‘You’ve got to look at it’: Roosters admit interest in Cherry-Evans

Roosters coach Trent Robinson says the glamour club will weigh up a bid for Sea Eagles skipper Daly Cherry-Evans, acknowledging the parallels with the Tricolours’ 2018 signing of Cooper Cronk.

Already considered among the favourites to land Cherry-Evans’s signature after the 36-year-old’s seismic declaration that this season will be his last season at Manly, Robinson said the Roosters were obliged to explore a play for one of the best playmakers in the game.

Robinson said Roosters officials had not yet discussed Cherry-Evans’ entry onto the market, and reiterated his long-term plan to build his roster around injured $1 million prodigy Sam Walker. Sandon Smith also signed for next season.

But the well-documented exodus of big-name stars from the club in the past year has left the Roosters with salary cap space to enter the Cherry-Evans sweepstakes, where the Roosters, Dolphins and Bulldogs loom as contenders for his signature should he play on next season.

“We haven’t discussed it is the first thing,” Robinson said. “It’s pretty big news for the game obviously and pretty rare that a player like that comes on the market, especially at this time of the year. We haven’t discussed it as yet but as a business you’ve got to look at it as well.

“I’d say we’ll get at that when we know a bit more info though about [when] decisions get made as well.”

The Roosters have been focused on establishing a pathway for their own junior talent, but also have a long history of spending big on elite talent.

A swoop for Cherry-Evans would draw obvious parallels with Cronk’s recruitment in 2018 alongside current skipper James Tedesco, as the Storm superstar hit the market suddenly after declaring he was moving to Sydney from Melbourne.

Cronk finished his glittering career by guiding the Roosters to back-to-back titles, famously doing so with a fractured scapula against the Storm in 2019.

More to come