However, rival club officials have told Fairfax Media that there is an element of risk in the move as Manly are liable for the full playing component of Cherry-Evans contract, even if he retires due to injury before the deal expires in 2023.
"It's a gamble to sign a player for four or five years, so to do so for any longer is a huge risk, particularly as he will be 35 in his last season of the contract," one club CEO said.
"If Daly was to suffer an injury before then that stopped him from playing, Manly would have to pay him for however long was remaining of the contract."
The requirement for clubs to pay out the full value of the contract of player suffering a career-ending injury was introduced under the current collective bargaining agreement between the NRL and Rugby League Players' Association, which commenced in 2013.
Before then, clubs were able to terminate a player's contract because of "incapacity" (long-term injury) or "health risk" (career-ending injury or medical condition) and, depending on the term of the contract and the extent of the player's participation, the club was liable only for a minimum of a quarter of the player's playing fee in the year his career ended, plus one quarter of his playing fee for two more seasons.
"If a player sustains a career-ending injury while they are training or playing for the club then the contract guarantee applies and that means they are entitled to payment of the playing fee for the balance of the contract, provided they fulfil any non-playing obligations, so if there is a requirement for them to host sponsors or do community work or that sort of thing," an RLPA spokesperson said.
