How Sea Eagles plotted milestone win for teary DCE

Daly Cherry-Evans choked back tears as his wife Vessa and their three daughters made a special jersey presentation to him ahead of the Manly captain’s 300th NRL match.

Then it was back to business as Cherry-Evans and the Sea Eagles put on hold celebrations of the achievement until a lunch in his honour on Sunday at which they also celebrated ending a 20-year hoodoo at WIN Stadium.

The previous four players to reach the milestone – Jarrod Croker (Canberra), Ben Hunt (St George Illawarra), Jesse Bromwich (Dolphins) and James Tamou (Wests Tigers) – all lost their 300th match.

Manly coach Anthony Seibold, who was in charge of South Sydney when John Sutton played his 300th game in 2018, didn’t want Cherry-Evans to suffer the same fate.

Seibold believed the celebrations and fanfare for Sutton, which included a message from rock superstar Ed Sheeran, had left the Rabbitohs flat for their game against Wests Tigers.

After winning their previous nine matches, Souths lost 22-6 to Wests Tigers.

“I reckon we got the balance right this week,” Seibold said. “We'll have a lunch tomorrow with his family and friends and celebrate the milestone then.

“I was coaching Souths when Sutto had his 300th and I just remember it was just a really emotional week.

“There was one day where Ed Sheeran had a message for Sutto and he had a presentation, we unveiled a mural on another day and we had a big lunch on another day so it was just a real emotional roller coaster.

“Often you think the milestone is just going to get you through because they deserve to win but you’ve got to get out and perform.”

ARLC Commissioner Wayne Pearce presented Cherry-Evans with the game ball after Saturday night’s 24-18 triumph, while Sea Eagles owner Scott Penn flew from the United States for the occasion.

Cherry-Evans also had a large entourage of family and friends at WIN Stadium, who packed the Manly dressing shed after the match to sing the club's victory song with the players.

The star playmaker received his 300th jersey on Friday night from Vessa and daughters Navi, 10, Harvie, 8, and five-year-old Tully in an emotional presentation, which included tributes from some of the biggest names in the game.

“Chez is a really good role model and a real professional with regards to the way that he carries himself and the way that he handles the media and the leadership duties of being a captain, so it was the first time I had seen him become emotional,” Seibold said.

“We had Vessa and his three daughters present the jersey last night after probably a 15 minute look back at his career and a lot of messages from people that he has played with, coaches etc.

“He had tears in his eyes when he got the jersey from Vessa and the girls. You don't often see him like that because he's pretty sort of stone cold with regards to his emotions but that was really great to see that side of him.”

Now 34-years-old, Cherry-Evans has the rare distinction of having played all 300 matches at halfback for Manly.

"It's unreal,” Seibold said. “He's from Mackay so it shows what a regional kid can do - play 300 games for a Sydney club like Manly and probably be in the top three or four players in their history.

"That's probably a big call, as well, but he's been so consistent for a long time."