On the eve of his first appearance as a Sea Eagle, Jamal Fogarty says Manly fans can expect a new No.7 playing his way and not attempting to be a carbon-copy of the man who occupied the position for 15 years.
The 32-year-old is set to commence his tenure in the Sea Eagles halves in earnest on Saturday night against Canberra, his former club.
Fogarty, who's set to pair with Luke Brooks at five-eighth, hopes it's a more accommodating Brookvale crowd compared to the "hostile" environment he's run out in front of throughout his career.
Home fans will also see a new face dictating their attack as first-choice halfback for the first time in a decade and a half, with Fogarty replacing club veteran Daly Cherry-Evans in the jersey following his departure to the Roosters.
Fogarty admits there were some nerves in starting life at a new club and in an unfamiliar system after moving from the Raiders to Sydney's Northern Beaches.
The Mununjali man told reporters this week he plans to focus on what Manly are doing, rather than outside noise.
Within the Sea Eagles new halves pairing, Brooks' strength is his running game, while controlling through the middle of the ground is where Fogarty says he can have the most impact.
"So if I can do my job and steer the team around and create a little bit of time and space, hopefully we can see Brooksy do his thing...but in saying that he's a very good organiser and can kick well. So that kind of helps me out a little bit, and then hopefully it can bring my running game into it as well," he said.
The pair's first outing alongside one another didn't go to plan, with South Sydney disposing of the Sea Eagles 30-6 in a pre-season win in Mudgee.
Manly confirmed Fogarty's signature on a three-year deal last April.
He went on to help lead the Raiders to the minor premiership last season, before they bowed out of finals in straight sets.
In comparison, Manly finished 10th with an even 12-12 record in 2025.
Since 2022, Fogarty made 77 appearances in green after joining the Raiders from the Titans, where spent five years.
Saturday's season-opener against Canberra admittedly comes with some discomfort, Fogarty said, but allows attention on the matchup to get out of the way early in the season.
Now driving a new era at Manly, he said expectations of no changes considering the side's new personnel are unrealistic.
"I think everyone's got to understand Daley is Daley, and what he's done for the club for so long - the success that he had here in over 300 games, a premiership, Origin and Test...I'm going to be myself," Fogarty said.
"I'm going to bring my own style. I'm not going to try and do what he did here, because that's just unrealistic.
"I like to steer the team around it and kick well. So if I can just be myself, play my style of footy and fit into the team well, hopefully we can have a good year."
