DCE Memories

[LeonardCohen]

I’m interested in taking a nostalgic trip down memory lane and would love if we could use this thread to share our favourite DCE memories. I get that he’s a divisive figure at the club but if I could kindly ask that criticism is levelled in the Cherrygraph and we keep this thread for the magic moments, of which there have been many.

Personally, I’m very upset how it’s all ended and will struggle to watch him in a Chooks jumper but it’s been an absolute pleasure to marvel at his creativity over the last 15 seasons.

I’ll get the ball rolling with two.
1. A sublime cutout pass for Matthew Wright try at Shark Park in 2017; it’s probably the best cut out pass I’ve ever seen.
2. A left foot field goal into the teeth of a howling wind in the rain at Mt Smart to steal victory.

 

[Under the Sticks]

About 27 Golden Point field goals…..especially the ones against the Storm.

 

[Supreme Leader]

Mine was meeting him a few years ago at the State dancing championships where my daughter was participating. We were having a chat then the mum's all realised who he was and then spent 40 mins taking photos for him with everyone on their phones until his wife turned up with his daughter in the pram and she lost her **** at him because it was not a DCE day but a family day.

Just showed it doesn't matter who you are, but in the end, we are all the same. Happy wife happy life.

 

[Ranga]

His blindside raids deep in our own territory, and elite support play are two things I will remember fondly.

 

[Under the Sticks]

His ability to pull off trick plays represents the Manly attack focused DNA. Not many other teams in the past 15 years would pull these off so regularly which may not provide long term success but the sugar hit is awesome.

 

[The Who]

He is a great footballer, but his most amazing attribute is his resilience. How he manages to play 'every' match is outstanding. I dare to say that no other player (perhaps Cam Smith?) has missed fewer matches through injury (per rata).

 

[globaleagle]

Fair 'nuff, though I do think the sincerity level may be higher if the title was dce and not $ce, and the reference 'dollar chaser'.

However, it just made me chortle and so I'll add the field goal game winners.

 

[Jay Eagle]

Mine in order of how they rank to me.

12- His tackle on Big NAS.. one on one 2 meters out at a huge moment in the game.

11- His multiple game winning field goals, too many to mention but undeniably one of the greatest at putting them through the posts with either foot.

10- His debut...
(we had lost Hogkinson to the dogs and along came this kid... superstar written all over him. )

9- His GF try in 2011

8- Backflip Interview
"What changed?.. that offer in particular.. the offer to stay at Manly and be a one club player" D$Es words.
I was gutted he and Foz were leaving but his backflip was a huge day and so much relief to me.

7- His long standing halves parnership with Foz. Started off as 2 of the youngest halves partnerships in the game and they both grew into elite champions together..they should have never parted and who knows what sort of legacy they would have left the game on.
( I heard a recent interview with Foz..he was asked do you have a "what if moment in life ?"
He immediately said .."yep..what if Daly and I stayed at Manly together"

6- cut out pass down the short side to Saab between 2 defenders

5- Backing up and then putting the kick through for Turbo to score after Garrick ran the ball back from the in goal ( possibly the best try in the game, certainly up there with the Mark Coyne origin try and Snakes miracle ball Try)

4- His Clive Churchill effort in the 2013 GF. In a loosing team

3- His set up for a try to Snake versus the Broncos, his trade mark dummy and run, beat 3 or 4 tacklers and puts a kick across field whilst falling for Snake to score.

2-His 100% footy interview "I won't be at Manly next year".. absolute disgrace and left me speachless. I went from his biggest supporter to seeing him for what he really is.. Soulless.

1- His match winning field goal versus the Warriors 2017 basically to get us into the Finals. Wind and rain and then having to step off his right foot to kick it left footed under pressure.. what a moment..if we lose that game I don't think we even qualify for the semis the table was so condensed and we were in 8th place.

Sadly this should be a TOP 10..but the 2 entries that shouldn't be there have to be there..8 and 2.. it was always about D$E and he will be remembered that way to me.

 

[Under the Sticks]

Fair 'nuff, though I do think the sincerity level may be higher if the title was dce and not $ce, and the reference 'dollar chaser'.

However, it just made me chortle and so I'll add the field goal game winners.

Gotta agree @globaleagle. I’m sure @LeonardCohen means well as he started the post but maybe a little editing can return the classy and respectful intent of the thread.

 

[MadMarcus]

Good idea for a thread.

I don't think many people could question his focus on his fitness and dedication to be the best he can be over a long career (setting aside for the benefit of this thread theories that people may have about his performance this year).

While I suppose I don't know, he doesn't strike me as a guy who gets on the grog and drugs like so many others in the game. He seems to really look after himself, and I think that is the key to his resilience.

 

[Cochrane]

Earlier in his career, he would break many tackles, but not in the typical way you would think.

He had this knack of probing for holes and when a defender would contact him, instead of wrestling through the tackle and attracting more defenders, he would push backwards, against what the defender was expecting, breaking out of the tackle by backtracking.

This was when his running game was exciting.

 

[LeonardCohen]

Gotta agree @globaleagle. I’m sure @LeonardCohen means well as he started the post but maybe a little editing can return the classy and respectful intent of the thread.

I just find it funny 🤣

 

[TheSoaringEagle2023]

He seems to have this knack of putting on this step when he receives a pass which makes him avoid getting smashed.

 

[Jay Eagle]

Gotta agree @globaleagle. I’m sure @LeonardCohen means well as he started the post but maybe a little editing can return the classy and respectful intent of the thread.

Yeah I agree but it's simply way too hard to not go past the way he's conducted himself when it came to his contract negotiations when your asked to pin point your memories of DCE "D$E" and his 15 years at Manly..
A great player.. no doubt
A club legend..doubtful and all because of his contract actions

Sadly I believe his memories on the majority of supporters will have the backflip and 100% footy interview as huge memories of his time at Manly.

 

[stoodamire]

Yeah I agree but it's simply way too hard to not go past the way he's conducted himself when it came to his contract negotiations when your asked to pin point your memories of DCE "D$E" and his 15 years at Manly..
A great player.. no doubt
A club legend..doubtful and all because of his contract actions

Sadly I believe his memories on the majority of supporters will have the backflip and 100% footy interview as huge memories of his time at Manly.

You can’t play the most games and captain the most games for a 79 year old club and not be a club legend.

 

[Jay Eagle]

You can’t play the most games and captain the most games for a 79 year old club and not be a club legend.

I'm not saying he's not a club legend
What i am saying is will he be remembered as a club legend .. sadly I think not.. certainly to me

And I was one of his biggest fans just look at my top 10 memories.. 12 if you include the off field crap that no doubt every Manly supporter will remember for years to come and sadly ( i say again) even after they forget some of his wonderful onfield performances.

 

[andyeagle]

He was always good at backing up. My best memory of him doing that was when he was in the right spot to take a miracle Brett Stewart pass against Brisbane.

 

[Pete W]

You can’t play the most games and captain the most games for a 79 year old club and not be a club legend.

Being a club legend is about more than just statistics.

Has he earned the love and respect of the club's supporters?
Will he be remembered for his passion to wear the team's colours?
Is he synonymous with the identity of Manly's great identity and history?
Did he embody team spirit and culture?
Did he demonstrate on-field leadership, or inspire respect from his teammates?
Was he central in bringing success to his club?

I don't know about you, but I've got a hard 'no' for all the above.

He's no club legend of mine, despite individual accolades and statistics.

Edit: Apologies, I've just seen the initial post of this thread. So in keeping with the theme, I will say his sublime running game in 2011, and the many subsequent match-winning field goals

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

He was always good at backing up. My best memory of him doing that was when he was in the right spot to take a miracle Brett Stewart pass against Brisbane.

I was going tom post the same moment, even though it's really a Snake highlight. But that's the thing with Cherry - I can't really remember too many moments of individual brilliance. He has always been a great support player, always in the right spot at the right time, a great one for a 40/20 or an intercept (which again just shows his on-field awareness), always extremely fit and incredibly durable.

He was a very important cog in some of the best Manly teams I've ever seen. And it's to his credit that I'll remember him as a team player rather than as an out and out "superstar".

 

[Phobia]

It's so disappointing that it ended this way... Quite a bit of sadness but also anger, especially when you remember it all.

I'm on the younger side (probably a massive outlier compared to the lot of you) so I remember a bit of Orford, but for nearly as long as I can truly remember, DCE has been our halfback. The one constant, for better or worse. Across ups and downs in my life, good times, bad times, bloody lying women who have BPD... All of it, he's been there in the background.

As others has said, his headless chook plays have probably costed us some boring wins... But FMD, when they come off, they come off!

The past five years of miracle passes out to Saab on the wing have been a favourite of mine. The I don't think anyone will replicate those, and I don't think anyone else currently in the NRL can. The one against the Eels last year, with Turbo backing up, was probably my favourite of the lot. He threw the pass before the gap had even appeared. ****ing incredible.

Of course his golden point finishers, here's a good compilation:

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This absolutely brilliant try:

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And then, his hand in the best try I've ever seen by Manly:

Ultimately, I think the club failed DCE, more than he failed us. I think bringing back Watmough was a mistake, and DCE would've stayed, had it not happened.

It's not on DCE that he was never a great game manager, it was on us for expecting him to be one. It was on the club for letting Foran go. It was on the club for letting Green go. It was on the club, for yet again, letting Foran go, for ****ing Schuster of all players.

He's done some stupid things, but so has the club. I remember reading that DCE wanted to stay in 2015, but he thought he wasn't wanted as we targeted Foran... What if we went with DCE to begin with? What if he was on a lower contract, which would've allowed our talent to stay? Allowed Foran to backflip instead?

What if the club kept Api? What if the club kept Gutho? What if the club kept AFB?

DCE's shortcomings don't match that of the club. It's been a rough decade, but that rests on Scott Penn, more than the man who put his blood, sweat, and tears out for our team.