NRL 360 - 'DCE GONE' Manly to do "everything possible" to keep Cherry-Evans after announcing departure & the "strangest penalty ever" - 24/03/25

Welcome too, an L three sixty re League from every angle, brought to you by the new range up plug in Hybrid. Joining me the Great Gordon tell Us. That's been the journeys in buzz Ros and Brent Reed. We've got a massive show on tonight. We've got the Lawndies on in our heavy Hitters segment, which leads me to the Bulldogs.

It was outstand may.

It's been astonishing rebuilding such a short time hasn't a couple of years they've turned this joint into a contender, and I mean they're top four chances this year and if you finished the top four and you fit at the right time of year, anything can.

Happen three from three first time since what two thousand and or twenty twelve. I don't think the Rebuilders anywhere finished yet, but the way they've won their three games I've won them more differently, I mean they haven't. They're hard working, but they've just found ways to win and those are really committed Paramatta side. Yesterday they were up

So they did it tough as well well.

As you guys mentioned Burton and kick out out, but it was their defense that held strong and won them in the game yesterday. And they just seem to improve every year every week under the guidance of Cameron Surrounder and obviously Gus has done a great job of that. We're going to get to that and we'll speak to the wrnies about it later on. But their sponsorship and memberships have gone through the roof. They already had big numbers, but they're getting even bigger.

Well already spoke about where they've come from twenty twenty one. You know, they won three games of forty that year, three games of football since then. Their merchant they's just gone cooker at Belmont. Their merchandise. Their merchandise is up five hundred percent. Their crowds are up from thirteen thousand, nine hundred to nearly twenty five thousand a game. Commercial

Buzz ninety eight thousand.

That's a robot.

What you got, I don't know.

Store there were a big club though both we knew that wo big club. It was only it's a bit like the West Tigers. You've got to wake the sleeping giant.

We've seen.

We've seeing it happen here at the Bulldogs. When you win, people come out of the woodwork, would work and want to be part of it again. Great colors too, It's amazing. Can you see the streets of Bellmore when they win. It's just crazy. It's so good for rugby league to see them thriving.

They've always had a big fan base, and they've always had some of the most passionate game for a number of time.

Now it's good to see them the.

Next dog do you like? What's the weather at now?

That's the best I mean because there was a doggie. If you played sixteen years the first grade for two different teams, you could support two teams too, but you didn't.

What are you going to do when they played each other.

I'm a happy man. Win win. It's win wing now.

In all seriousness, though, it's great to see him do world because you know, it wasn't long ago. We were sitting on this panel for a long period of time and what's happening there?

Buzz's phones ring and is that Gus?

Anyway, it's a long period of time there where you know, they had lost their DNA, their culture had gone, that old bulldog's tough mentality, seas mentality had gone, and they were just in a world of hurting.

We were quite.

Critical of them, and but they're back and it's it's it is fantastic the scene. Now, who who takes the credit? He's not that you know, we're going to just put it on one person. It's a team effort.

Gus and the lawn.

Hees have obviously played a big partner. Who takes the credit.

For this, I think Cameron Sireldo just for being patient. I think everybody that's been involved to get him to the situation. I think Siro walked into a pretty good joint. But the players have worked really hard and board in as well. So you can deliver a message, but unless the players grab it and go mate, I think it's collective. I don't think you can put it all on one. I think Guss is a genius, like I really do.

But I think it's the board level as well, because I remember they had problems on board level, and every club that has had problems at board level and normally infiltrates through through the team.

You're a big Guss find well.

Well, I can't dag him at all. You know he has done a terrific job there. You've got to give him credit for that. Who hired Cameron sirelder God, I will give Cameron Surrounder a lot of credit for is his relationship with all those players coming through the grades at Penrith, the Billy kick Ours And I know he signed before that, but Matt Burton and Stephen Prton was so close to Cameron and I think they signed for him as much as they did Gus.

And I'm not taking anything away from Gus.

You're right about the board day breath and we spend a bit of time that in Dresy and in Vegas.

He's kind of unsung there.

He's a smart.

Doing a great job for the club.

And he's helping them a track players players, and he's happy to work with Gus to make things like that happen. Then you're throwing the lawn laundies and the financial muscle that they giving the club committee. I think they've committed their sponsorships ten years. It's got the capacity to be a ten year agreement. I mean that shows much faith. They got him more gas and.

Adam and Aaron warburd are doing at that place.

I was going to give Aaron Warburton a wrap the CEO. I think he's really impressive. All those figures I spat out a couple of minutes ago. Here's the triefic Tech officer. He's driving that commercial growth. Obviously he's started on the back of a winning football team, which.

Winners, winners, grown team effort.

They're doing a great job.

The dog he's and once again we're going to have the Lawndry's on a heavy hitters segment.

He's not too long of time. Now. It might be the strangest penalty ever given.

Josh Curran impersonating the referee is how it happened.

Go to you call him that off side and call him out.

That's against the tops, against the true spirit of the game.

Calling a bike off side.

It's cause a bit of a stirnest one or was it gainsmanship or against the spirit of the game.

Didn't deserve a penalty.

It happened a lot.

Through my career, but that was old when there wasn't when when the referees were miked up, stay out of it, or you're off side or all that kind of stuff. So I think it's in the game. I think it's the sportsmanship of the game. The thing that's being able to look here good he is.

He was offside. He was standing off. If you're standing the defensive line, you call that out. That's fine, right you're wanning, You're sorry, you're in the attacking line, you call it out.

It's fine.

He was standing in the defensive line, so he was. He was offside. That's that's what made it.

You sound like is now, look, yeah, I know that the referee would be but you've spoken to Gray Mannesley and you're giving.

Which I don't agree with.

Gray Mansley is giving the NRL version that he was loitering. It was the word he used in the ruck and he was penalized for upside. Look again, he was penalized, not for being offside. He was penalized for imitating the referee if the referee said that reading. Yes, But so now they're trying to get escape any criticism.

I say it was off side.

Do you think that shouldn't have been a penalty?

Penalty? But it wasn't not in the spirit of the game penalty. Is what I'm trying to say.

Is so it's so Blake stands all side stands where the referee would be.

The refere like that in every game. If the referee stand and a bit over and he doesn't quite.

There, there's the rule.

Believe behave sorry in any way contrary to the spirit of the game, how you.

Isn't that sportsmanship?

No, No, it's cheating. It's actually cheating.

Yes, Brent Paul ran me last night one of the game's most colorful game. They played with Terry Lamb. He played with all the mad whiz for him. He said, you sat in every week. We get penalized every week for calling Blake's off side, for calling.

For the football.

But all they had to say was your panelized for loitering and being off side.

No one would have cared.

But because they've bought the spirit of the game thing, and they've left themselves in my.

Opinion, defense is the NL. It does happen to Gordion.

I've seen it with little smart asses and like you know, it's it's all fun and games and players calling for the ball and pulling players out off side, and it's happened forever. But what I will say is that Current is in the position and the pocket where the referee is, so he's standing right next to the referee, and he does call him off side. And really, I suppose you talk about gamesmanship. Normally players do it when the referee

I've never been on a football field like you, fellas, but from people I talk to, you know, do you think.

Well, obviously I would like to.

Players have told me over a long period of time is there'd be a dozen things every game that are not people trying to get an edge, not like that.

You can't keep not saying you're off side.

You cannot penalize if in the rock when he actually hasn't interfered in the play physically he's out of the.

Play, he said he was.

So if you would have penalized every player who stood where he was just for standing that you would have fifty penalties.

Are you're wrong because I was loading in.

The ruck and interfering in the play, but in personally.

In the reference double right now, Well, that's.

What makes it.

The old told me it was loitering in the ruck.

They reminded every player as part of all.

A week because ten times ago again for the next I was saying, if it's just for lawder in the rock, he was, we'll see fifty penalises one country country if they charged him, wouldn't have cared to hear the story.

I think the whole thing is in over reaction.

I just think I tried to say, but I mean, like, I don't.

I don't have a problem with the penalty because of where he was. He was standing in the referees position.

He called him off. So you know it's this, it's the seedfre.

He made the right decision. It's not about made He made the right decision. I wouldn't have given it a penalty though. I wouldn't have if.

I was referee, because I would have went because it happened. I watched Maddi john Show last night. There's a bloke there and he goes mouse trap and the bloke runs away.

They pick up the ball and go score.

But the pointsmanship, that's part of any sport.

Come on, But he did the right thing.

Yeah, he's got one hundred percent right, the referee hundred percent right.

You you should have got two this three weeks spending, I honestly worry about you.

Can you learn the rules?

Who won that battle? Then? Please?

Right right?

All right?

Anchored to the bottom of the ladder. They put up a big fight yesterday.

They improved on their first two performances, there is no doubt about that, but they are still struggling. This first try, this one, he was a shocker, Like this was this was concerning.

I thought, here we go. You know, they've had in the flood gates.

And to be honest with you, they did have a lot of position, and they still struggled with their attack.

You know, there's no denying that.

But they dug the they dug their heels and I thought that their effort was outstanding yesterday. So I think they made a mistake penalty and then they scored off that set.

So there was three really soft plays to lead to that try.

But then after that break like they dug in and if I'm a paramatter fan, I go, at least my side's having a go. I thought the effort was there, but they were still clunky and attack.

They still didn't look like that they.

Were all on, all on the same It was a better effort than what I.

Would look like scoring.

But again you go back to that effort, you know, that's that's the big thing.

The first two games was embarrassing.

Really.

You could see the effort, the intent and the passion in the jersey Zach Lomax, he was the best player on the field.

What a game like.

You could tell he was going to do everything possible to win that, to win that game, and he tried his heart out.

Unfortunately they just fell short.

Even here at the desk on half time, right on half time.

And when you're battling breath, right, the first thing you want to see his effort, and Bloke's having a go because the first couple of weeks you could argue that effort wasn't there begins with that you can build from that. I mean, that's going to be your baseline, right, Yeah, Bloke's having a go, putting some effort in and having dealing guys more to though.

I don't want to put a bulls on his head, but he kind of has himself with this deal, right.

You know, he's been one of the average.

He's probably been in the second half in terms of their team. He's been average every week, even yesterday, he wasn't one of the better ones. And he needs to be right. Like, you talk about points, you talk about leadership, you talk about owning a game.

If he had on that game yesterday, they win. You know, he just hasn't been out to nail it.

Yeah, it's disappointing because look, I thought there was a possibility they could be sort of top ten club this year with a new coach and you know, fresh era. But I was expecting just to be there. Yeah, look I had to look back. They lose this weekend. Look, I think they're gone for the year. Anyway, did you say top ten club?

Well yeah, now the West Side is the top twelve club club last in your bag.

Yeah, they'd be competitive towards the eight.

Now, if you lose your first four games, it's a year done, and the statistical information to back that up. In NRL history, there's only been one club in nineteen thirty two it was a new Town has won a comp after losing four games. You can't make the top four unless you win your first the eighth.

Well that's what I'm saying.

But it's hard for their fans breath because they've had some tough years and as we said here, they're going through what Canterbury did not probably not as bad as Canterbury in twenty one, but I can't see a lot of excitement there this year.

I reckon if they if they make the top.

Eight this year.

That would be a roaring success for Jason Rowles, given what he's done in the offseason, the cultural brooms.

Probably they're going well, they can saying three games into the year they can turn around.

You think with Moses coming back there, I think Mose will help them immensely.

I think we all know he's still a few weeks away. Yeah, we all know the much better side than Mitch plays.

So I mean, look, it's a hell of a journey to make the top eight from here. But I would have thought everyone at that club, including Roylesey, realized this year was going to be a bit more difficult than the year.

They put that effort in every week and with Mitch back, they will win a few games. They'll win quite a handful game. Who knows, they could surprise us. But I think we do underestimate the impact that Mitch does having.

I'll tell you it was enormous.

Yesterday Junior Parlow, I thought he was in the front row and we both said he last week critical lack of leadership. You said Ruddles, I said leadership. I thought he led. I thought he led yesterday and had a real ye be improvement from the eels. It was really good to see, so hopefully they can continue that over the next few weeks. Turning point thanks to Astley and Mark Medical Hair Centers. What else would it be a couple of crucial calls had the Raiders on the back foot of Brookie and Ricky.

He wasn't happy.

Comes from Starlin and Smith. He's a kid and now Fogarty paid.

Chance for Chris, who's got support.

It hunted young, He'll go all the way. Okay. Decisions under review for obstruction with Corey Horsebra.

What do you think of the decision when we had our trigis left after twenty minutes, I've having no football and we get to set in a round halfway and we score a wonderful try. I mean, it's really difficult coaching when you don't know the rules, you don't know interpretations. Because I got no idea my ballplayers hit late. We wanted to. We want to make defenders defend this year. That was what the rule was when Wayne and Ivan and I sat down with Ashley and Andrew and Graham.

He's only a meet.

Around when he's taken down to fund it out, try to spin his way in from dummy.

Harf's going to be a.

Penalty as well to man and Cory Hawsbrough is going to the same ben.

Did you think that decision did Corey Horsburg was a correct decision?

May They'll tell me it's correctly. It doesn't matter, they'll tell me it was correct, Mad, I'm better off not answering questions. I'm not going to talk about a reef. I hope Andrew Rabday has an answer for us all. But I think it was six one sixty games, and in the sixty games that go against my poor buggers, I see those tackles every week by certain teams. Nothing's done. Can you tell me, long I left.

To whether Raider is ill disciplined or was the ref too harsh? Now, these are the halftime stats in the match between the Seagulls and the Raiders, and they are alarming. I've never seen anything like this. Seventy seven percent possession in favor of the Seagulls. The big one there set restarts five to the Seagulls, zero to the Raiders.

Two hundred and twenty.

Tackles made by the Raiders in just forty minutes of rugby league compared to seventy one. So do we put it down to the referees as Ricky has said, how he thinks a big influence on this result in the first half.

Or was it ill disciplined?

Well, it's a better both.

God that those stats didn't show the try just allowed or the player in the sin bin either with twenty three percent of ball, Well.

I meantats are a reflection of that, yes, Gordy.

Sorry, no, Look I think eleven extra sets right, so that's a lot. So there's sixty odd tackles but they're still over two hundred tackles, so you know, mainly to dominate and they scored some tries and they've got some repeat sets.

But it's a bit of both. I think it is ill disciplined the six again.

We all know that they are fifty to fifties most and that's why the referee does it instead of blind penalties.

We watch every side hold.

Them down so they get frustrated and they drop the ball.

So no, and I.

Reckon happened the Raiders when they beat the Warriors and when they beat the Bronco coach before They went in with a Penrith mindset, without the Penrith skill, but a Penrith mindset to swarm, to show line speed and defense, to cut out the time of their playmakers and really get in the opposition's face. There's a little bit, you know, there's a sneaking suspicion. I had that someone from one of those clubs, whether it's a coach or has has said to the NRL keep an eye on the Raiders.

Well, it would have to be.

Is one of the coaches from those first two teams they played has complained.

I think that something's happened.

Yeah, the coach has been the NRL Football department all the time. It almost to me looked preconceived that they were going to keep, you know, a really strong look at the Raiders yesterday.

That was impossible. Seven too.

But this is the problem for six again rule because it becomes it just becomes a succession of six agains because the team gets fatigue, mainly dominate possession, Kembra try to slow things down more six agains are given and you have games. We have games like this every year where it just spirals out of control and camera just couldn't wrestle the back.

I felt a bit.

Before sorry for them on the obstruction player.

We'll get to that quick after this, so I would approve like this.

So first twenty minutes, whatever it was, where it was before that, Sebastian krishno try. If anything, the Raiders were on top, I believe, right, So it was it was it was anyone's game.

They were al on top of the they had an opportunity.

They score that try, it gets given, then it's a different game, right, But not only that, the sinbin changes everything. That was a sinbin every day the week Hawsbury goes off. So a lot of those probably set restarts.

We're in that period. This is this is ten They been.

Every day a week, so the set restarts, you know, and and dominance there may have been also because they had twelve players in the film, they're trying to slow the ruck down.

They got one lass place.

A lot of that, A lot of that contributes to that. But let's get to the to the obstruction because this was a big plan. This is one that Ricky wasn't happy about. Now to the to us to the Naked Eye, and that's a late shop by the way, so we can get to that too, but so naked eye, you know, going on other seasons, it probably is a penalty right because he's hit, he's making contact with Cherry Evan. Cherry

This rule and this is an example, he believes, when they haven't changed it and they've just kept the same thing.

Yeah, Ricky is held in such high regard by the NRL. They picked three coaches to come in and talk obstructed real police, how to make it better. It was Ricky, it was Wayne Bennett, a four time Premier coach Ivan Cleary. He was in that meeting actually just making the decisions where they wanted to put the emphasis on players to defend rather than you know, dive or you know, as

What hope of the fourteen who weren't there.

There's one thing that I think I look at as a player is the reaction of the players and Dally Cherry Evans looks and then he gets on his bike, so maybe he thinks I could have got to him. And then the two manly wide defenders Sab Sab and Garrick I think make really poor reads and they could have shut it down.

So also also DC had time, he had time to release. The only is that what gets them in trouble is Horse stops in the line. So the rule is really horse was going to go through the line and not impact the player, and he just makes enough contact.

With him there.

I made nowhere.

Disagreeing with you, but I'm just saying.

That that that's a try. I go. I'm okay with it.

I think that I was on the sideline for this game. God, it's the first time I've really watched it on trip a lot. I think there's minimal contact there. Actually I don't have a problem with that. I think that should be a try. But also you mentioned the late hit on Morgan Smithy's, I mean Morgan Smithy's.

That's market will stop you there ready.

We've got some breaking news reports from Fairfax papers. The d C tells mainly he's leaving at the end of the season. No word yet on plans for next season. May may not seek contract with rival club.

In twenty twenty six. So this is this is big breaking news.

DCE tells Manly he's leaving the club at season's end.

Thoughts on this, well, that's it's a massive story, and it's why Manly have been trying to spin for some time that everything sweet Daly is happy. I've said all along wasn Adam Reynolds type sit situation where he wanted two years, they wanted one year, they wanted half. The money's on now and I don't think DCE would come out and make that announcement now unless the Dolphins, Saint Georgia Lawarra or whoever.

I read that the roosters might have been thrown.

I just read the story of saying he hasn't decided yet by the sounds, whether he's going to play on yet, so.

He's going to decide later in the year.

But this suggests there's obviously some I mean, Dailey said last night, I was in the press conference. He said, there's no animosity with the Manly club. There's no issues with the Manly club. There no restand but this would suggest there is animosity there. Why would he make this decision unless this.

Has but he's going to retire, No, I think.

You'll play on.

But like he's probably thinking, look, I've had my run here, I've given you ten great years or whatever it is, fourteen sixteen great years, and I want to go home like the Cherries and.

Has gone back to Queensla and got him Dolphins.

Well that's I think that's the romance of the game.

But that's his family name.

I haven't spoken to DCA, but from what I'm told around the traps is he felt a little disrespected around only getting the one year deal.

Surely that's not gave back, but they might have got time.

What I'm saying is, even if it was one year, now, merely must have just thought. If you're saying that, that means merely must have gained the ultimatum. It's only one year, that's it because we thought he may negotiated to you.

I don't know if Manly game a time limit.

Because whatever Cherry Evans did reaction this is he mamily couldn't wait till the end of the year in October for him to make that decision.

Spoken with some of the manly today about this exact situation. They said, the point that Scott pens in town at the moment, the owner and chairman.

He's back for a week or so to go to the Paramatta game.

And I think the plan was to sit down with Dahli at some point this week and say we need an answer to you.

Now.

Maybe it happened today, but it hadn't happened earlier today when I spoke to someone and Marly, but I suspect the club's asked for a decision out of daily and Daly's told them that's swift.

What's interesting where he might head up Joe Webby, is it webe the manager? You know what else Joe webe? James Tedesco and Rhys Robson. Could he provide a spine for the Sydney Roos.

Look, it's well, let's let's dive into that.

Sam walkeruld have to play for because they love Samborger.

That's okay, Sam Walker can still be there and that's what they need. Right now, you can play six, they then experienced seven. Right now to partner someone like Walker. Walker can play with the freedom DC controls the team. You've got Robson going there, which we didn't mention last week when Brendan Smith they announced that he was moving on.

They've got Robson going to the club.

And as you mentioned, same manager as to Disco and Robson, this is a big This is big and for him to make this swift call so quickly without even going a few weeks or months into this season, it's big possibility.

Brother.

I've just got a text saying he's either going to the Dolphins or Roosters, and that's from someone who spoke to someone yesterday at the game about it.

So Dolphins or Roosters.

There you have.

Well, as I said on this show, I think it was last week that Terry Burder, the Dolphins CEO, said, we'll wait, we'll see what Manly doing and if he becomes available, which he has, will be very very interested because I said that relationship with that agent, with those two big names.

Yeah, do we think that mainly have fought hard enough here?

I don't. Look, everyone keeps using his age.

Thirty six years of age is as fit as a thirty year old.

He wins every time trial.

He's missed twenty three games in fifteen years. And you know, half of those games he missed.

They know more than we know. They think this.

We just want to give him one more year. That's our salary cap. And we got these young kids that we want.

Who's coming in next A young rugby kid named Jerry Walsh played for the Buts a couple of years.

We've got another one too, they got from the West Lights.

But he's only he's seventeen or something.

I mean, it's hard to study in five And they kept money aside for DAI, a significant amount of money aside for DAI for at least next season. And I've said it all along. I think I think if I was in their shoes, I would have only offered one year with the ability to extend work season. Well, you know, at the stage of your career, good, you've got to take a little less. But now he's going to another club. He probably doesn't because.

He's a manly he's been there so long, so much.

Take a litle bit less. But now he's going to another club. I'd say he's worth eight hundred minimum because he's going to another.

Well, he's probably rather than take Sorry breaking news, mester Off.

And Penn have just contacted Fox League and said they're going to counter this with a two year offer, so they don't believe this is over. So fair Fax papers were reporting that he will move on at the end of this season. But now we've heard from the hierarchy at the mainly Seagals live on a near goot account of this with a two year offer to DC, so this is far from over by the sounds of it.

What a massive story, and that the fact that they've reacted differently to the South Sendy Rabbit hos did. It got so emotional with Adam Reynolds. The fans were filthy, but Blake Suley would not budge and would not give him that extra year.

It's not too late though, now buzz that the damage hasn't where Dale is concerned. The damage hasn't been done.

And they went on look and then now they've changed Look.

I think I think they owed him the respect of two years in that he is one of the greatest players to ever put that jersey on ever Captain Queensland, Captain Manly won a title there started that you know.

So won him to stage.

Because it they didn't originally offer the two years. He said see you later, I'm moving on and then within you know, twenty four hours, they're saying no, that you can have the two years.

Now.

Well, you know what's probably happened. The pumpers are watching this show and there's outrage to watch the show. Well, there would be outrage. Here's a favorite son, Well.

Scott keens in town too, i'd say.

And Scott's able to you know, hit go on a deal pretty quickly, and he runs the club.

He owns the club, so it's.

His spend because of the veteran player allowed, so they can get him on the cap a lot cheaper. And this shouldn't have exploded into the story it has. I reckon they could have put this away some time ago.

You've got to give credit to penemstro They've got straight on the phone here, very master Fox League, Fox Sports and have said, you know, this ain't happening. We're putting a two year deal to him. So they're they're on, they're on the ball here.

Well, that's one thing I will say. They're a very very well managed club. And I'm surprised it's got this far, but there's any any hope of staying these two will pull it off.

All right, what's he worth? You reckon DC.

Well, you're the.

Well, you know what, I just to think he's still a million dollar half back.

He's on he's a he's a State of Origin halfback. And let me tell you, at that level, I think he still cuts the must and break.

Right on the weekend.

If he does play for another two years, he becomes the oldest player in the history of the He goes past Paul Gallon, he.

Breaks the four hundred barrey. We're going to go to a break as he's more to come. We're going to have more on this story. We're going to hit the phones trying to get as much information as we can