SATURDAY UPDATE:
Daly Cherry-Evans has ended weeks of speculation about which NRL team he'd move to, by signing up with the Gold Coast Titans.
The former Manly halfback and representative NRL player has accepted a four-year contract.
Cronulla Sharks and Canterbury Bulldogs were also named as clubs interested in securing Cherry-Evans.
5PM UPDATE:
Des Hasler, former coach of Daly Cherry-Evans, is chasing the Manly halfback to join Canterbury Bulldogs in 2016.
The Leader can confirm that the Bulldogs have been working ‘‘under the radar’’ to snatch Cherry-Evans.
Hasler, now the Bulldogs coach, gave Cherry-Evans the chance to debut with the Sea Eagles in 2011; Manly won the premiership.
Under Hasler’s leadership, the Bulldogs were in the 2012 and 2014 grand finals. Hasler signed Brett Morris from St George Illawarra Dragons in the off-season to join twin brother Josh to bolster his attack.
FRIDAY MIDDAY:
Cronulla Sharks are believed to have increased their contract offer to Manly star, Daly Cherry-Evans.
The original, three-year-contract offer is $2.4 million but a ‘‘private sponsor’’ is prepared to top it up to $3 million under a third party agreement to try and sweeten the deal.
Cherry-Evans, 26, had his contract offer withdrawn this week by Manly and Gold Coast Titans, now under NRL ownership, have stepped up their interest in the Queensland State of Origin player.
The Sharks are keen to sign Cherry-Evans as a halfback in 2016 — alongside his former Mackay teammate and Sharks five-eighth, Ben Barba.
