Its time to shine for Mullen

I'm pretty sure the same article was written last year as well, they just changed the stats. Now there's competition in the halves Mullen may have to watch his spot.
I know this is highly unlikely but can you imagine how good a kick in the arse it would be to get dropped for a game or 2 rather than always been touted as the knights guaranteed half no matter how you play.
 
red and blue from ACT said:
I know this is highly unlikely but can you imagine how good a kick in the arse it would be to get dropped for a game or 2 rather than always been touted as the knights guaranteed half no matter how you play.
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Totally agree.

This article usually appears yearly, but it's appeared three times in this off-season!!! :lol:
 
This is seriously getting ridiculous. The exact same article comes out every year, it's not even funny anymore!
 
At least they have lost the, "growing out of Andrew Johns' shadow" line.

Although Johnsy still got a mention.
 
im all for dropping him if hes inconsistant this year.. we cant keep startign him because he has potential if hes not going to live up to it... especially now that we have seen the form and ability of the young guys in the trials roberts, henry, stig, api etc
 
So sick of hearing all the Mullen hype and never actually seeing him back it up on the feild. I love the guy but if he has another one of these years...
 
brentus777 said:
im all for dropping him if hes inconsistant this year.. we cant keep startign him because he has potential if hes not going to live up to it... especially now that we have seen the form and ability of the young guys in the trials roberts, henry, stig, api etc
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Totally agree, he needs to be shown that he has no immunity in first grade if he has another average season. However, I believe Mullen could be a great player if he stuck to 5/8th and just ran with the ball more. Leave the directing of play to Henry or Gidley.
 
Jarrod Mullen to lead the way for Newcastle

JARROD Mullen is making all the right noises.

About being confident and ready to be the dominant player his potential suggested he would be.

About taking on more responsibility and leadership.

About just being a more mature player.

The cynics will argue they have heard it all before.

He's talked the same sort of talk in the past. Just hasn't quite mastered the walk.

Why should this season be any different, they ask?

Newcastle coach Rick Stone admits in the five years he has been on the coaching staff at the Newcastle Knights, Jarrod Mullen's form has been "spasmodic".

Good days and bad days. And plenty of in-between days. Consistency a problem.

That's not a coach being critical. It's reality and no one recognises it more than Mullen. But Stone noticed the change in Mullen before anyone else.

"It's been over the last 12 to 18 months," Stone said.

"He just started opening up more and was accepting advice and criticism better. He's always been too harsh on himself as well but he's become more accepting.

"And it's fair to say he's matured away from the game as well and really got his life in order off the field.

"It's all added up."

Mullen finished last season in as good a form as any player in the competition.

It didn't surprise the coach.

Neither did their private conversation during the off-season when Mullen asked to wear the No. 7 jumper for the Knights this season.

"He wants to play halfback and be that dominant person on the field. Get his hands on the football as much as possible," Stone said. "But it's more than that. He's been involved on the coaching side of things with game plans and studying oppositions and providing feedback."

Mullen's played 100 NRL games in six seasons but people forget he is still only 23.

Don't understand either the sort of pressure he has been under since he debuted as an 18-year-old in the shadow of Andrew Johns.

"A bit like coming out to bat after Bradman," Stone said this week.

But Mullen wants the challenge of testing himself under pressure because he knows he is now better equipped to handle it.

"I want to be the one calling the shots," he said.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/n...ay-for-newcastle/story-e6frfgbo-1226019385496
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Well he just 23 i guess. Very young still, he'll get there, he has 100 games under his belt now so surely his time would be soon.
 
i agree josh, sometimes i forget hes only 23, still very young for a leader of a team, hopefully he consistantly shows his best this year!
 
Josh Hill said:
Well he just 23 i guess. Very young still, he'll get there, he has 100 games under his belt now so surely his time would be soon.
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Some players should be heading into their peak about now, all the halves that is. Halves and wingers usually blossom pretty early. Some fullbacks also show talent from a very young age, but the positions that require bigger bodies of course, require more development. There are always exceptions, but a player of Jarrod's calibre, who has size and some speed and has had all the skills since forever should hit his peak now, and even then it's a bit overdue. Noting he has had the setback of all the pressure of one town on his shoulders and filling in the biggest boots one could ever look to fill; let's hope a new halves patner can help him.
 
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