Daly Cherry-Evans' return to Manly-Warringah as a Rooster against his former club in 2026 NRL season opener
Consensus Summary
Daly Cherry-Evans returned to Brookvale Oval for the first time as a Rooster, marking a historic moment after 15 years and 352 appearances for Manly-Warringah. The game, played in heavy rain and storm conditions, saw Manly lose 33-16 to the Roosters on the opening day of the 2026 NRL season, starting their campaign with a 0-3 record at home. Cherry-Evans, who was booed by Manly fans throughout the match, played a controlled game without major errors, while the Roosters dominated territory and scored two early tries. Manlyâs forward pack, particularly Jake Trbojevic, struggled to make an impact, with Trbojevic recording just eight runs for 70 metres across three games. The crowdâs frustration turned inward, with chants demanding coach Anthony Seiboldâs departure and criticism of Trbojevicâs performance. Despite Cherry-Evansâ departure, Manly fans did not appear to blame him for his exit, but the loss highlighted the clubâs uncertain future and the need for significant changes. Cherry-Evans left the game with bragging rights, while Manly faces a challenging road ahead after a disappointing start to the season.
â Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Daly Cherry-Evans made his first appearance at Brookvale Oval for the Roosters after leaving Manly-Warringah in the off-season
- The match took place on the opening day of the 2026 NRL season, with Manly losing 33-16 to the Roosters
- Cherry-Evans was booed by Manly fans during warm-ups, team introductions, and throughout the game
- Manly started the season 0-3, with all three losses occurring at Brookvale Oval
- Cherry-Evans played a controlled, steady game for the Roosters, with no major errors or standout moments
- Manly's forward pack struggled to make an impact, with Jake Trbojevic recording just 8 runs for 70 metres across three games
- The game was played in heavy rain and storm conditions, causing power cuts and delays before kick-off
- Cherry-Evans left Manly-Warringah after 352 appearances and 15 years at the club
- Manly's coach Anthony Seibold faced crowd chants demanding his departure ('Seibold out') late in the game
- Tolu Koula scored a solo try in the first half, described as one of the best tries in the fixture
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Cherry-Evans was described as playing 'tight and controlled,' hiding his weaknesses and playing to his strengths
- Cherry-Evans' combination with Siua Wong was highlighted as a potential future threat for the Roosters
- The crowd's frustration turned inward toward coach Anthony Seibold and Jake Trbojevic, with Trbojevic criticized for just two runs in 46 minutes
- Mark Nawaqanitawase executed an 'outrageous offload' in the first half, barely noticed by commentators but remarkable
- The Roosters had 49 tackles in Manly's half of the field, while Manly had just nine tackles in the Roosters' half
- Cherry-Evans' return was framed as a symbolic moment for Manly's uncertain future, with fans not blaming him for his departure
- The article mentions 'Cherry's a wanker' chants were more pantomime than genuine venom
- Cherry-Evans was described as sitting alone behind the Manly bench post-game, staring into the night
- The live blog detailed real-time play-by-play, including a 90-metre try by Jake Trbojevic within 30 seconds of kick-off
- Tolu Koula's solo try was described as 'one of the best tries you'll ever see' in the live blog
- A six-meter call was awarded to the Roosters for a bouncing ball not dealt with properly
- Sam Walker was forced off the field with a head clash (described as 'friendly fire')
- The Roosters had 73% of territory in the first half, despite Manly leading 10-8 after two tries
- A try by Brandon Wakeham was disallowed due to a push by Lehi Hopoate on Billy Smith
- The live blog noted the Roosters had 15 players to choose from, with Billy Smith and Egan Butcher unavailable
- The live blog highlighted a 61-metre kick by Jamal Fogarty to Lindsay Collins, who was then tackled by Jake Trbojevic
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Article 1 and 3 both state Manly lost 33-16, but the live blog (Article 2) only mentions a 10-8 lead for Manly after the first half and does not confirm the final score
- Article 1 and 3 describe Cherry-Evans' performance as 'tidy' and 'controlled,' while the live blog (Article 2) does not provide a detailed post-game analysis of his performance
- Article 1 and 3 mention 'Cherry's a wanker' chants, but the live blog (Article 2) does not explicitly mention this chant
- Article 1 and 3 state Cherry-Evans was booed throughout the game, but the live blog (Article 2) focuses more on the positive play-by-play rather than crowd reactions
- Article 1 and 3 highlight Jake Trbojevic's struggles with just 8 runs for 70 metres, but the live blog (Article 2) does not quantify his performance in the same way
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 Manlyâs 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...