The Dolphins' inclusion in the NRL premiership from 2023 immediately sparked speculation Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans would be on their radar.
And it's not hard to see why the dots are being joined. DCE hails from the Dolphins' base at Redcliffe in Brisbane, he enjoys a great relationship with the club's new coach Wayne Bennett and he would be the perfect fit to captain the start-up franchise.
Cherry-Evans is contracted until the end of 2023 but that won't stop the Dolphins from pushing for an early release. So would he actually leave the Sea Eagles?
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The smart money says no. The 32-year-old has long said he wants to see out his current deal with a view to extending beyond 2023, and his young family is more than happy with life on the northern beaches. It would take an offer of a lifetime - even better than the one he's on now - to prise him away, but the cashed-up Dolphins will certainly take a crack.
Meanwhile, Manly are growing tired of protracted negotiations to re-sign Dylan Walker as his manager parades him around to other clubs.
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