Daly Cherry-Evans is one of the many athletes around the world who has simply become known by his initials.
The NRL will farewell DCE on Sunday night when the Roosters face the Knights in the grand final, but it’s two other letters that have shaped him over the years.
Curl Curl, Clive Churchill and Cooper Cronk have nothing in common apart from the ‘CC’ and the fact all of them have played a part in the legendary playmaker’s career.
Everyone thought that Cherry-Evans would be a one-club man, only for the former skipper to inform Manly that he wanted out at the end of 2025 after 15 seasons.
He ended up at the Roosters and immediately earned comparisons to Cronk who had a glittering 14-year career in Melbourne before he joined the Tricolours where he won two titles in two seasons.
“I definitely can understand what the storylines are,” Cherry-Evans said ahead of his final game in the NRL before he moves to the English Super League.
“We’re in different teams. There are some players that are still there, but the players that he played with are now the senior players, so that relationship would be very different.
“I completely understand it, but it’s one of those things that I don’t really get anything out of jumping into that conversation.
“One thing I do know is that Cooper Cronk as a halfback is someone that inspired me throughout my career because of how good he was and how successful he was. What he did here when I walked in, I was inspired by.
“Coops has always been in the background throughout my career, whether he knows it or not, inspiring me. We don’t have a behind-the-scenes relationship, but he has reached out on occasion to show his support, which has been really nice.”
The backlash following his decision to leave the Sea Eagles was targeted at management rather than at Cherry-Evans.
There were still some signs at Brookvale Oval when he returned earlier this year, but most of them were in jest which shows the Curl Curl resident is still loved on the northern beaches.
“I don’t really read the papers or go on my phone much when it comes to social media,” he said.
“It sounds like at different times there have been people being quite vociferous about my move over here. Unless someone is drunk, people do not say anything rude.
“The amount of support that I’ve had on the northern beaches has been huge. If I put myself in a situation where I’m at the pub having a few drinks and someone else is, of course it might get a bit cheeky, but people face-to-face are very kind.
“This world of social media has created the ability for people to voice stuff they probably wouldn’t say to your face.
“I must say I’ve been so grateful for the support I’ve received on the northern beaches, with people saying well done, congratulations on the move, and good luck going all the way. It’s been really nice.
“I can’t thank the people of the beaches enough. I feel like they were disappointed I’d left, but ultimately I think everyone’s understood the reasons why and it’s OK.”
That takes us back to the very beginning when the fresh-faced halfback led Manly to premiership glory in his rookie 2011 season.
He said those memories were quite vague and that he’d like to create fresh ones on Sunday, with Cherry-Evans set to play in his first grand final in 13 years.
It’s a long wait for someone who enjoyed success so early in his career, with the 37-year-old last playing in a decider back in 2013 when his Sea Eagles were beaten by the Roosters.
Despite the loss, he was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal as the best player on the field which led to a chorus of boos as he went on stage to collect the award.
“I said it back then, it was a very bittersweet moment,” he said.
“I’m so proud to have a small part of the game’s history. I would have swapped that medal back for a premiership ring that night in a heartbeat, and still would. But here I am with a chance to become part of the Roosters history books in a good way.
“Probably around year six to year 10 I started to realise how difficult it was to make finals, let alone a grand final.
“There were a couple of lean years there and it gives you a really strong appreciation for the times you do get to play in a finals series. It’s definitely not lost on me how lucky I am to be playing in the grand final this weekend.”
Originally published as ‘It was a very bittersweet moment’: Daly Cherry-Evans can emulate Cooper Cronk as he seeks grand final redemption