The Manly Sea Eagles have successfully signed Clayton Faulalo, alleviating concerns about the 26-year-old potentially entering the free agency market this November.
Faulalo has quickly established himself as one of the team's standout outside backs, especially excelling in the absence of Tom Trbojevic during the season's early games.
This signing marks Kieran Foran's inaugural retention effort since his appointment as head coach in early June, with Faulalo joining the club until the conclusion of the 2029 season.
His impressive performances have led to discussions about whether he might replace the 2021 Dally M Medallist as the preferred fullback for the upcoming seasons.
Considering both Lehi Hopoate and Tolutau Koula have prior experience in the fullback position, Foran's decision to utilize Faulalo has proven to be a clever tactic to showcase his talent.
In his last eight games donning the maroon and white, Faulalo has made quite an impact, scoring six tries, providing six try assists, and achieving seven line breaks.
His remarkable performances in the NSW Cup, where he netted 53 tries across 60 games, ultimately earned him a spot in Manly's Top 30 by 2025, in addition to 12 tries in 20 NRL matches.
"I'm loving my footy here at Manly, it's a strong Club with a great group of players," Faulalo expressed in a Sea Eagles statement.
"I'm really excited about what this team can achieve this season and in future years and I'm happy to be a part of it."