Manly fans have been given a glimpse of the future – and they love what they see. Halves Joey Walsh and Onitoni Large paired together for the first time in a senior match in the Sea Eagles’ convincing 33-18 trial win over the Warriors on Saturday as the post-Daly Cherry-Evans era officially began.
Cherry-Evans’ controversial shift to the Roosters means Manly will start a season with a new halfback for the first time since 2011. And while Jamal Fogarty and Luke Brooks loom as the likely half/five-eighth combination to begin the 2026 campaign against Canberra on March 7, there’s a compelling case to find a spot for 19-year-old Walsh in Manly’s match-day squad.
Joey Walsh (R) looks ready for more first-grade at Manly. Image: AAP/Fox League
The move to boost bench numbers from four players to six – opening up the possibility of specialists filling the extra two spots – gives the likes of Walsh and Large hope of increased exposure to the NRL. There’s also talk Walsh and Fogarty may eventually start in the halves with Brooks used as a utility off the bench.
That could be a discussion later in the season. Halfback Walsh debuted in the last game of the 2025 season and doubled down on that promising start with two try assists – and a cheeky field goal on full-time – against the Warriors.
Coach Anthony Seibold would not be drawn on possible selections but did tell Yahoo Sport Australia: “Joey’s had an excellent pre-season and is looking really good.
“Anyone who has been following his path for a while will know the skills he possesses and, for a young bloke, the confidence he has in his own game. It’s obviously very early stages in his career and there is a lot of growth in front of him, but we’re excited about what the future may bring for him and a lot of the young blokes coming through our pathways.”
Joey Walsh looks on before his NRL debut in 2025.
(Jason McCawley via Getty Images)Changes apparent at Manly after Daly Cherry-Evans’ exit
Opportunities exist on the back of Cherry-Evans’ exit and Seibold has noticed a shift in attitude and accountability at Brookvale, with several players stepping up and finding their voice in the absence of their long-term leader. “Chez was the captain here so long as well as an Origin captain and leader and quite rightly had a major say in how we did things,” Seibold said.
“Him leaving has forced us to take a different direction with our leadership group and given others the opportunity to set standards. I’m really happy to say they’ve really taken that onboard. Turbo (captain Tom Trbojevic) and our leaders have accepted the extra responsibilities and have been really accountable to that. We’re really comfortable with how things sit heading into the season.”