‘There’s more left in me’: Daly Cherry-Evans opens up on whether 2025 will be his last, Origin plans and the silver lining from Kangaroos snub

Sea Eagles skipper Daly Cherry-Evans is in no rush to sort out his future beyond 2025, with the veteran halfback “not scared” about it may hold as he ponders life after footy.

Cherry-Evans turns 36 just before the new season starts, but the NRL’s oldest current player is showing no signs of slowing down and is playing well enough to sign a new deal with Manly for 2026.

He’s ticked off plenty of major goals throughout his decorated career, winning a title in his first season before he claimed the Clive Churchill Medal despite losing the 2013 decider.

He is still one of the best playmakers in the competition having set up 22 tries last year, and Cherry-Evans is well aware that his future will be a major talking point as the Sea Eagles start planning for what life looks like without him.

“Of course I’ve thought about it. That’s why there hasn’t been anything done because I’ve thought so much about it,” he said at the NRL season launch in Sydney.

“I’m not nervous or scared about what the future holds. I’ve very much accepted that I’m playing this year on a one-year deal, and whatever happens beyond that will happen over time.

“I’m going to be all right. There are so many players that must do this during their careers with one-year deals.

“I’m probably so much more fortunate in the fact that I’m not at the start or in the middle of my career. I’m at the end, so I’m at peace that if this is my last year then it’s my last year.

“I do feel that there’s more left in me, but only time will tell.”

Cherry-Evans has already started planning what he wants to do when he eventually retires, and it’s become clear that he won’t be lost to the game.

“If I was privileged enough to be involved in the game of rugby league, that’s something I value – whether that’s broadcasting opportunities or through club land,” he said, with Cherry-Evans set to play his 350th game if he stays fit this season.

“Rugby league is something that I love, so if I can help give back to the game in some regard, I’d be interested in that.

“I’m also going to do my board of directors course, so that’s something that’s a bit external to rugby league that I can hopefully get better at and see what opportunities arise later in life.”

While his retirement plans remain a mystery, Cherry-Evans declared he still wanted to represent Queensland if he was playing well enough.

“The Maroons stuff is definitely still on the calendar for me this year, but I’ve got to make sure that I’m playing well enough to get picked,” he said, with Tom Dearden and Cameron Munster also fighting for a starting spot.

“I’ve always felt that if I’m playing to achieve a rep jersey then that’s going to help me to play my best footy for Manly where I hold those high standards for myself.”

While his Maroons career is still very much alive, Cherry-Evans’ time in the Kangaroos jersey appears over after he was replaced by Mitchell Moses for the Pacific Championships, with Nathan Cleary also waiting in the wings.

The decision to drop him was a shock to many, with Cherry-Evans revealing the first thing he did when he found out the news last October.

“I was actually on a small holiday during grand final week with the family,” he explained.

“After I got the news at about 10.30 in the morning, I think I had a heap of junk food. I was still ticking over and trying to train well (in case I got picked), so I went and had two ice creams straight away because I was in the off-season.”