MILLION-dollar man Daly Cherry-Evans has put his hand up to lead Manly and his biggest competition for the captaincy is tipping the star No.7 as skipper in 2017.

Boom forward Jake Trbojevic led the Sea Eagles eight times last year as Jamie Lyon battled injury, but he believes Cherry-Evans is the now retired club icon’s most likely successor.

It’s understood that coach Trent Barrett is seriously considering choosing both in a co-captaincy arrangement that will relieve pressure on 22-year-old Trbojevic as he enters just his third full season of first grade.

The pair are undoubtedly seen as the club’s future, with Cherry-Evans locked away on a lucrative $6 million deal until the end of 2021, while Trbojevic recently inked a three-year extension along with younger brother Tom.

Round 19

Barrett has already decided on a wider leadership group at the club after two years of tremendous roster upheaval, and is expected to formally announce the side’s new leaders in coming weeks.

“I’d love to be captain of Manly,” Cherry-Evans told foxsports.com.au.

“It’s such a proud and prestigious club. If the powers that be believe that I’m the man for the job, it’d be a fantastic honour and something I’d be extremely proud of.

Daly Cherry Evans is now one of the longest serving players at Manly. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: News Corp Australia

“I don’t know if Trent’s going to do co-captains or just a single role.

“But I’m confident we’ve got enough people to who can help do the job. If that one person does get named captain, or even if it is co-captains, we’ve got that leadership group standing by ready to help whatever format we go with.”

At 27, guiding the side from halfback and as the only player from Manly’s last grand final win in 2011 assured of playing on with retirement looming for Brett Stewart and Steve Matai, Cherry-Evans is a natural fit for the captaincy on paper.

But an ugly impasse with previous senior players Anthony Watmough and Brett and Glenn Stewart, and his infamously protracted backflip on a deal with the Gold Coast last year haven’t endeared him to fans or certain factions around the club, though time will continue to heal those wounds.

Trbojevic meanwhile is coming off a maiden Four Nations campaign where he saw Kangaroos skipper Cameron Smith — “the most inspiring captain you can imagine” — operating at close quarters, and has been the club’s best forward for the past two seasons.

Jake Trbojevic on his way to scoring a debut try for Australia at the Four Nations. Source: Getty Images

Barrett has previously likened Trbojevic’s leadership to that of Lyon, but the youngster this week played down his chances of leading the maroon and whites on a fulltime basis.

“I really enjoyed doing it last year but I don’t think I’ll be captain next year,” Trbojevic said.

“Trent hasn’t told us who’s doing but I’m pretty confident I won’t be doing it. I’d say I’ll be ready if it does come my way, I’d love to do it but I don’t think it’ll be me.

“I’m pretty confident Cherry-Evans will do it. He’s done a lot in the game so he’d be a great fit, we’ll just have to see what happens.

“Either way I’m just really keen to get out there again and play some good footy for Manly.”

Trbojevic is expecting to be back to full fitness over the past fortnight after undergoing clean-out surgery on his knee in December.

The operation had been scheduled for earlier in the pre-season, but the bruising lock postponed the surgery after a late call-up to replace Josh Papalii on Australia’s end of season tour, where he made his Test debut against Scotland.

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