Manly Sea Eagles captain Daly Cherry-Evans has been forced to deny a rift between himself and Jake Trbojevic as the rumours over a split playing group continue to circulate.
There has been a wide array of reports escape the Northern Beaches over discontent, whether it's between Des Hasler and the board, between the captain and the Trbojevic brothers, between players and the 'Manly seven', it's all happening in Brookvale.
The club has acted to try and amend the leaks brick by brick, confirming Hasler as their 2023 head coach on Thursday night, and now look to allay calls for Cherry-Evans to be stripped of his captaincy following reports of a rift between himself and the players.
It was the season that never was for Manly, losing reigning Dally M medallist Tom Trbojevic early in the year to a shoulder injury before finishing the season with seven straight losses, the second of the seven coming in the 'Pride Round' fiasco that signalled the end for Manly in 2022.
While Jake is a beloved local junior by the fans and team alike, reports suggesting that he and Cherry-Evans weren't on speaking terms started fires that 'DCE' has now been forced to extinguish.
"When clubs like us come under scrutiny, I reckon (rumours of player feuds) are sort of a cop-out," he told the WWOS Sunday Footy Show.
"It's an easy thing to just come at the playing group and pick apart relationships and friendships.
"Myself and Jake are fine. We are fine and I'm happy to go on the record with that and I'm sure Jake would as well.
"As the year finished, do not get me wrong, with seven in a row, there was definitely frustration and disappointment among the playing group but never to the point where people weren't talking to each other."
While the alleged rift is what catches the majority of headlines, Hasler's willingness to seemingly walk away from a side he guided to a preliminary final a year ago is telling.
Cherry-Evans hopes he hasn't seen the last of Hasler in the role, despite a rollercoaster relationship that has seen Hasler win a premiership with the club, quit to join Canterbury, rejoin and lead them just short of a Grand Final, and now on the precipice of resignation.
"I'd be surprised if he doesn't see out the last year of his contract," Cherry-Evans said.
"I don't think Des would want to finish his coaching career on what has just happened this year.
"He is too successful as a coach for this to be the end."
It appears set that Des will be retained at least in the short-term, but as for Cherry-Evans holding onto the captaincy, he's narrowly got his neck in front to keep the role.
