Gorden Tallis calls out brutal move from Wendell Sailor amid ugly new DCE claims

Yahoo

14-05-2025

Gorden Tallis has revealed how Wendell Sailor's decision to leave the Broncos in 2001 destabilised the NRL club, using it was a prime example as to what would be happening with Daly Cherry-Evans and Manly. Leading reporter James Hooper revealed on NRL 360 on Wednesday night that Cherry-Evans' decision to leave the Sea Eagles has created a 'divide' amongst the playing group.
Manly started the year in red-hot form, but have lost four of their last five after Cherry-Evans revealed he'll be leaving at season's end. "There has been a lot of noise around that there's worse than splinters in the Manly camp, there is a real divide,' Hooper said.
'The club was blindsided (by Cherry-Evans' decision) and there's been a massive flow-on effect. Some players - senior players - are struggling, and they believe that decision essentially derailed their season. And looking at current form you would have to say that's the way it's tracking."
Hooper then asked Tallis how he'd feel if one of his teammates did the same. 'Well Wendell (Sailor) did it and I was gutted,' Tallis said. 'Wendell promised us he was going to stay and then he went to rugby union, and you do feel gutted. The senior players do feel hurt when you lose (another senior player).'
Cherry-Evans has been well below his best in recent weeks, and was particularly poor against the Sharks last Sunday. His dip in form has sparked questions about whether Billy Slater will pick him for Queensland in State of Origin 1.
Tom Dearden is playing the house down and vying for the Maroons' No.7 jersey, while Kurt Mann has emerged as a contender for a spot on the bench. If Slater wants to get both Dearden and Mann into his 17, it could be Cherry-Evans who misses out.
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David Riccio said on Wednesday night: 'It all comes back to form and showing your teammates that you're willing to rip in every single week. We saw that really good performance against the Panthers and then the nowhere performance against the Sharks.
'He has to show his teammates he's willing to rip and tear for Manly. At this point in time I can understand why his teammates are going 'hang on, are you in or are you out?'.
'The big one is this Saturday night, if he flops and Dearden fires… the fact that Billy Slater is considering Kurt Mann as a utility option on his Maroons bench… Kurt is such a valuable utility for the Dogs and they have a huge opinion of him. But if there is a dip in DCE's form (and Dearden gets picked halfback), they have a ready-made utility in Kurt Mann."
Discussing the Cherry-Evans situation on Tuesday, Matty Johns floated the stunning theory that he could end up at the Roosters as soon as this year. The Roosters appear the only contenders to sign DCE for next season, but Johns believes the Bondi club's recent flurry of moves suggests they want him before June 30.
"There's been a bit of talk about this the other day when players were being released (by the Roosters) and I said 'ah for DCE for next year'," he said on SEN radio. "But they were so urgent to get rid of some blokes and now it's come out that Chad Townsend (is being offered to rival clubs).
"I'm thinking what's at play here? Is there a chance of him (DCE joining before the June 30 deadline). It could happen...and Joey Walsh being named on the extended bench (for Manly). Might be something at play boys. And how big would that be?"