Manly icon completes historic NRL club shift
|
Manly great Daly Cherry-Evans has completed one of the most high-profile shifts in NRL history, joining the Sydney Roosters.
Cherry-Evans’ departure marks the first time a player with 350-plus games has ever changed clubs.
The arrival of the veteran, who is set to partner Sam Walker in the halves, shapes as a significant boost to the Roosters’ premiership hopes.
“Daly’s experience and understanding of the game will be a strong addition to our group and we’re excited to welcome him to the Roosters,” coach Trent Robinson said in a statement on Friday.
“I’m looking forward to working with him.”
The 36-year-old will formally join the Roosters later this month.
The only remaining active NRL player born in the 1980s, Cherry-Evans shocked the league in March when revealing he would leave the Sea Eagles at season’s end.
The Roosters have long been considered the frontrunners for Cherry-Evans’ signature.
Cherry-Evans leaves an immense void at Manly; statistics indicate no single player at any club has had a bigger and better impact in the past two decades.
No player in NRL history has started more games at halfback for one club, with all 352 of his matches coming there since winning a premiership in his rookie 2011 season.
The former Manly captain’s 29 field goals are a record for the NRL era, as are his seven golden-point winners.
Cherry-Evans, dropped after game one of this year’s State of Origin series, played 26 games for Queensland and 21 Tests for Australia.
AAP
