Daly Cherry-Evans is the senior man in a very inexperienced Manly Auckland Nines squad, where returning club legend Steve Menzies will be 13 years older than the squad's second oldest player David Williams (27).
With a leadership void created by the absence of club captains Jamie Lyon and Jason King, as well as the likes of Brett and Glenn Stewart, Anthony Watmough, Steve Matai, Matt Ballin and Cherry-Evans' halves partner Kieran Foran, it gives the 25-year old half the opportunity to show his leadership wares.
It also gives him the chance to lead a player 15 years his senior in Menzies, who played the last of his 349 games for the Sea Eagles and Northern Eagles in 2008, three years before Cherry-Evans' debut.
Other more experienced players in the squad include Jamie Buhrer, Justin Horo and Jorge Taufua, as well as a host of players with little to no NRL experience in Jack Littlejohn, Tony Satini, Jesse Sene-Lafao, Ligi Sao, Clinton Gutherson and Michael Chee-Kam.
In a statement the club said Menzies had been training with the NRL side in secret at the side's base at Narrabeen while the club sought NRL approval for his inclusion.
Menzies was approached about potentially playing by club coach Geoff Toovey late last year following his return from the 2013 UK Super League season with Catalans.
Full squad (in alphabetical order): Cheyse Blair, Jamie Buhrer, Michael Chee-Kam, Daly Cherry-Evans, Clinton Gutherson, James Hasson, Peta Hiku, Justin Horo, Jack Littlejohn, Steve Menzies, Ligi Sao, Tony Satini, Jesse Sene-Lefao, Tom Symonds, Jorge Taufua, David Williams.
