Daly Cherry-Evans' return to Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles as a Rooster player and its emotional impact on both club and fans
Consensus Summary
Daly Cherry-Evans made his highly anticipated return to Brookvale Oval as a Rooster player, facing his former club Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the opening match of the 2026 NRL season. The game was played under extreme weather conditions, with a storm causing power cuts and heavy rain just before kick-off, yet the crowd remained packed. Manly dominated the match with two long-range tries from Jake Trbojevic and Tolu Koula, winning 33-16 despite struggling to create territory in the Roosters' half. Cherry-Evans, who was booed by Manly fans throughout the game, played a steady and controlled game, completing all 22 passes and avoiding major errors, but his presence did not prevent Manly's loss. The match highlighted Manly's ongoing struggles, with their forward pack failing to perform and fans directing frustration toward coach Anthony Seibold, who faced chants demanding his removal. Cherry-Evans left the field alone after full-time, reflecting on his emotional return to the club that shaped his career. The game underscored Manly's uncertain future, with their 0-3 start to the season and the departure of their long-time leader creating uncertainty about the team's direction.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Daly Cherry-Evans made his first appearance for the Roosters at Brookvale Oval against Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles on the opening day of the 2026 NRL season
- The match took place under severe weather conditions with a storm causing lightning, thunder, flash flooding, and a power cut at Brookvale Oval an hour before kick-off
- Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles won the match 33-16 against the Roosters
- Cherry-Evans was booed by Manly fans during warm-ups, team introductions, and throughout the game, including chants like 'Cherry's a wanker'
- Cherry-Evans completed 22/22 passes (100% accuracy) in the game despite adverse conditions
- Manly scored two long-range tries in the first half: one by Jake Trbojevic (90m) within 30 seconds of kick-off and another by Tolu Koula
- Manly had just three tackles in the Roosters' half after 30 minutes, with only two long-range tries (Trbojevic and Koula) contributing to their territory
- Cherry-Evans played a controlled, steady game with no major errors, focusing on passing and running the right edge with Siua Wong
- Manly's forward pack struggled to create territory, with Jake Trbojevic recording only two runs in 46 minutes and eight runs for 70 metres across three games
- Manly-Warringah started the 2026 season with a 0-3 record, all losses at Brookvale Oval
- Manly fans directed frustration inward toward coach Anthony Seibold, with 'Seibold out' chants heard in the final 10 minutes of the game
- Cherry-Evans left the field after full-time and sat alone behind the Manly bench, staring into the night
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Live blog details included specific play-by-play moments such as Mark Nawaqanitawase's 'outrageous offload' and Robert Toia's footwork bumping Luke Brooks
- Mentioned Billy Smith was off the field and replaced by Hugo Savala in the centres, with Egan Butcher failing his HIA earlier in the contest
- Noted Sam Walker was forced off the field with a head clash (friendly fire) and groggy appearance
- Described a 61-meter kick by Jamal Fogarty to Lindsay Collins, who was smashed in the tackle by Jake Trbojevic
- Highlighted a set restart where a try by Brandon Wakeham was disallowed due to Lehi Hopoate's push on Billy Smith
- Noted the Roosters had 73% of territory in the game and 49 tackles in Manly's half
- Mentioned the Roosters had 15 players to choose from, with Billy Smith and Egan Butcher unavailable
- Described a 'bouncing ball' not dealt with from a Fogarty kick leading to a six against Manly
- Noted the Roosters' first tackle in Manly's half occurred at 20 minutes and 15 seconds into the game
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Article 1 mentions the Roosters had 15 players to choose from, but does not specify which players were unavailable beyond Billy Smith and Egan Butcher, while Articles 2 and 3 do not mention this detail
- Article 1 states the Roosters had 49 tackles in Manly's half, but Articles 2 and 3 do not provide this specific statistic
- Article 1 mentions the Roosters had 73% of territory in the game, but Articles 2 and 3 do not reference this figure
- Article 1 describes a 'bouncing ball' not dealt with from a Fogarty kick leading to a six against Manly, which is not mentioned in Articles 2 and 3
- Article 1 notes the Roosters' first tackle in Manly's half occurred at 20 minutes and 15 seconds, but Articles 2 and 3 do not provide this specific timing
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 ...
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...
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...