Daly Cherry-Evans signs NRL contract with Gold Coast Titans starting in 2016
Manly half-back Daly Cherry-Evans has signed a four-year deal with the Gold Coast Titans and will leave the Sea Eagles after the 2015 NRL season.
Cherry-Evans, who also took meetings with Cronulla, told his team-mates about his new deal after the Sea Eagles' 42-12 thumping at the hands of Parramatta.
"He just wanted to make sure his fellow team-mates knew ... that his future is up at the Gold Coast and he signed a deal up there," Manly coach Geoff Toovey told Grandstand.
"He wanted to make sure that the players knew before anyone else so they'd realise he's going to do his best this year and hopefully they'll walk away with a premiership ring."
Toovey said he had no idea a contract had been signed before the game.
"There's been a lot of speculation. He told me before the players (but) then he wanted to address the players," Toovey said.
"They're obviously disappointed and he's a big loss for the team for next year but at least he knows the direction he's going in now.
"So do his fellow players and we can put our best foot forward and play some good footy."
The Sea Eagles now face the prospect of playing out the last 25 rounds of the season knowing the 26-year-old Queensland and Australia representative has one foot out the door.
"It's very tough, especially for the fans," Toovey said.
"It's a strange system to say the least. It does need some looking at."
Titans chief executive Graham Annesley said in a club statement that he was honoured Cherry-Evans had chosen the Gold Coast despite the financial and legal struggles that led to the club being taken over by the NRL.
"I think this signing sends a positive sign to the rugby league world that this club does have a future and it can attract quality players and it can turn itself around," he said.
Annesley said the Mackay junior "will be an enormous asset for the Titans as we build for the future".
The contract speculation is not over yet for Manly, with the Eels the front-runners to sign Cherry-Evans' halves partner Kieran Foran when he comes off contract at season's end.
