.

Daly Cherry-Evans manager and former Broncos trainer Joe Wehbe in 2016. Picture: Peter Wallis
The Sea Eagles captain was in the midst of an eight year multimillion dollar deal that had been negotiated by his former agent Chris Orr but Wehbe and his boutique company Ignite Sports managed to secure one of the game’s biggest names.

Wehbe’s involvement in the Cherry-Evans drama with Manly makes for an intriguing story within the story. While Wehbe isn’t accredited as an agent and therefore unable to negotiate with clubs over player contracts, his son Jonathan is.

Jonathan has been the front man in talks with the Sea Eagles. Yet Wehbe is in the background and his damaged relationship with Moses is interesting given Moses influence at Manly, where he manages the affairs of coach Anthony Seibold and a handful of players.

Unsurprisingly, the relationship between key Manly officials and the Wehbe's is at a low ebb. Mestrov hinted at the broken trust when he appeared on Triple M’s NRL Daily show on Tuesday.

When it was put to him by host Ben Dobbin that the first time Cherry-Evans’ camp heard of the new deal was on NRL360, Mestrov bristled.

“I disagree with that,” Mestrov said.

“I would back Peter Gentle every day of the week. This deal – like other deals – Peter Gentle leads the deal. I support him in the background. That’s the way it works.

“At the end of the day we put through an offer. They can say what they like.

“I was able to put forward an offer so quickly because we had already been working on this for a certain time and we had clarified it with his manager.

“It wasn’t a knee-jerk reaction.

“We put the offer forward today – that is the most important thing.”

Cherry-Evans has insisted there is no animosity with key figures at the Sea Eagles. Others will happily tell you that there is tension between the captain and those same key figures.

WHAT NEXT​

The $1 million question – or $750,000, if you consider the value that Manly believes the Test star is worth per-season – is where does Cherry-Evans continue his career?

There is a suspicion among some clubs that if a deal hasn’t already been done, Cherry-Evans and his camp have had their head turned by one of Manly’s rivals.

Firstly, The Daily Telegraph can confirm that St George-Illawarra are out.

Despite coach Shane Flanagan’s huge admiration for the veteran playmaker’s talent, the Dragons aren’t willing to invest in the 36-year-old with Sharks half Daniel Atkinson on his way to the club next year to play alongside either Lachlan Ilias or Kyle Flanagan.

The Dragons are also keeping a major portion of their cap aside for a marquee forward.

The Roosters are the club that deserve the most amount of attention, particularly given Cherry-Evans is managed by the same agent that takes care of the business affairs of Tedesco and Cowboys recruit for next season, Reece Robson.

​

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/inside-story-how-daly-cherryevans-15year-manly-relationship-was-eviscerated-in-minutes/news-story/c9103dc875d0915121cff6c1c215959a

 

[Pete W]

That spine looks very worthy, though I don’t know what Toby Rodwell would think after inking a four year deal last season, gun footballer and if he gets a chance this season he will be hard to drop.

A bit talked about earlier this year on how the Rorters were front loading their players contracts this season to have a good go in 2026 and 2027, not a bad strategy if you can get away with it and then fit in a marquee player it two.

This is straight from Politis playbook. They've been very consistent in how they assemble a title winning roster every 5-7 years

 

[Dion Johnson]

This is straight from Politis playbook. They've been very consistent in how they assemble a title winning roster every 5-7 years

Yes you are right, Paul Kent spoke about it yesterday on his podcast and likened this to 2015 where they were minor premiers, then 2016 came second last, in 2017 they finished second at seasons end. Hopefully I got the years right there.

He spoke that they had cap constraints and rather than finish bottom of the eight it was best to bomb out a year then go hard the next couple of seasons.

 

[master blaster]

I have this itching feeling he is going to the Dogs. Roosters have a better roster next year though so that's where I'd go

I agree, especially the way Gus was sucking up to him on 100% footy the other night

 

[Brocky]

Why didn’t Manly put a contract on the table in December for insurance?
Makes no sense to tell DCE to come back if he gets an offer from another club. There is no way no other club did not offer him. Roosters deal is done,

 

[Captain Moondog]

I'm sick of the duplicity and weasel words. Just go.

 

[Chunkytuna]

It's not uncommon ... but it's unprecedented to do it without the club knowing!
Why not simply tell Mestrov/Penn he's made a decision, it's final, so they could make a joint announcement?
the only reason I can think of is so DCE can have a bombshell debut on channel 9, At the expense of the club looking stupid!

Very good analysis 👍🏻

 

[Sheikheagle]

Very good analysis 👍🏻

I agree. Not signing is a seperate issue to the way it was announced. So bloody tacky and classless.

 

[Chunkytuna]

So, here's my 2c worth on the issue.

Why announce it now, after 3 rounds and a good win, when it looks like we are building nicely (even though we haven't played any "contenders" yet)? If the decision was made back in December, why not announce it then?

How and why do you announce it on a TV show before you have told the rest of the squad about it - you know, your teammates, the ones that put in on the field next to you each and every week.

It's blatantly obvious that he either has or is going to sign with another club. I'm different from a lot of people in that I don't think it's the Roosters. I think it's the Dogs. If it's about money, why leave? I wouldn't think any offer we make is massively significantly different to those from other clubs that aren't desperate. I think he wants another premiership. Dogs are way closer than the Roosters.

As for this season - my personal interest in it and following this team this year is gone. I can't watch a team featuring a player that simply has no interest in being at this club that I love. If he was retiring. or announced he had signed elsewhere, then OK. But his comments about how he's not sure but whatever he does it won't be at Manly - I can't support someone like that. And it sucks that this guy holds the record for most games at our club, and not a true legend like Beaver.

Doesn’t hold a candle to beaver. Not even in the same conversation. There are many many manly players that are above him as manly legends. DCE is a legend to himself. He’s always been about himself. And that’s fine. He’s entitled to be. But he was never about club or team. And I’ve said the same thing for years - not just now.

 

[frank stokes]

Why didn’t Manly put a contract on the table in December for insurance?
Makes no sense to tell DCE to come back if he gets an offer from another club. There is no way no other club did not offer him. Roosters deal is done,

Yeah, there may have been a point where Chez went “You will offer me a contract when someone else does? Well, guess what? I ain’t telling you sh*t!”

Only sense I can make of this crap…

I am convinced of one thing, they are all lying that there is no animosity… how could there possibly not be when it has got to this point? They must all think people are thick…

 

[Chunkytuna]

Yeah nah…

I like your ‘blind faith’ but DCE has Brooks covered in every department, including ball playing. Go and watch the pass he threw to Saab against the Eels at Brookvale last year as an example of something Brooks could never think of, let alone do. Go back over some of the long spiral passes he’s throw to the edge over the years, or short balls to players that have scored in big games (inside pass for Snake in 2011 GF, Nanai to win Origin decider, etc). I’m as disappointed as anyone in what’s happened but Brooks is nowhere near Chez in any aspect of the game. Last year we played Souths and gave Brooks the keys to the team and he completely turned to water.

Yeah DCE does those things - great. He also does plenty of stupid ****, like kicking on early tackles with no one knowing what he’s doing, running around in circles, shooting out of the line in defence creating huge holes, not kicking on the last and getting caught. Etc etc etc. Point is, he’s erratic and erraticism is not a good trait for a leader. Brooks, whilst not reaching the same highs, doesn’t reach the same lows either. He’s far more stable.

 

[frank stokes]

Yeah DCE does those things - great. He also does plenty of stupid ****, like kicking on early tackles with no one knowing what he’s doing, running around in circles, shooting out of the line in defence creating huge holes, not kicking on the last and getting caught. Etc etc etc. Point is, he’s erratic and erraticism is not a good trait for a leader. Brooks, whilst not reaching the same highs, doesn’t reach the same lows either. He’s far more stable.

That will change when he goes to 7…

Watch some of his old tigers games if you want a fair comparison… did a LOT of the things that you are bagging Chez about… creative halves need to create opportunities and they do not always come off… sometimes they look like idiots… but Chez is light years ahead of Brooks in game management and his kicking game is next-level to Brooks…

Which is why one has played SOO and represented Australia and the other, despite the years of hype as a youngster, never will…

 

[Chunkytuna]

To me, the bottom line is simple - most of us are annoyed at how obvious it is that DCE is basically self-centred (rightly or wrongly). We are all supports of a CLUB. The great MANLY WARRINGAH!! We love the ‘club’. We’d like to imagine that our players also LOVE the club. Especially our captain and a player who’s been here for 15 years. But the bottom line is, he doesn’t - well not enough to maybe take less money or overcome a little tiff, or whatever the issue is. His choice - again, rightly or wrongly. That’s why players like the turbos (whatever you think of their standard of play) are a rarity and IMO invaluable. They do LOVE the club like we do. That’s rare. Supporters can get behind that. You won’t see those boys going on TV to announce they’re going to another club. They just wouldn’t.

 

[Chunkytuna]

That will change when he goes to 7…

Watch some of his old tigers games if you want a fair comparison… did a LOT of the things that you are bagging Chez about… creative halves need to create opportunities and they do not always come off… sometimes they look like idiots… but Chez is light years ahead of Brooks in game management and his kicking game is next-level to Brooks…

Which is why one has played SOO and represented Australia and the other, despite the years of hype as a youngster, never will…

Let’s see what happens if and when he goes to 7. You might be right. But I maintain (and have been saying for years) that DCE was not a great captain. Good player when things are going his way, but not great (in fact poor) when they’re not. Compare that to Cleary who can and has basically singlehandedly pulled a game out of the fire for his team - a GF no less.