'I'm not DCE': Fogarty ready to put personal stamp on Sea Eagles
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Manly recruit Jamal Fogarty has declared his desire put his personal stamp on the Sea Eagles No.7 jersey as he prepares to step into the sizeable shoes left by club legend Daly Cherry-Evans in 2026.
The halfback's move to the Roosters ended a 15-year run in the position, with Fogarty's arrival ushering in a new era on the Northern Beaches.
Cherry-Evans' shock decision to leave Manly prompted club bosses to chase Fogarty and they eventually got their man when he agreed to a three-year deal.
Fantastic Fogarty
The former Raider admits he has big shoes to fill but declared he won't feel pressure to replace one of the best halfbacks of the modern era.
"He's probably the greatest half to play for the club and put that jersey on," Fogarty said. "That's something I've got to respect and acknowledge, but also I'm not as talented as Daly and I'm going to be Jamal. I'm not going to try and be him.
"No matter where I've been, I've always thought I'm going to be myself. I'm not going to try and be anyone else because my style of footy, I probably enjoy the most.
"It's about acknowledging the greatness that he had here, but then also now I get to play my style and everyone's going to compare me to him and he's at a new club but I'm just going to be myself."
The Sea Eagles have had the luxury of building their entire game plan around one of the sport's elite playmakers throughout Cherry-Evans' tenure.
A Queensland and Australian representative, the halfback led Manly to a premiership and multiple finals finishes with his elite kicking game and ability to create opportunities for those around him.
Lehi Hopoate dominated on the left wing in Round 25
Fogarty expects the attacking system to change in 2026 but is also cognisant of the talented side he is preparing to step into.
With Tom Trbojevic, Lehi Hopoate, Tolu Koula and Reuben Garrick, the Sea Eagles boast one of the most explosive backline units in the NRL.
Fogarty is determined to use the summer to build a partnership with five-eighth Luke Brooks as they establish a structure that gets the best out of the side's outside backs.
"It's got to be both ways, to be fair," Fogarty said. "I've got to adjust my playing style to the team because there were a couple of games last year that they played in their style, where you were like, 'oh, jeez, they're a good team'.
"Then I've got to still be able to be myself and feel confident to play my style. That's something we need to tinker with throughout the pre-season and nut a couple of things out. But I'd like to think that my style will suit the team.
"I'm a little bit controlled and calculated with how I do things and if I can do my job really well, then it allows the guys out wide to play that free style of footy."
Match: Sea Eagles v Raiders
Round 1 -
home Team
Sea Eagles
away Team
Raiders
Venue: 4 Pines Park, Sydney
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
Fogarty won't have to wait long to face his former teammates, with Manly drawn to host Canberra in the opening round of the new season.
The halfback led the Raiders to the minor premiership in 2025 before a straight-sets exits from the finals series.
The finish was a disappointing end to Fogarty's best year in the NRL, in which he flourished into an elite playmaker.
The 31-year-old has had time to process an eventful season and said he will carry the pain of the finals exit into his first campaign as a Sea Eagle.
From the field: Fogarty
"It's not a good feeling, a good season finished pretty poorly going out in straight sets," Fogarty said. "That's something that keeps you hungry to keep improving.
"They're going to be feeling that down there this year and they're going to come out hungrier than ever and I feel the same. It would have been a good feeling to go deeper on, but that's what I'm trying to replicate here.
"I'm trying to make sure we're in the best position to win as many games as possible and hopefully we have a good opportunity at the end of the year to knock up a couple of finals games.
"Every team's goal is to win the comp, let’s be real there, but there's got to be a lot of hard work that goes from now to then and we've just got to be consistent about it."
