In the long seasons of sport, the question of when to rest a warrior is as old as competition itself. Manly's decision to sit Daly Cherry-Evans after a bruising State of Origin campaign — despite the raised eyebrows it invited — speaks to a deeper wisdom: that the marathon demands more than the sprint. With their captain refreshed and their depth players rising to the occasion in a 32-18 victory over St George Illawarra, the Sea Eagles are quietly building the kind of resilience that finals runs are made of.
Manly back Cherry-Evans to shine in finals push after Origin rest
He compartmentalises things pretty easy—he's fine
Mark
So Manly deliberately sat out their captain and best playmaker after he'd just led Queensland to a win. That seems like a risk.
Mimi
It does on the surface, but Cherry-Evans had been in Origin camps for six weeks straight. The third match was brutal—Queensland won 20-18, which means he was physically spent. Hasler and Foran both saw the rest as necessary recovery, not a lack of faith.
Luke
But we should note that Cronk had publicly criticised Cherry-Evans' game plan and body language during the series. So there's a question underneath this: was the rest purely about recovery, or was there also a desire to give him space from that scrutiny?
Mark
Did the team actually need him to beat St George Illawarra?
Mimi
They won 32-18, and they did it with Josh Schuster at halfback and Kieran Foran playing brilliantly. So the answer is no—they didn't need him for that particular game. But Foran's point was that having everyone step up when the stars are out builds something for the finals.
Luke
That's true, but it's also the kind of thing teams say after a win. We don't know yet whether this rest strategy actually helps them in September. It's a bet on the back half of the season.
Mark
When does Cherry-Evans come back?
Mimi
Round 19, against Wests Tigers. That's when Tom Trbojevic returns too, along with some other depth players.
Luke
So they're staggering the returns. That's smart—it means they're not trying to reintegrate everyone at once.
Mark
And the goal is a top-four finish?
Mimi
Yes. Manly are building momentum in Queensland, and they see the rest as part of that strategy. Whether it works depends on what happens over the next month.
El Pulso
- Cooper Cronk's public criticism of Cherry-Evans' game plan and body language after Queensland's Origin III upset added an uncomfortable edge to an already scrutinised rest decision.
- Sitting out a player of Cherry-Evans' calibre — alongside the Trbojevic brothers — left Manly carrying over three million dollars in sidelined salary cap value into a Gold Coast fixture.
- Kieran Foran stepped into the void with a try and an assist, while 20-year-old Josh Schuster broke the line twice and Haumole Olakau'atu bulldozed his way to 120 metres gained.
- The 32-18 win without their marquee names gave Manly's coaching staff exactly what they needed: proof that their depth can hold the line when it matters.
- Cherry-Evans and Tom Trbojevic are due back in round 19 against Wests Tigers, with the Sea Eagles now carrying both momentum and a healthier roster into their top-four push.
In the long seasons of sport, the question of when to rest a warrior is as old as competition itself. Manly's decision to sit Daly Cherry-Evans after a bruising State of Origin campaign — despite the raised eyebrows it invited — speaks to a deeper wisdom: that the marathon demands more than the sprint. With their captain refreshed and their depth players rising to the occasion in a 32-18 victory over St George Illawarra, the Sea Eagles are quietly building the kind of resilience that finals runs are made of.
Daly Cherry-Evans watched from the sideline as Manly defeated St George Illawarra 32-18 on Friday night — a deliberate rest after steering Queensland to a tense 20-18 Origin III upset. The decision drew attention, particularly given Cherry-Evans' reputation for backing up immediately after representative duty, and came against a backdrop of public criticism from Maroons great Cooper Cronk, who had questioned the captain's game plan and body language throughout the series.
Coach Des Hasler was unfazed. He described Cherry-Evans as someone who compartmentalises criticism easily, and framed the rest not as a concession but as an investment. Halves partner Kieran Foran echoed that view, noting that six weeks of camps and repeated Origin call-ups had taken a physical toll that deserved acknowledgement. "It's great he is able to freshen up and hit the ground running next week," Foran said.
With Cherry-Evans and both Trbojevic brothers absent, Manly leaned on their depth — and it held. Foran was the game's standout, scoring and creating. Young halfback Josh Schuster made two line breaks and set up a try. Back-rower Haumole Olakau'atu was a force all night, busting five tackles and gaining 120 metres. The performance gave the group a quiet confidence: they could win without their stars.
Cherry-Evans and Tom Trbojevic are set to return in round 19 against Wests Tigers, with further reinforcements expected in the weeks ahead. For a side chasing a top-four finish, the combination of strategic rest and a morale-lifting win without their marquee names offered something more valuable than points — it offered belief.
Daly Cherry-Evans sat out Manly's 32-18 victory over St George Illawarra on Friday night, a decision that raised questions given his reputation for backing up immediately after State of Origin duty. Two nights earlier, the Queensland captain had steered the Maroons to a 20-18 upset in Origin III—a demanding campaign that drew heavy scrutiny. Cooper Cronk, the Maroons great, had publicly questioned everything from Cherry-Evans' game plan to his body language as Queensland's leadership and culture came under fire during the series.
The choice to rest him was made late, but Manly's coaching staff and playing group saw it as the right call for the stretch run. Des Hasler, the Sea Eagles coach, dismissed concerns about how Cherry-Evans might have absorbed the criticism. "He compartmentalises things pretty easy—he's fine," Hasler said. The real work ahead, he suggested, was building momentum toward the finals. "Now we've got the run home. The intensity around those games will really pick up. But we can build on that win now, build a bit of momentum on our time up here."
Kieran Foran, Cherry-Evans' halves partner, acknowledged the late timing of the rest but framed it as an investment in the team's longer-term prospects. "He's been in and out of camps for the past six weeks and he has backed up for us time and time again," Foran said. The third Origin match had been physically brutal—a tight contest that left players sore and drained. "It's great he is able to freshen up and hit the ground running next week."
Instead of playing, Cherry-Evans joined a sidelined contingent worth more than three million dollars in salary cap value. Jake and Tom Trbojevic also sat out the Gold Coast fixture, leaving Manly to prove they could win without their marquee names. The result suggested they could. Foran was inspirational, scoring a try and setting up another. Josh Schuster, the 20-year-old halfback, made two line breaks and set up a try. Haumole Olakau'atu, the back-rower, was dominant—one try, one try assist, five tackle busts, 120 metres gained.
Foran reflected on the performance with a sense of vindication. "For our group to get a game like that with the blokes we had on the sideline is pretty impressive," he said. The win demonstrated that depth could carry them when the stars rested. "We all knew once Daly got ruled out that everyone had to play an extra role. But everyone shoulders that. This side is so unique because everyone brings something different."
Cherry-Evans and Tom Trbojevic are scheduled to return in round 19 against Wests Tigers. Josh Aloiai and Curtis Sironen are also expected to bolster the roster in the coming weeks. For a team chasing a top-four finish, the combination of rest for key players and a morale-boosting win without them offered a template for the finals push ahead.
Citas Notables
He's been in and out of camps for the past six weeks and he has backed up for us time and time again. It's great he is able to freshen up and hit the ground running next week.— Kieran Foran, Manly halves partner
For our group to get a game like that with the blokes we had on the sideline is pretty impressive. This side is so unique because everyone brings something different.— Kieran Foran
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