DCE v Turbo: NRL draw reveals date of Cherry-Evans’ return to face former Manly mates

3 months ago 24

New Rooster Daly Cherry-Evans will go head-to-head with his old Manly teammates in a round-four blockbuster at Brookvale next season.

The Tricolours finally announced the signing of the veteran halfback, who played 352 games for the Sea Eagles, last week. The 36-year-old was given a hero’s reception by Manly fans before his 350th in round 25 last season, followed by an emotional home farewell in the final-round clash against the Warriors less than a fortnight later at 4 Pines Park.

Former teammates Tom Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans will go head to head at 4 Pines Park in round four, 2026.

However, it remains to be seen how he will be received by Manly fans when he runs out in red, white and blue on a Thursday night in round four.

Cherry-Evans played 15 seasons for the Sea Eagles, winning the premiership in 2011, but was unable to agree on a new deal that would have allowed him to finish his career as a one-club player.

The former Queensland captain remains good friends with many of his ex-teammates, including Tom and Jake Trbojevic, but would love nothing more than to inspire a Roosters victory in rivalry round.

The Roosters had been linked to Cherry-Evans for most of last season, but the deal – for one year, with a second season in Cherry-Evans’ favour – was only made official last Friday.

Parramatta’s star signing Jonah Pezet will face his old Storm teammates in round one.

The NRL will release its full 2026 draw on Friday, but on Wednesday morning confirmed its match-ups for round one – and they are all nothing short of mouth-watering.

It was already known that the Bulldogs and St George Illawarra will meet in Las Vegas, while Newcastle and their $13 million man Dylan Brown will go up against North Queensland.

Jonah Pezet will be the star attraction the following week when he plays his first game for Parramatta against former employer the Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park on a Thursday night.

Pezet played off the bench for the Storm in the grand final loss to Brisbane, but opted to take up a 12-month deal with the Eels before he moves further north to the Broncos in 2027.

On the Friday night, Cherry-Evans will make his Roosters debut against the Warriors in Auckland, followed by premiers Brisbane kicking off their title defence against Penrith at Suncorp Stadium, where the Panthers’ four-year reign was ended by Reece Walsh and co in the 2025 preliminary final.

Josh Hannay starts his coaching career at the Gold Coast with a clash against Cronulla, where he spent the past few years working as Craig Fitzgibbon’s assistant, followed by Jamal Fogarty – Cherry-Evans’s halfback replacement at Manly – playing against his old Canberra teammates.

South Sydney meet the Dolphins in Brisbane in the final game of the round.

Wests Tigers have the bye.

The 2026 State of Origin fixtures were also confirmed, with Laurie Daley’s NSW to kick off game one in Sydney, followed by game two in Melbourne.

The Blues hold a 5-1 record over the Maroons at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, including a 2024 hammering when the Blues led 34-0 at half-time.