Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf has poured cold water on speculation linking Daly Cherry-Evans to the club, insisting that no discussions have taken place about a potential move for the veteran halfback.
Cherry-Evans shocked the NRL world earlier this week by announcing he would leave the Manly Sea Eagles at the end of the 2025 season after rejecting a late two-year extension.
With his future now up in the air, speculation has mounted over where the Queensland skipper could land, with the Dolphins emerging as an obvious option, given his Redcliffe roots.
'No conversation whatsoever'
Despite the romanticism of a return home, Woolf made it clear that the Dolphins have not made any approach and were blindsided by the news of Cherry-Evans’ exit.
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“There has been no conversation whatsoever,” Woolf told SENQ Breakfast. “This caught us by surprise 24-48 hours ago. It’s not something that we have pursued.
“Everyone is sitting back and wondering what is going on because it is a different situation. He’s a very good player and if there was a genuine interest from Cherry-Evans, then we would have a conversation. However, like I said, that has not happened at this stage.”
The Dolphins already have 21-year-old Isaiya Katoa locked in as their long-term halfback, with the youngster contracted until the end of 2028. Woolf reiterated that Katoa remains the club’s first-choice No.7, and they are in no rush to shake things up.
“We are happy to sit back at the moment because we are very comfortable with our situation in the halves,” he said. “Isaiya Katoa is our seven going forward and that’s not going to change. We are very happy with how he is progressing. He is an elite player who is only going to get better.
“There won’t be any approaches (towards) Cherry-Evans. If there is genuine interest from him in returning to Redcliffe, then we would be silly not to at least have a conversation.”
While the Dolphins have distanced themselves from the Manly captain, other clubs have not ruled out a move. The Canterbury Bulldogs and Sydney Roosters have been tipped as frontrunners for Cherry-Evans' signature.