First look at Daly Cherry-Evans in Sydney Roosters colours

Daly Cherry-Evans looks right at home in the Eastern Suburbs – riding a rental bike, decked out in Roosters colours and reporting for training with his new club, a week ahead of schedule.

The 36-year-old was spotted by this masthead outside the Sydney Cricket Ground early on Friday after completing a fitness session with his new teammates.

The former Queensland captain and Manly legend was not required to start training with the Roosters until next Friday after his signing on a one-year deal was announced earlier this month.

However, after returning from a family holiday, he was eager to start forging friendships with some of the Roosters’ young players.

Sources with knowledge of the situation not authorised to speak publicly confirmed Cherry-Evans arrived at Roosters HQ at the start of the week, but was unsure how to enter the club’s offices at the back of Allianz Stadium.

Hugo Savala, the young playmaker who will lose his starting spot in the halves to Cherry-Evans – and has given his management the go-ahead to test the open market – came to his aid, with the pair catching the lift together.

Cherry-Evans spent 15 seasons at Manly, played a club record 352 NRL games, and won a premiership in 2011, his first year in the NRL.

At 36, Cherry-Evans is hungry for more success, and the fact he cut short his break to start training was not lost on some of the club’s greats.

Brad Fittler, the Roosters’ 2002 premiership-winning captain and who coached against Cherry-Evans at State of Origin level, said the veteran half might want to invest in an electric scooter or bike, like several of his new teammates.

“Hiring a Lime bike on a regular basis can become a costly exercise, even for well-paid footballers,” Fittler said.

“I know a lot of people would have loved seeing Daly finish his career at the Sea Eagles, and be that one-club player, but it will be incredibly motivating and refreshing moving to a new club. He’ll want to impress new people.

“It’s hard to criticise him for not having footy smarts. And it shows you good leadership when you understand the smarts mean you have to get in and work hard.

“He’ll complement Sam Walker well, and he’ll take that pressure off him. They’ve recruited a great halfback and a great hooker [Reece Robson].

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“When you look at the team that just won the grand final [the Broncos], they had two halfbacks aged 35. What that tells you is experience is crucial these days. Daly certainly has that.”

The NRL released its draw this week, with Cherry-Evans to return to Manly in round four on a Thursday night. He was given a rockstar reception in his 350th game, then again 13 days in his final game in club colours, and is sure to receive plenty of cheers when he runs out in the red, white and blue.

The addition of Cherry-Evans, along with the experience of James Tedesco – the runaway Dally M winner – and the rise of players like Mark Nawaqanitawase, centre Rob Toia and front-rower Naufahu Whyte has plenty of good judges tipping the Roosters to push hard for the title next year.

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