For the purpose of this list we've only named players known primarily as halfbacks. For instance we know Shaun Johnson is an excellent halfback when called upon but is very much known as a six.

4. Daly Cherry-Evans

Any suggestions that DCE had a less than stellar 2020 can be put down to the fact Manly struggled in a big way. Their captain's stats were first-class despite being asked to carry the side on many occasions.

20 try assists, 17 line break assists, six tries, 11 forced drop outs, 415+ kicking metres per game, 17 offloads and over 85% tackle efficiency. Considering he was sans his superstar fullback and played almost without a halves partner for half of the season, those stats are insane.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 03: Daly Cherry-Evans of the Sea Eagles reacts during the round 20 NRL match between the Manly Sea Eagles and the Newcastle Knights at Lottoland on August 03, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

While Mitchell Moses had the ball 983 times in 2020, DCE had 1243 receptions. A well earned off-season to say the very least.

With Turbo back and Walker prepared to play six all off-season, hopefully for Manly's sake the entire season won't rest on DCE's shoulders.

5 COMMENTS

  2. With every good halfback, there needs to be a good 5/8th ,to take some pressure off of their halves partner. It also needs to be the right one. Cleary didnโ€™t look so good playing alongside Maloney. Where as NSW was better with Maloney there?
    As good as Cleary may have been in 2020. NSW didnโ€™t win the S.O.O. & Penrith didnโ€™t win the Grand Final. What can we take from that?
    D.C.E. Inspired a S.O.O. series win for Queensland.
    Hughes inspired grand final win for Melbourne.
    Or were both wins just because of Munster at 5/8th?
    I thought Luai was great for Penrith for most of the season, at 5/8th.
    So was there something lacking with Cleary in the biggest of games? He didnโ€™t
    Inspire a Win.

  3. You nailed it, his half partner in Origin was disgraceful. Cody Walker is a myth. Also, apart from game 3, Cleary did have a good series.

  4. If Wighton has another start of season anywhere close to his form last year, he will be the 6 for the SOO, not Walker. Walker had an amazing game 2, but so did the whole team. In the last 10 minutes if game 3 when Cody got injured and Wighton was shifted…Wighten looked dangerous every time he had the ball. I think Turbo will be back in the side, with another specialist centre, maybe Staggs or Crighton. Which will shift Wighton to partner Cleary in the halves.

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