Daly Cherry-Evans kicked off his press conference by asking media to \u201cstay away\u201d from questions regarding his future before an intimate reveal regarding what he\u2019s really like away from rugby league.<\/p>\n
The 36-year-old will play his 350th game for the Sea Eagles in Round 25, but that milestone has been largely overshadowed by his contract situation.<\/p>\n
The talented halfback reportedly has a handshake agreement to sign a one-year deal with the Roosters in 2026, revealing earlier this year the 2025 season would be his last at Brookvale.<\/p>\n
FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer ><\/a><\/p>\n Rumblings have emerged the veteran could hang up the boots, before they were squashed<\/a>, while calls have been made for the Tricolours to backflip on their recruitment call.<\/p>\n Regardless, Cherry-Evans made it clear he won\u2019t be speaking about next year when fronting up for to media on Wednesday.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll just start off by saying hopefully we can stay away from the future stuff, I am not going to answer anything,\u201d he said before the questions began.<\/p>\n \u201cI understand you might ask but I am just not going to answer anything, I want to try and keep the focus on this weekend and Manly and hopefully the celebrations this weekend.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope you can understand that.\u201d<\/p>\n Cherry-Evans was also asked if he \u201ckeeps something up his sleeve\u201d when speaking to reporters, which prompted an honest response from the Manly skipper.<\/p>\n \u201cBy nature I am very private, I think over the later part of my career I have tried to give the media and journalists a bit more of an insight,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n \u201cOnly because I believe that you guys are the link between us and the fans, so I think for the fans sake I have tried to show them a bit more.<\/p>\n Best of Westpac Red Zone: Round 24 | 01:50<\/p>\n \u201cHave I really shown my true colours through the media? Probably not but I guess there\u2019s also a part of me that really enjoys when I\u2019m at the pub.<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone comes up to me and we have a chat and they go \u2018gee, you\u2019re not what I thought you were\u2019. I sort of like that a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n Cherry-Evans then touched on his history with media, having been branded a \u201cfilthy cockroach\u201d for backflipping on a move to the Gold Coast in 2015.<\/p>\n This year, the veteran playmaker has also been front and centre in the headlines after he made the decision to walk away from the Sea Eagles at the start of the season.<\/p>\n \u201cI guess the privacy thing has always been around trying to protect myself, as you can understand I\u2019ve had some pretty rocky times through media,\u201d Cherry-Evans said.<\/p>\n \u201cMy first thing to do is protect myself and that usually means don\u2019t tell or do anything and just lock it down.<\/p>\n \u201cSo I guess over time I have tried to give more of myself for the fans, but I do as though my best work is done face-to-face with someone.\u201d<\/p>\n While Cherry-Evans will mark a significant milestone this weekend against the Dolphins, his farewell from the club he\u2019s spent 15 years at is also looming.<\/p>\n He becomes just the fifth player in the rugby league\u2019s history to play 350 first grade games, joining the likes of Terry Lamb, Darren Lockyer, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith.<\/p>\n Daly Cherry-Evans fronted media on Wednesday ahead of his 350th NRL game.Source: FOX SPORTS<\/p>\n So, with his farewell looming, Cherry-Evans is hoping to separate those two days.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean it\u2019s going to be difficult and different for a lot of people, but I\u2019m not the first player to move on from the club,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s been some far greater Manly personalities that have moved on from this club before my time, it\u2019s not as if they don\u2019t know how to deal with it.<\/p>\n \u201cI know personally it will be hard for me when the times comes, but I actually feel like I am going to be pretty clear on separating the two.<\/p>\n \u201cThis weekend I feel is a great way to celebrate a milestone, whereas a farewell as such I feel like there\u2019s an opportunity for that in the next couple of weeks.<\/p>\n \u201cBut not this weekend, I guess that\u2019s how I\u2019ve framed it. This week is not a farewell, this week is more of a celebration for the milestone.<\/p>\n \u201cThen we can all laugh and cry on the hill together in the last round of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n Cherry-Evans has played with a host of the NRL\u2019s greatest ever players, featuring in 26 Origin games while also playing 21 games for the Kangaroos.<\/p>\n As for how he wants to be remembered as a Sea Eagles player, it all come down to simply being a good teammate.<\/p>\n \u201cThe piece on how you get remembered, I think at the end of the day all you want to be known for is being a reliable teammate that could do his job and be counted on,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the main thing you want to walk away with… the thing I am going to take away is the connections, the friendships, the relationships.<\/p>\n Wombats win $50K thanks to VB | 00:32<\/p>\n MORE NRL NEWS<\/p>\n TEAM TIPS: Ciraldo hints at Dogs changes; gun\u2019s return to spark Storm switch<\/a><\/p>\n TALKING POINTS: Benji\u2019s breakthrough; Walsh\u2019s \u2018dishonour\u2019 call on Broncos role<\/a><\/p>\n