The 15-year-itch driving DCE to win a premiership for the Roosters

If Daly Cherry-Evans ends his NRL career the way he began it - with a premiership - the 15-year gap between the feats would be the largest in history.

When he burst onto the scene for Manly in 2011 and won a grand final, the youngster from Redcliffe couldn’t have imagined just how hard that success would be to replicate.

Now, 352 first-grade games later, the only current player born in the 1980s pauses to consider how sweet it would be to finish as a winner.

“I don’t know if anyone has done that, have they? First and last? There’s just been a big gap between winning them.”

Cherry-Evans was 22 when then-Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler handed him his debut. It was a season to remember.

“DCE” was crowned rookie of the year, scored a try in the grand final win over the Warriors, and became the face of the NRL, alongside halves partner Kieran Foran, at the 2012 season launch.

“The best way I can explain it is you just don’t know. It’s as simple as that,” Cherry Evans said.

“You don’t know it at the time. My first four years, I was part of a fantastic Manly side. We were a top-four side regularly, and that was normal - and I didn’t know any better.

“But what the rest of my career has taught me is how special those years were. To be in such a great side with so many good players, it’s given me a really big appreciation for this finals series, knowing how hard it is to come by these opportunities.

“I guess that’s why I’m so focused and determined to make this one count.”

The Roosters have significant obstacles to overcome for Cherry-Evans to get to another decider, beginning with Sunday’s clash against Penrith at CommBank Stadium. Should the former Queensland and Australia half finish a winner, he will surpass Luke Lewis’ gap of 13 years between premierships.

While the Hull FC-bound veteran doesn’t want to spend too much time reflecting until his career is over, he understands how rarely finals opportunities come along.

“If you look back on it all, it is easy to sort of go, ‘Oh, it’s crazy to think this started in 2011,’” Cherry-Evans said.

“But I guess I’ve always had a really clear mentality on making sure I do my best for every season I’ve got the opportunity to play in. I don’t believe I’ve wasted many of my years in the NRL. That’s not to say I’ve got it right all the time, but I think for the majority, I’ve applied myself the best I can.