Phil Gould has questioned the logic behind the Sydney Roosters' reported pursuit of Daly Cherry-Evans, warning that signing the veteran Manly halfback would only hinder the development of the club's next generation playmakers, particularly Sam Walker and Sandon Smith.
Speaking on his weekly podcast Six Tackles with Gus, the experienced football boss expressed disbelief at the Roosters' interest in Cherry-Evans, despite acknowledging the 35-year-old's ongoing class and elite form.
For Gould, the problem isn't Cherry-Evans' ability, it's what his arrival would mean for those waiting in line.
โI know there's been a lot of rumours and a lot of interest in Daly Cherry-Evans from the Roosters. I can't understand that,โ Gould said.
โThey've got Sam Walker to come back, and they've got this young fella, Sandon Smith, who I've really rated for a long timeโฆ His performance on Anzac Day was extraordinary.โ
Smith's recent form has only strengthened Gould's belief that he and Walker should be the club's long-term halves pairing.
The suggestion of adding Cherry-Evans into that mix, he argues, creates more confusion than clarity, especially when it comes to who controls the game.
โIf they intended on playing Daly Cherry-Evans and Sam Walker in the same team, one of them is going to have to change their role,โ he said.
โIt's not going be Daly Cherry-Evans, he's not going to the Roosters to do that at the back end of his career.โ
Which means, in Gould's view, that Walker would be the one compromised, pushed to five-eighth and denied the chance to fully develop as a game-controlling halfback.
โIt inhibits Sam Walker's development while he hands the reins over to Daly Cherry-Evans,โ Gould said.
โThey might be able to say, Daly can teach him the ropes, but I don't get it. I honestly don't get it.โ
Beyond Walker and Smith, the Roosters also have Chad Townsend in the squad, with Hugo Savala improving weekly and other playmakers like Toby Rodwell waiting in the lower grades.
Gould believes the club is well-stocked in the halves and doesn't need another marquee signing.
โThey're a club that always like bright, shiny things,โ he said.
โThey love their shiny toys, and they love having the best around. And I guess when Daly Cherry-Evans comes on the market, it's more about no one else having him.โ
โBut I don't see why they need him. I really don't.โ
Gould speculated that the Roosters' interest could be more about keeping Cherry-Evans away from rivals than fulfilling an actual need. But even if that's the case, he warned it would come at a cost.
โPerhaps they think their best chance of winning games for their fans and their sponsors is to bring in Daly Cherry-Evans, who's a proven game winner,โ he said.
โBut, you know, it's going to be a hard call on the other boys.โ
