Ex-senior NRL staffer Kristie Fulton blasts Manly’s Josh Schuster in sensational online outburst
Former senior staffer at Manly blasts Josh Schuster in sensational outburst as new details emerge about out-of-shape star’s training punch-up: ‘Grow up and control your diet’
- Schuster is sidelined with a quad injury
- Has been told to work on his fitness
- Has now been targeted by former mentor
Sacked Manly staffer Kristie Fulton has fired a public shot at injured Sea Eagles star Josh Schuster, calling for the young half to ‘grow up’ and get his conditioning under control.
Schuster has been viewed as the future of the club after replacing stalwart Kieran Foran in the halves this season, but has only played three NRL matches and has been stood down to recover from a quad injury and work on his fitness.
Just days after he was dropped, Schuster was involved in a training blow-up that led to him trading punches with a teammate.
The Daily Telegraph reported that Schuster was involved in an altercation with Blacktown Workers player Dean Matterson, the brother of Eels star Ryan Matterson.
On the Big Sports Breakfast, Daily Telegraph reporter Phil Rothfield explained that the incident was a result of a bit of fun gone wrong.
According to Rothfield, the tradition at Manly is to give a little slap behind the head for a bad haircut, but Schuster’s slap was too hard and led to a physical altercation with Matterson, which Josh Aloiai had to break up
The scuffle was witnessed by coach Anthony Seibold and other players.
‘As far as I’m concerned it was a non-event,’ Siebold told News Corp.
Schuster showed plenty of promise during his development with his management pushing for him to play in the halves for the Sea Eagles
Former Manly manager of elite pathways Kristie Fulton has fired a public shot at Schuster while skipper Daly Cherry-Evans wants the young playmaker to work on his fitness
Fulton was the manager of elite pathways at the Sea Eagles until late last year when she was sacked by the club during the rainbow jersey controversy that crippled the team and contributed to the Sea Eagles missing the finals.
She didn’t hold back on the incidents of the last week, hitting Schuster with a stunning broadside on Instagram.
‘The solution is simple, he needs to grow up,’ Fulton wrote.
‘Move to Manly, cut ties with the negative influences in his life, stop hanging with fans, control the diet and have the mindset and attitude he once did circa 2019.
‘Too many enablers and excuse makers around him. It’s always everyone else’s fault.’
The Fulton family has had a longstanding and significant association with the club.
Bob Fulton, a legendary player and coach, led the Sea Eagles to four premiership victories as a player in the 1970s before later coaching the team to further success in the 1980s and ’90s.
His brothers, Max and Ian, also played for Manly.
Schuster has only managed three NRL games in nine rounds in 2023 after being given first crack at the five-eighth jersey left vacant by Kieran Foran
Fulton outlined a shopping list of reasons why Schuster has struggled to stay on the field, including his diet and attitude
Veteran Manly halfback and skipper Daly Cherry-Evans also last week called for Schuster to knuckle down and improve his fitness.
‘It’s never a fun time when you’re in and out of first grade through injury,’ he said.
‘It’s not going to be easy for him to get back into first grade, because he’s been quite inconsistent and coming in and out.
‘I have been playing long enough to see so many people at this club not maximise their opportunity.
‘That is rugby league mate – if you’re not willing to work hard enough, if you’re not willing to sacrifice, you just don’t last long. He is at a crossroads early in his career but it can be a real positive.’
The Sea Eagles crashed to a 26-10 loss to the Gold Coast Titans at 4 Pines Park on Saturday with Cooper Johns replacing Schuster in the halves.
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