'Aussie battler' Jamal Fogarty considers comparisons to Manly great he's replacing 'disrespectful'

Manly halfback Jamal Fogarty believes it's "disrespectful" to compare himself to Daly Cherry-Evans, with the veteran recruit saying he won't try to replicate how the former Manly skipper played.

The Sea Eagles begin a new era in 2026 with Tom Trbojevic as captain and Fogarty coming across from the Raiders to replace Cherry-Evans, who spent 15 years in the Manly No.7 jersey but opted to finish his career with the Roosters.

The 31-year-old signed a three-year deal to leave Canberra, who was eliminated without winning a finals game in 2025, despite sitting at the top of the ladder for a large part of the season.

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Speaking to 2GB's Wide World of Sports, Fogarty said he's not "overwhelmed" by taking over from Cherry-Evans at Brookvale and feels he will slide into the club's backline without much fuss.

"He's probably the greatest halfback to play for Manly, and I find it a little bit disrespectful that people are going compare me to him and what he's done for the club," he said.

"He's won a premiership, he's played Origin, he's captained the club forever, he's played for Australia. I'm just an Aussie battler.

"I'm gonna, do my best. I'm gonna play my style of football. The era that they had with him was wonderful, but I'm not gonna try and replicate anything that he did.

"I'm gonna bring my own playing style and just my own flavour to the club, and I'm gonna enjoy the process as well. I'm not really gonna be looking at it like to be daunted by it or overwhelmed."

Fogarty was arguably the form halfback of the competition last year, recording a career high 31 assists in leading the Raiders to the minor premiership.

He will combine with new captain Trbojevic in the backline, with the playmaker hoping the fullback can stay fit the entire year.

"He's a world-class player, he's had a bit of ups and downs the last couple of years with his injuries and his body, but hopefully, touch wood, we can have a little bit of luck with health throughout the whole squad this year, and we can form a good combination, not just with Tommy," Fogarty said.

"There's a lot of strike amongst the team, we just need to build that connection and combination in the pre-season."

As for his exit from the Raiders, Fogarty said the end of the season was not an easy ride, especially armed with the knowledge that he was on the way out.

Ricky Stuart's men were the best team during the regular season but created unwanted history, becoming the first minor premiers since 2009 to have their season ended in the second week of the finals.

"You kind of don't wanna leave the house for a little bit because you're so disappointed and probably angry at yourself the way it did finish up," Fogarty said.

"But, at the end of the day, that's football. Life goes on, it doesn't slow down for no one."