Manager of Roosters rookie Hugo Savala raises questions over Daly Cherry-Evans link

Long-serving player agent Steve Gillis has opened on what impact Daly Cherry-Evans’ anticipated arrival to the Roosters could have on impressive rookie halfback Hugo Savala.

The manager of Hugo Savala has raised the prospect of rookie Roosters halfback being loaned to a rival club if Daly Cherry-Evans signs with the Bondi club.

It has been widely speculated that Cherry-Evans will link with the Roosters on a one or two-year deal from next season.

The Roosters are flush with a quartet of exciting young halves including Sam Walker, Sandon Smith, Savala, and SG Ball playmaking talent Toby Rodwell.

Cherry-Evans’ likely move from Manly to the Roosters is being sold as a recruitment move designed to use the 36-year-old’s experience to help mentor the club’s batch of young playmakers.

Savala is one of them, emerging somewhat surprisingly with the 194cm halfback showing tremendous promise since making his NRL debut in round two this year.

Hugo Savala’s manager has raised the prospect of rookie halfback being loaned to a rival club if Daly Cherry-Evans signs with the Roosters. Picture: Getty Images

Long-serving player agent Steve Gillis appeared on journalist Paul Kent’s podcast on Thursday where the conversation led to what impact Cherry-Evans’ anticipated arrival to the Roosters would have on Savala.

“Hugo’s got another year after this and he’s just taking off,” Gillis said.

“He’s a very passionate Roosters player and wants to be a Rooster for life, which is encouraging as a local junior, not too many of them play for the Chooks.

“But at some stage there’s a very real possibility he’s going to be an extremely frustrated young man.”

Cerry-Evans’ likely move from Manly to the Roosters is being sold as a recruitment move designed help mentor the club’s young playmakers. Picture: NRL

It was Gillis who then posed the open-ended question: “Would you be open as a club to loaning him to someone for 12 months?”

With Savala contracted to the Roosters until the end of 2026, Gillis was asked if he had considered approaching the club about being loaned out to another team.

“Not at this stage, because DCE (Cherry-Evans) hasn’t been rubber-stamped,” Gillis said.

Asked if and when Cherry-Evans does sign with the Roosters, he would meet with the club about a possible loan, Gillis replied: “I’d have a conversation with Hugo and the club.

“I’m not saying it’s out of the realms of possibility, but it’s something you might have a discussion about.”

Originally published as Manager of Roosters rookie Hugo Savala raises questions over Daly Cherry-Evans link