Joey backs Mullen to be a hit again

Hunter93

Hunter93

Todd Bates
Joey backs Mullen to be a hit again

ANDREW Johns noticed the change in Jarrod Mullen's game a month ago.

Initially, they were subtle differences.

The long cut-out passes and trick-shot banana kicks, desperation plays as Johns calls them, had disappeared.
So, too, the indecision and panic football that had punctuated his performances and that of the Knights for a large chunk of the season.

The most powerful weapon in his arsenal - his running game - was back and he was looking more relaxed and more measured.

But Johns says the most compelling difference came when Mullen didn't have the football in his hands.

"It was in the way he was defending," Johns says. "That was the most noticeable and significant change for me. He was suddenly playing tougher. Hitting harder. Driving into tackles with his shoulder and putting his body on the line.

"That's what I noticed most with Jarrod. There were great signs just in that part of his game that he'd turned a corner with his form and confidence."

When Mullen delivered his man of the match heroics in the Knights' win against Manly last Monday night, it came as no great surprise to his mentor and former champion Newcastle halfback.

"His form earlier in the year probably reflected the team's, but he's been building towards it for sure. It was great to see. I was happy for him," Johns said.

If there has been a question about Mullen and his ability to emerge from his days as a teenage talent who played State of Origin for NSW as a 20-year-old, it's always been about his mental toughness.

His skill and work ethic have never been questioned. But his reaction to pressure situations and his body language when things haven't gone as planned has been an anchor. He can be intense. Sometimes too intense for his own good.

"I'm my own harshest critic," Mullen said. "I guess I was brought up that way, but in this game, you have to take the bad with the good and move on. I know that. I'm understanding that more and more. It's something I've worked on. A few of the boys and Stoney [coach Rick Stone] have spoken to me about that side of my game.

"Joey's talked about it, too, and I've been working pretty hard with Andrew Dunemann [assistant coach]. But I'm still learning. Learning how to prepare myself properly for games, that type of thing."

Mullen is closing in on 100 NRL games for the Knights, but it's easy to forget he is still only 23.

It's also easy to underestimate the intense pressure on a young bloke who stepped into the void left by the retirement of a league legend. Former Knights coach Michael Hagan says that pressure should never be discounted.

"The expectation still on Jarrod from the town is right up there and he cops his fair share of criticism on the back of that," Hagan says.

"But a lot of the criticism comes because people know what he is capable of and I'm sure Jarrod's probably a bit disappointed in what he delivered during the early part of this season.

"But he looks to have his confidence back. He's engaging the line more and his kicking game against Manly was first class. The signs are good."

Mullen will look to build on his late season run when the Knights take on the Bulldogs at EnergyAustralia Stadium Sunday afternoon. If they chalk up another win, it's a fair bet Mullen will have a lot to do with it.
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http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...o-be-a-hit-again/story-e6frexnr-1225902488993
 
He is the future of our club!,Its good to see him playing his own game and not trying to be another Andrew Johns cause lets face it we ain't ever gonna see another one of him again!,Jarrod is starting to make a mark for his own name in Knights History!,Now we just have to resign him and extend his contract!,So other clubs can't get there dirty grubby little paws on him!
 
We may be getting carried away. It's one game. I'm sure he will find a large patch of form and become our saviour, backend of this year or next. However one game doesn't mean a rise to prominence.
 
half backs / five - eights only look good behind a strong forward pack , and we haven't been up to mark this year.
 
And he was great again today and in post match interview he was pumped playing outside Gids who gave him so many more options..and some did not want Gids moved closer to the play.

McDonnell played great today, good positional play, fine handling and some desperate, first class tackles. The whole team seems to build confidence having Gids closer to the play and talking the players up!
 
Ljackson said:
half backs / five - eights only look good behind a strong forward pack , and we haven't been up to mark this year.
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You are my hero. Both on here and out in the real world hes copped it from all the Knights fans I know. It shows a terrible lack of understanding. The forwards havnt won the ruck all year and its made it very hard for Mullo. He hasnt been at his best, but hes not been attrocious. Proofs in the pudding, big game by t he pack and the hooker last 2 weeks and Mullen has absolutley smoked. The guy can seriously play. On that topic, I heard Gould say once that the only half he has ever seen who can win a game behind a beaten pack is Andrew Johns and I reckon ists pretty true
 
The Gidley/Mullen combo is workin freakin awesome...And McDonnell is going very well at the back...I will be very happy to see it stay like this for the rest of the season.
 
KnightFan93 said:
The Gidley/Mullen combo is workin freakin awesome...And McDonnell is going very well at the back...I will be very happy to see it stay like this for the rest of the season.
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Only thing with McDonnell, he was nowhere near the Barba play, very similar to the Hodkinson try last week.

Hard to get a judge if he is doing anything drastically wrong from the TV camera though. Might just be a soft spot for the Fullback in defence when they spread the ball off a quickish play the ball.
 
Mullen was superb today! He is thriving with an experienced Halfback inside him like Gidley and a foward pack that has been going great guns for the last fortnight. Mcdonnell was very solid at the back to cap it off, he was as safe as a house and getting involved with second phase play.
 
Jonno_Knights said:
Only thing with McDonnell, he was nowhere near the Barba play, very similar to the Hodkinson try last week.

Hard to get a judge if he is doing anything drastically wrong from the TV camera though. Might just be a soft spot for the Fullback in defence when they spread the ball off a quickish play the ball.
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No your dead right. His positional play is average at the back. He is playing well and supports well but he does a few little things wrong. Barba was dead set in the middle of the field, Macca was pathetically out of position. Also I guarantee you other coaches will have noticed how many balls he only just got back to (on the full) or did go over his head (and skipped on dead through a bit of luck, we all know a football can do anything.). That problem is nothing major though I just hope Stone noticed, he was just a bit shallow, back peddling to catch the ball is not easy and stops your momentum coming back, and he wasnt far off being exposed with 1 over his head a few times. I just hope they get in his ear about maybe 5 steps back etc. Alot of it was early in the game when it was still game on and the Dogs were in their own half, so standing deep shouldnt be an issue, if they want to chance themselves chip kicking then good luck to them. ....the positional stuff concerns me a bit though, they should have Kurt working with him hard at training and have him sitting through tapes of Gids and Slater, who do it better then anybody

---------- Post added at 01:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:48 PM ----------
Newyfan_47 said:
Mullen was superb today! He is thriving with an experienced Halfback inside him like Gidley and a foward pack that has been going great guns for the last fortnight. Mcdonnell was very solid at the back to cap it off, he was as safe as a house and getting involved with second phase play.
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I dont mean to nitpick but when did Gidley become an experienced halfback?
 
Gazza said:
No your dead right. His positional play is average at the back. He is playing well and supports well but he does a few little things wrong. Barba was dead set in the middle of the field, Macca was pathetically out of position. Also I guarantee you other coaches will have noticed how many balls he only just got back to (on the full) or did go over his head (and skipped on dead through a bit of luck, we all know a football can do anything.). That problem is nothing major though I just hope Stone noticed, he was just a bit shallow, back peddling to catch the ball is not easy and stops your momentum coming back, and he wasnt far off being exposed with 1 over his head a few times. I just hope they get in his ear about maybe 5 steps back etc. Alot of it was early in the game when it was still game on and the Dogs were in their own half, so standing deep shouldnt be an issue, if they want to chance themselves chip kicking then good luck to them. ....the positional stuff concerns me a bit though, they should have Kurt working with him hard at training and have him sitting through tapes of Gids and Slater, who do it better then anybody

---------- Post added at 01:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:48 PM ----------



I dont mean to nitpick but when did Gidley become an experienced halfback?
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I meant an experienced player :lol:.
 
Gazza said:
No your dead right. His positional play is average at the back. He is playing well and supports well but he does a few little things wrong. Barba was dead set in the middle of the field, Macca was pathetically out of position. Also I guarantee you other coaches will have noticed how many balls he only just got back to (on the full) or did go over his head (and skipped on dead through a bit of luck, we all know a football can do anything.). That problem is nothing major though I just hope Stone noticed, he was just a bit shallow, back peddling to catch the ball is not easy and stops your momentum coming back, and he wasnt far off being exposed with 1 over his head a few times. I just hope they get in his ear about maybe 5 steps back etc. Alot of it was early in the game when it was still game on and the Dogs were in their own half, so standing deep shouldnt be an issue, if they want to chance themselves chip kicking then good luck to them. ....the positional stuff concerns me a bit though, they should have Kurt working with him hard at training and have him sitting through tapes of Gids and Slater, who do it better then anybody

---------- Post added at 01:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:48 PM ----------



I dont mean to nitpick but when did Gidley become an experienced halfback?
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haha I completely agree, however i don't think gidley should show him videos of gidley. What would he say? "Hey look at me, this is how I do it. Do it like this!"

Probably better he shows macca slater's vids and let stone show him gidleys.
 
Gazza said:
No your dead right. His positional play is average at the back. He is playing well and supports well but he does a few little things wrong. Barba was dead set in the middle of the field, Macca was pathetically out of position. Also I guarantee you other coaches will have noticed how many balls he only just got back to (on the full) or did go over his head (and skipped on dead through a bit of luck, we all know a football can do anything.). That problem is nothing major though I just hope Stone noticed, he was just a bit shallow, back peddling to catch the ball is not easy and stops your momentum coming back, and he wasnt far off being exposed with 1 over his head a few times. I just hope they get in his ear about maybe 5 steps back etc. Alot of it was early in the game when it was still game on and the Dogs were in their own half, so standing deep shouldnt be an issue, if they want to chance themselves chip kicking then good luck to them. ....the positional stuff concerns me a bit though, they should have Kurt working with him hard at training and have him sitting through tapes of Gids and Slater, who do it better then anybody
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Funny thing is, he probably has more pace than gidley, but gidley seems to be everywhere making try saving efforts when playing FB, as soon as the team makes a break, or puts in an attacking kick, Gidley is usually straight onto it. His positional play is terrific.
 
Jonno_Knights said:
Funny thing is, he probably has more pace than gidley, but gidley seems to be everywhere making try saving efforts when playing FB, as soon as the team makes a break, or puts in an attacking kick, Gidley is usually straight onto it. His positional play is terrific.
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Because gidley is the fittest man in the NRL!!

(I think his record is he is undefeated in beep tests at newcastle) and he used to be one of the fastest at newy over 40m? maybe the 2nd one was made up i can't remember.
 
I don't think Gidley would be the fastest, Mullen has great acceleration.

and McDonnell wasn't that bad, apart from the Barba try, he defended everywhere, he put his body on the line when Goodwin was clear for the line, and he was in many defends on the right side defence, I think the Barba try just caught him unaware, and yes he should cover anyway, but it was 1 mistake in a brilliant game for him
 
just picking up that it was almost identical to the hodkinson try last week, from McDonnell not being anywhere near the play, to the ****house frontline defence.
 
knights22 said:
2 weeks in a row, Taia has slipped over trying to defend, and left a massive gap that the opposition has scored in
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Yeh the only time he got a hand on was to make that one on one tackle for Sau's no try a 2 on 1 lol. :lol:
 
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