Daly Cherry-Evans' return to Manly-Warringah as a Rooster against his former club in 2026 NRL season opener
Consensus Summary
Daly Cherry-Evans made his highly anticipated return to Brookvale Oval as a Rooster against his former Manly-Warringah club in the 2026 NRL season opener. The match, played in stormy conditions with lightning and flash flooding, ended in a 33-16 loss for Manly, who started the season with a 0-3 record at home. Cherry-Evans, who left Manly after 15 years and 352 appearances, was met with boos from fans throughout the game but played a steady, controlled game for the Roosters, completing 22/22 passes. Manly’s forward pack, particularly Jake Trbojevic and Tolu Koula, struggled to make an impact, scoring two long-range tries early but failing to sustain momentum. The game highlighted Manly’s ongoing struggles, with fans turning their frustration inward toward coach Anthony Seibold and the team’s forward line. Cherry-Evans left the field alone after full-time, reflecting on his departure with no apparent bitterness, while Manly faces a challenging road ahead with potential roster changes looming.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Daly Cherry-Evans made his first appearance for the Roosters at Brookvale Oval on 2026 season opener after leaving Manly-Warringah in the off-season
- Manly-Warringah lost to the Roosters 33-16 in the match where Cherry-Evans returned
- Cherry-Evans was booed by Manly fans during warm-ups, team introductions, and throughout the game
- Manly-Warringah started the 2026 season with a 0-3 record, all losses at Brookvale Oval
- A storm with lightning, thunder, and flash flooding caused power cuts and heavy rain before the game but did not deter fans
- Cherry-Evans played a controlled, steady game for the Roosters, with 22/22 pass completion rate in wet conditions
- Manly-Warringah forwards Tom Trbojevic and Tolu Koula scored two long-range tries early in the match (90m and solo effort)
- Manly-Warringah's forward pack struggled with only 8 runs for 70 metres across three games leading up to this match
- Cherry-Evans left Brookvale Oval after full-time, sitting alone behind the Manly bench in silence
- Manly-Warringah coach Anthony Seibold faced 'Seibold out' chants from fans in the final 10 minutes of the game
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Cherry-Evans' departure from Manly was described as a 'late-in-life divorce' with no blame directed at him by fans
- Cherry-Evans' return was framed as a 'personal replay' of Manly's first two losses of the season, focusing on Jake Trbojevic's struggles
- Cherry-Evans' performance was described as 'tidy' and 'recognisable' with no headline moment but solid contributions
- The article mentions 'Cherry's a w*****' chant' specifically in quotes
- Cherry-Evans' combination with Siua Wong was highlighted as a future watchpoint
- The article notes Cherry-Evans' missed tackles under heavy pressure but emphasizes he 'kept a saddle on it'
- The article mentions 'pantomime quality' to much of the crowd's treatment of Cherry-Evans
- Cherry-Evans' return was described as a 'reminder of Manly’s past amid an uncertain future' in the headline
- The article details Cherry-Evans' 352 appearances and 15-year tenure with Manly-Warringah
- The article notes Cherry-Evans' 'bragging rights' and 'promise of brighter tomorrows' after the game
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Article 1 and 3 both state Manly lost 33-16 but Article 2's live blog does not explicitly state the final score until after full-time, though it confirms Manly trailing 10-8 at halftime and later mentions the final score in summary
- Article 1 and 3 mention Cherry-Evans' pass completion rate as 100% (22/22) but Article 2 does not explicitly state this statistic in the live blog
- Article 1 and 3 describe Cherry-Evans' return as a 'personal replay' of Manly's first two losses, focusing on Jake Trbojevic's struggles, but Article 2 does not emphasize this narrative
- Article 1 and 3 mention Cherry-Evans' missed tackles under pressure but do not specify the number of missed tackles; Article 2 does not mention missed tackles at all
- Article 1 and 3 describe the crowd's treatment of Cherry-Evans as 'pantomime quality' and 'laughter' dominating the booing, but Article 2 does not include this specific phrasing
Source Articles
Cherry-Evans's return to Brookvale a reminder of Manly's past amid an uncertain future
With Manly's season teetering on the edge, the Sea Eagles faithful welcomed former skipper Daly Cherry-Evans to Brookvale Oval in enemy colours for the first time. But it was the prodigal son who won ...
Live: Cherry-Evans booed on return to Brookvale as Koula scores stunner
Daly Cherry Evans makes his first appearance at Brookvale since his off-season switch from the Sea Eagles to the Roosters, with both teams looking for a win to kick-start their 2026 NRL season. Follow...
DCE's return to Brookvale was a reminder of Manly’s past amid an uncertain future
As Manly's season teeters on the edge, the Sea Eagles faithful welcomed former skipper Daly Cherry-Evans to Brookvale Oval in enemy colours for the first time but it was the prodigal son who won the d...