News 6/5: Premature push is pure 'madness'

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Premature push is pure 'madness'

by Barry Toohey
May 06, 2007

KNIGHTS coach Brian Smith has described the push for Jarrod Mullen to play Origin this season as madness.

"I can't believe the selectors would even be thinking about it, to be honest - its madness,'' he said of the halfback.

"I'm one of Jarrod's biggest fans and, hopefully, I'll be able to play a role in helping him become the player he is going to be.

"But I would hate to see him pushed into that situation before he is ready. He's had half a dozen games in first grade in the position, and last week was his first individual good game.

"If they think he is ready, they haven't been watching us play too closely.''

Mullen pulled up from Friday's training session with the Knights with a calf strain and was 50-50 to start today against the Bulldogs. He'll have to pass a fitness test this morning.

From: http://www.news.com.au/sundaytelegraph/story/0,,21678235-5001023,00.html
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Smith is off mark yet again

by Phil Rothfield
May 06, 2007

SO Brian Smith says Jarrod Mullen isn't ready to play State of Origin football.

Is this the same bloke who thought Jarryd Hayne wasn't ready to play first grade at Parramatta last year.

Give us a break, Brian. Last year Queensland picked two 19-year-olds to make their debuts at the same time - Greg Inglis and Karmichael Hunt - and they won the series.

NSW have a stack of success stories from youngsters making their Origin debuts. Brad Fittler was 18, Laurie Daley, Brad Clyde and Trent Barrett were 19.

At 20, Andrew Johns, Mark O'Meley, Geoff Toovey and Brad Mackay made their debuts.

Now what's that old saying? He who dares, wins. Maybe that's why Brian has never won a comp.

Surely he has been around long enough to know it's not a matter of whether you're old enough, it's whether you're good enough.

Jarrod Mullen is.

From: http://www.news.com.au/sundaytelegraph/story/0,,21678364-5001023,00.html
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u gotta admit Phil Rothfield has a point. Some of the best players to play the game played SOO very young. I saying that Smith also has a point in saying Mullen hasn't played that many games at halfback. I do believe however he is the best halfback option that NSW have.
Orford - choker/ not many games
Gower - playing like crap
Kimmorley - average/ got slaughtered by Mullen
Mongahan - best of these 3 but I bet they don't even look at him because he was only at halfback because orford was out.
 
Johns says playing for NSW in 1995 he was too young, and that it messed up his football for a while. But I guess you never know how players will react, Mullen has handled everything so far (although he has hardly been in outstanding form this year, I think, although loads seem to disagree with me).
 
yeah thats true about Johns but the other players like Fittler didn't have any issues. I think Jarrod is more mature then Joey at the same. Like i'm not having a shot a Joey, but he was a ratbag (in a good way) and the game was different back then, like not so strict on drinking etc.
I think Mullens form has been fine. Not spectacular, but he has been in better form then anyone else mentioned. The thing I don't want him 2 play this year because he has only just taken over from Joey, and that is a fair bit of pressure in itself. Also if we get flogged it will hurt his confidence and then hurt Newcastle. That is prob a little selfish. On the other hand he does have a good combination with Bedsey.
I dunno I can c good points for both sides
 
I think no, give him some time. He is capable to play in my opinion, but if they want the best out of him in the future I think he shouldn't play origin this year.

Surely they have to find a spot for Gidley though. People still want him to play in the halves (for Origin). I don't think that would be right, but he needs a spot somewhere.. most likely bench.
 
He showed glimpses of what he can do in todays game, with that last try he set up. I still don't think he's the right option to pick in the halves.
 
Yeah, that's one of the best moves I've seen Gidley pull at halfback for a while ... beautiful pass!
 
Well this could be bad news ...

Mullen talks down NSW Origin chances

Sunday, May 6, 2007

Newcastle's Jarrod Mullen and his coach Brian Smith both talked down the 20-year-old's NSW Origin prospects mainly because a leg injury could rule him out for at least a month.

Mullen missed the Knights' 30-16 NRL loss to the Bulldogs at Telstra Stadium due to tendonitis in his right calf which he has carried for the past month.

But Mullen isn't so sure the injury is simply tendonitis and will have scans to hopefully rule out a stress fracture which would sideline him for at least a month.

"It might be a stress fracture there so I've got to get scans on it tomorrow," Mullen told AAP.

"If there's a fracture they reckon about four weeks but if nothing is there I should be back next week.

"It is disappointing but hopefully the scans will be clear and I should be sweet." In just his third season of NRL Mullen is being touted as a possible halfback option for NSW in this year's Origin series ahead of Penrith incumbent Craig Gower, Cronulla's Brett Kimmorley and Manly's Matt Orford.

Mullen, who has already assumed the unwanted title of 'next Joey' following Andrew Johns' retirement four weeks ago, said his only concern is his injury and club football - not earning a Blues jersey.

"It's definitely a goal for me (Origin), but it's also a goal for me to play consistently for the Knights and continue improving every aspect of my game so I'm more worried about that first than Origin," he said.

Smith hit back at claims in a Sunday newspaper that he didn't think Mullen was up to Origin standard.

Smith said Mullen has the talent to play for NSW, but added his inexperience at No.7 and his current injury and inability to train fully would make it the worst possible environment for him to make his representative debut.

"I just feel it won't be fair on the young fella himself at the moment, given that he can't train properly, to be considered to be in what is the most pressured position in sport in rugby league at least playing halfback for a State of Origin team," said Smith.

"It is not the way to blood a young guy when he can't train properly.

"What he needs to do to make (the injury) settle is not train, not run and I would not have thought that is a brilliant recipe for a young guy to make his debut as a State of Origin player at this point in time.

"If some of the selectors see it differently and want to pick him I will be the first one to congratulate him and cross my fingers that he can get the job done."

From: http://www.nrl.com/News/Latest/NewsArticle/tabid/76/NewsId/4949/Default.aspx
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