Who would you rather have wearing your team’s No.7 jersey at this time of the season — the NRL’s oldest halfback, or the youngest?
Daly Cherry-Evans won’t get a better chance to prove he isn’t yet over the hill than when the 36-year-old goes head-to-head with 20-year-old Lachlan Galvin when the Sea Eagles take on the Bulldogs on Sunday.
With so many questions still to be answered in relation to the Roosters’ decision to sign the ageing Manly captain for next season, this is DCE’s chance to make a statement that he is not too old to go around again.
While Galvin’s mid-season switch from Wests Tigers has been without question the biggest talking point this season, the DCE bombshell to quit Manly hasn’t been too far behind.
But in relation to DCE’s decision, you can forget everything that has happened up until now.
Because what happens over the next three months counting down to the first Sunday in October will be what DCE is judged on going forward.
If Manly make a charge from here and go deep into the finals, not only will the Roosters’ decision be justified, but it will also put the blowtorch back on Manly for not showing their skipper more respect in the first place and making sure DCE stayed as a one-club player.
With seven rounds of the regular season remaining before the playoffs, this is DCE’s time to show experience is now his greatest asset when it matters most.
And it will be just as important to his legacy at the club that gave him his start back in 2011, to the club he’ll join in 2026.
After a strong performance in last round’s win over the Storm on Old Boys’ Day in Melbourne, DCE now has the chance to back it up when he locks horns with young Galvin.
Given the attention these two players have received this year, it makes this an even more intriguing match-up with so much on the line for the Sea Eagles, while Galvin is still earning trust among the majority of Bulldogs fans following Toby Sexton’s axing.
While Galvin showed some flashes of brilliance in last week’s get-out-of-jail win over the Dragons, some of his defensive decisions also came into question by Cooper Cronk this week on the Matty and Cooper podcast.
No doubt the Sea Eagles will be out to try and expose them again.
This is a crucial match for Manly given their precarious position on the ladder.
In respect to the hunt for a top eight spot, what we know so far is that the Raiders (on 34 competition point), Bulldogs (32), and the Storm and Warriors (30) all look to be locked in for a top four finish.
Next on the list is the Broncos (26) and the Panthers (25).
On the form we’ve seen in recent weeks, it’s hard to see either of those teams falling over.
Then comes the Sea Eagles and Sharks (24) rounding out the top eight, and the Dolphins and Roosters (22) are the only other teams with a genuine chance of playing finals this year.
While the Dolphins have the bye this round, there is every chance the Roosters could finish the weekend two wins outside the eight if, as expected, the Sharks beat the Rabbitohs and the Sea Eagles manage to produce an upset over the Bulldogs.
Going on Manly’s win over Melbourne last round, they are every chance of knocking over the Dogs who haven’t been in the greatest form of late.
The Bulldogs got home last round with a couple of dodgy calls going their way against the Dragons, while a week earlier only a desperate try saver from Viliame Kikau saved them against the Cowboys.
Prior to that the Dogs lost to the Panthers and the Broncos.
Despite all the talk about how DCE’ uncertain future has divided the playing group this year, the fact is the Sea Eagles have a history as a club of being able to negotiate internal conflict and come out the other side at least united on the field.
It will be a huge story this weekend if DCE goes out and turns on a clinic against Galvin.
But if it is Galvin and the Dogs who fire, the unrest at Manly could explode in the weeks to come, while the Roosters’ decision to sign DCE will only cause further debate.
WHY IVAN MUST BE IN DALLY M MIX AGAIN
When it comes to judging the contenders for this year’s Dally M coach of the year, Ivan Cleary has surely joined the conversation alongside the likes of Ricky Stuart, Cameron Ciraldo and Andrew Webster.
Just when you thought the Panthers’ hope of making it five straight premierships was no chance, Cleary has produced one of the greatest coaching performances you will ever see to bring this team back from the brink.
It’s phenomenal how the Panthers have overcome another exodus of senior players and still managed to turn their season around.
From being last on the ladder after 12 rounds, they have rocketed into sixth spot on the back of six straight wins ahead of their clash against the Tigers on Saturday.
And while they still look to be no chance of finishing in the top four, if there is a team who can win from outside the four it is the Panthers.
As good as the Raiders and Bulldogs have been all year, it remains to be scene if they can go to the next level come September.
While the Storm have been anything but clinical (as their loss to Manly last round showed), and the Warriors have been brave but will be without chief playmaker Luke Metcalf for the run home.
You saw in last round’s last second win over the Knights how Metcalf’s absence could still haunt the Warriors.
As for the Broncos, they have the roster to make an impact, but they are yet to play anywhere near their best consistently, although it looks like it is getting closer by the week.
But for mine on their recent form you’d have to say the Panthers are now the team to beat given they are the only side with a proven recent record of aiming up in the big end-of-season games.
KNIGHTS BOSS HARDLY CONVINCING ON O’BRIEN
Incoming Newcastle chief executive Peter Parr was hardly convincing with his wishy-washy statement of support for under siege coach Adam O’Brien this week.
With talk the Knights will part ways with O’Brien at the end of the season, Parr did his best to calm the noise.
“As far as I’m aware, he’s going to be the coach for the foreseeable future,” Parr said on Wednesday.
“Nobody above me has discussed Adam not being at the club.
“But I also understand there’s always conversations in and around footy clubs when you’re not travelling well and we have only won a third of our games when he came out and said was adamant no decision had been made.”
