Daly Cherry-Evans sat in front of the cameras and explained the decision which reverberated through rugby league like a shock-wave — that he would be leaving the Manly Sea Eagles. He chose his words carefully and his speech was polished as he attempted to wade through the muddy waters of a high-profile exit. He spoke about his family, about his regret that any of this was played out in the media at all and said there was no bad blood between him and the club he'd represented with such distinction. "I have been trying to do it in my own time with the respect of my team-mates. That was a very unfortunate situation I can't change," Cherry-Evans said. "I know in myself I have done nothing wrong. I can only hope I haven't offended my team-mates." Only this is not on Channel Nine on Monday night, it is almost ten years ago to the week, on a Fox League show that doesn't exist anymore, and it's to explain a move which, in the end, never happened. Those months which began 2015 were furious and wild times, as Manly tried to perform some salary cap wizardry that would help them keep both Cherry-Evans and halves partner Kieran Foran. After a summer of speculation, Cherry-Evans signed with the Gold Coast Titans in March of that year only to backflip on the deal in June and sign a contract with Manly which has gone on to define a decade for both player and club. It went for eight years, the longest commitment on record at the time, and it seemed too ambitious to possibly work given sporting fortunes can rise and fall by the week with whip-snap quickness. But the longer time went on and as Cherry-Evans proved time and again to be rugby league's ultimate survivor, the better the deal became. Halfback is the most volatile position in football. Teams can spend decades wandering through the playmaking wilderness trying to find a saviour and even when they find one there's no way of knowing how long it will last. In that kind of landscape, stability and consistency is invaluable and that, more than anything else, is what Cherry-Evans has given Manly all these years. Apart from the 2021 season, where the set restart rule juiced up attacking numbers across the board, Cherry-Evans has accumulated between 15 and 25 try assists every campaign since his debut year in 2011. That year he became the first rookie halfback to win a premiership in 33 years, playing with a composure and class that belied his inexperience. Over the years the team and sport around him has changed face multiple times, but his own precision and poise has never wavered. Picking the best or worst year of his career is an arduous task for all but the most committed Manly tragics because, in the most complimentary way possible, they all look so similar. He does not seem to age, barely misses games and jokes about playing forever, which is funny until you realise some part of him really might be serious about it. Cherry-Evans is the oldest player in the league this year but is still a top five halfback by any reasonable standard as his game shows little signs of aging or stagnation. Should he wish it, he'll remain an automatic selection for the Queensland Origin side and if he does saddle up in Maroon again this year, he will become the oldest player in Origin history. The longevity and consistency would be astounding at any position and even though careers are getting longer, especially for halfbacks, it still stands out — by the end of this season, Cherry-Evans will have started more games at that position than any other player in the history of the sport in this country. His place in the history of the club is indelible. He's not just the most-capped player in their long history, he's the last active NRL player to win a premiership with the Sea Eagles. Should he depart, season 2026 will be the first time in almost 40 years that Manly begin a season with someone who has won a grand final with the club on their books. Manly CEO Tony Mestrov's comments on Tuesday indicate the club is still holding out hope that Cherry-Evans will do another backflip towards the Sea Eagles and accept the two-year contract he's been offered, shows the club understands what they stand to lose. That deal they arranged back in 2015 ended up giving them one of the best players in team history because what they bought for all that money all those years ago was a consistency that would border on robotic if it wasn't so good to watch. Cherry-Evans has been a certainty in an uncertain business, a solid foundation in a world of quicksand. There will be no shortage of clubs who crave exactly that and, should the 36-year old want to play on, the scramble for his services will be just as wild as it was ten years ago. Already speculation reigns about his family links to Redcliffe and how it could inform a move to the Dolphins, his suitability to swan in at the Roosters or Bulldogs in a Cronk-style sprint for another premiership or the possibility of cashing in to take charge of the rebuilding Dragons. All that seems sure is that if Cherry-Evans wants to play on, he will have that chance. He's said repeatedly he wants his football to do the talking and now he has the luxury of taking his time with a decision, so the end of his career will take on whatever shape he wants. That's what 15 years of consistency can buy you. Manly, having lost their navigator, are also off the edge of the map. The initial report on his decision mentioned discussion of Tom Trbojevic moving to five-eighth and Lehi Hopoate taking over at fullback. The club is excited about young halves prospects Joey Walsh and Onitoni Large. With the money freed up from Cherry-Evans salary, they could try and swing their weight around in the player market. But positional switches can fail, even for a player as gifted as Trbojevic. Young players, even those as heralded as Walsh and Large, don't always kick on and signing quality, established halves has become the most expensive pastime in rugby league. Cherry-Evans has been such a constant presence that it's not so much that it was hard to imagine what a Sea Eagles team without him would look like, it just didn't seem worth the time to think about. Now, Manly are replacing the dominant playing figure of their recent history as the rock on which everything maroon and white has been built on for the past ten years has vanished beneath the shifting sands. The light of the club's guiding star is fading and for the first time in years the path is unclear and once you get lost in the tall grass, stumbling around in the dark and searching for a halfback who can lead the way out, it can take so long to find your way again.