Seek help: DCE opens up on challenging year as mental health takes centre-stage
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Roosters five-eighth Daly Cherry-Evans has opened up on the mental challenges he faced throughout 2025 as he looks to raise awareness for mental fitness ahead of Thursday's Gotcha4Life Cup.
The veteran was in the spotlight for much of last season after he announced his decision to depart Manly at the end of the year.
The news prompted plenty of negative headlines and off-field speculation, with Cherry-Evans facing heavy criticism from fans and some sections of the media.
The situation saw the 37-year-old seek professional help and he's using this week to encourage people to open up about their own mental fitness and ask for support if necessary.
Special place in my heart: DCE excited for 4 Pines return
"Last year I went and got some help with a therapist," Cherry-Evans said.
"It was one of the best things I ever did, just not even to talk about footy, not even to talk about the stuff that I was going through in the media last year, but to talk about my childhood and things that I couldn't make sense of growing up.
"I can't recommend enough finding people to talk to, whether it's within your own group of friends, your family, or going and finding professional help. I've used all of the above at different stages.
"It definitely does help you when you get something off your chest. It just lightens the load. They say sharing a problem is half a problem, right? So you can halve your problems really quickly with friends.
"I've done that many times. Finding help, finding a crew that you can trust goes a long way to making you understand what's really important in life."
Match: Sea Eagles v Roosters
Round 4 -
home Team
Sea Eagles
11th Position
away Team
Roosters
15th Position
Venue: 4 Pines Park, Sydney
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
Mental health is in the spotlight this week as Cherry-Evans returns to 4 Pines Park for the first time as a visiting player on Thursday night.
Manly and the Roosters will play for the Gotcha4Life Cup to raise awareness for mental fitness programs. The initiative was launched in 2022 and has grown significantly throughout the past five years.
The brainchild of media personality Gus Worland, the match aims to encourage people to speak up, check in and support their mates.
Manly sponsor Shaw and Partners will donate $100,000 to Gotcha4Life, with match-worn jerseys from the two sides to be auctioned off after the match.
Worland met with both the Roosters and Sea Eagles earlier this week to discuss the importance of mental fitness and the crucial position of NRL players as role models for young Australians.
More broadly, Gotcha4Life delivers preventative mental health workshops to help reduce suicide rates in Australia.
The organisation is currently focused on introducing mental fitness to students across the country, equipping children with the skills required to navigate the challenges that will pop up throughout their lives.
Time to speak up: Gus Worland launches Gotcha4Life Cup
"It's a special game and an opportunity for these gladiators to talk about things that are important," Worland said. "Not just footy matches, but actually what we've got going on in this country at the moment.
"We're losing nine people a day and someone attempts to take their life every eight minutes. We've got to do something better than we are at the moment.
"We've got to put a line in the sane and this game gives us some funds to do that and it will be a wonderful night. Thursday night at Brookie, DCE going back, you couldn't write the script any better.
"To have the Gotcha4Life Cup with two clubs that are close to me and it's an opportunity to showcase what we're doing and the work we're doing in schools."
A naturally private person, Cherry-Evans admits he struggled with the public nature of playing in the NRL throughout the early years of his career.
The halfback was thrust into the spotlight as a 22-year-old, delivering Manly a premiership in his first season in the top flight.
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Representative honours came soon after, as did the scrutiny that comes with being one of the game's elite playmakers.
Cherry-Evans said it was a challenging adjustment but praised those around him for supporting him through a unique experience.
"A long time ago when I signed up to be an NRL player, not in my wildest dreams did I believe that I was going to be a role model for the community," Cherry-Evans said.
"That's something that over time I had to adjust to. I'm not someone that naturally really loves limelight. I'm quite a private person. So when the attention started to come towards me for positive and negative articles, that took a lot of time for me to adjust to.
"It was with the help of people around me and support systems through the NRL that got you for life that helped train me to be more mentally resilient.
"It's been huge over my career. The ability to talk to people, the ability to process information, particularly when that information might be negative about you, it's been a massive influence on me and over the years."
Perceptions and conversations around mental health within the NRL have evolved significantly throughout the past decade.
More players are comfortably seeking help privately and discussing their own struggles publicly.
'Unbelievable player': Trbojevic on alert for DCE battle
The high-performance environment has also shifted, with coaches and support staff aware of the impact mental health has on physical performance.
"It's become more normal to talk about," Manly captain Tom Trbojevic said. "That's the space we need to be in. Rugby league is a privilege but it's a hard game and you can't shy away from that.
"We're not alone. There are a lot of people here to support you, especially at this great club.
"It's a high-pressure environment. For instance, we've lost two games and we're under the pump and that's just how it is. It's not an easy thing to deal with, it's not a normal thing to deal with but it is what it is.
"We're very lucky we have the resources that help you access that support and get the help you need."
