STAR halfback Daly Cherry-Evans has formally asked Manly for a release from his contract.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal Cherry-Evans' manager, Gavin Orr, lodged the request to Sea Eagles chief operating officer David Perry on Friday afternoon.
Manly immediately rejected it but the fight to keep Cherry-Evans has reached a critical stage.
The Daily Telegraph can also reveal Cherry-Evans is on a contract worth an
embarrassing $85,000 a year - less than dozens of Toyota Cup players.
His deal will increase to $125,000 for next season - still a pittance given what he achieved last season. He could command anything up to $450,000 a year.
Sea Eagles officials are terrified of fan backlash should they lose Cherry-Evans, particularly after the bumbling contract negotiations which led to two-time premiership-winning Des Hasler walking away.
"Did I ask for a release for Daly? Yes, I did last Friday," Orr told The Daily Telegraph.
"If they can't afford him then why keep him for another two years? Let the kid go and play somewhere else. They can't hold him to ransom on a contract that isn't acceptable to the level he is now at.
"I asked for the release for next year so we could have a look around if Manly can't match his market value. I told them they could have the final right of refusal. They said no straight away. At least I put it out there.
"If you don't ask the question, you don't get answers."
Pressed on whether he thought Manly could pay Cherry-Evans more money, Orr said: "It is getting harder and harder because there are other people through third parties talking to me."
Sea Eagles chairman Scott Penn said his club "absolutely" wanted to retain Cherry-Evans.
"It's well documented we have some cap pressure - it is a matter of managing it. Ultimately though we want to keep as many of our players as we can," Penn said.
"We are asking for everyone to be patient and work with us. We have put forward a solid offer (to Cherry-Evans) and we are waiting for an answer. Absolutely we want keep him."
Manly must re-arrange its salary cap to accommodate Cherry-Evans but the club still remain highly confident of retaining the young halfback.
Cherry-Evans arrived in the NRL last year and proceeded to guide Manly to a premiership and then tour England with the Australian Four Nations squad. Others clubs are circling, more than aware Cherry-Evans is on such a minimal income. He is off contract after next season and is then hoping for a new two year extension.
"People like Tautau Moga at the Roosters are on more," Orr said. "Cheyse Blair last year at the Roosters was on more. Blair is on more than now at Parramatta. There are a lot of Toyota Cup players on more.
"When Daly signed the (Manly) deal, no one wanted him. I tried to sell him to every club but the so-called geniuses in recruitment didn't want him. I won't put a figure on (what Cherry-Evans could earn) but I think he is ahead of Chris Sandow and Sandow is on $550,000 a year."
Manly are hoping to align Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran so both come off contract in 2015.
"Manly do value Daly. Hopefully we can still agree to terms in the next week or two," Orr said. "I think Daly should stay. It is in his best interest to stay with Kieran but it depends on whether they can match Daly's market value.
"They work well together and bring out the best in each other."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...6299700218?from=igoogle+gadget+compact+bi_rss
f**ken hell thats a shit contract.
