Fulton's Manly converts talk down Brookvale exodus

Manly prop Taniela Paseka insists he and other players brought to the NRL club by Scott Fulton are not about to follow the recruitment manager to Wests Tigers.

Fulton became the latest powerful member of his famous family to exit the club on the weekend, and is set for an immediate switch to the Tigers in a similar role.

Fulton and his sister Kristie had been instrumental in setting up Manly's pathways system in western Sydney.

The program has included bringing the likes of Josh Schuster, Haumole Olakau'atu and the Fainu family to the Sea Eagles under the guidance of Manly patriarch Bob Fulton.

Paseka did not come directly from the Blacktown Workers system, but was brought to Manly from the Tigers by Fulton.

"He is really close (with all the boys)," Paseka said. 

"Every captain's run he comes and has a chat with a lot of the boys. He is always there.

"He has a great relationship with a lot of the boys he has brought over. He is one of those guys that is in your corner and will back you."

Adding to the intrigue, former Manly under-20s coach Wayne Lambkin is now an assistant at the Tigers.

Lambkin has enjoyed a long stint at Westfield Sports High School, which Paseka, Schuster, Olakau'atu and the Fainus all attended.

But regardless, Paseka said he was not concerned about the risk of any Manly players leaving Brookvale to follow Fulton.

"I'm not worried at all," Paseka said. 

"He is obviously great at what he does. But I think a lot of the boys love being at Manly and that's a big thing.

"No one wants to leave. They all want to stay. Being a Manly junior, it means a lot more. Hopefully they stay."

Schuster is off contract at Manly at the end of next year and free to negotiate with rivals from November 1, as is Paseka.

Olakau'atu is contracted until 2025 and Saab until 2026. while rising half Latu Fainu is locked in until the end of 2025 and his brother Samuela through to 2024.

Fellow prop, Josh Aloiai, who like Paseka was signed by Fulton from the Tigers, also downplayed the concerns.

"My son is not going anywhere," Aloiai said of Schuster.

"I'm not worried about that kind of thing. Scott did a lot for me, I wish him all the best."

The situation comes as Kristie Fulton hit out at Schuster on social media on Monday, claiming he needed to "control his diet" after being left out of the NRL team for reconditioning.