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Jarrod Mullen officially worst seven in the NRL

Allstar Knights

Juniors
Messages
2,175
Mate he won't have to kick much if we had a decent 7 to play inside him. He's at his best when he can run at gaps and feed his outside men. All things he has pretty much zero opportunity to do with the responsibility of guiding the team.

A decent playmaking hooker would do

It's just the short kicking that he's terrible at - He's one of the best in the comp at long kicks and I reckon most of us would agree.

I agree that we need another kicker for the short kicks, Stig isn't bad with short grubbers, neither is Gidley when he's on. Boyd can do them too, so hopefully them 3 can step up when we get in their opposition 20.

Yeah, Mullen in the 6 next year feeding off Houston, Tahu and Aku sounds good, with Boyd sweeping in around that area. Stig to 7, directing us around the park.
 
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Cliffhanger

Coach
Messages
15,228
You're laughing at our opinions, but in your post you are agreeing???

I was laughing at you saying he's the worst one in the comp, and lucky to be playing first grade, and someone else who said something else ridiculous. Please at least Mullen has a long range kicking game. Pearce and Orford are both worse.
 

antonius

Coach
Messages
10,104
It's just the short kicking that he's terrible at - He's one of the best in the comp at long kicks and I reckon most of us would agree.

I agree that we need another kicker for the short kicks, Stig isn't bad with short grubbers, neither is Gidley when he's on. Boyd can do them too, so hopefully them 3 can step up when we get in their opposition 20.

Yeah, Mullen in the 6 next year feeding off Houston, Tahu and Aku sounds good for next year with Boyd sweeping in around that area. Stig to 7,directing us around the park.
We need an organiser, it's not all about kicking, it's about decision making, reading the game and so on.
 

antonius

Coach
Messages
10,104
I was laughing at you saying he's the worst one in the comp, and lucky to be playing first grade, and someone else who said something else ridiculous. Please at least Mullen has a long range kicking game. Pearce and Orford are both worse.
Pearce is better than Mullen and Orford isn't playing first grade
 

Cliffhanger

Coach
Messages
15,228
Pearce has better defence than Mullen and that's it, Mullen at least has a long range kicking game, Pearce just has the most predictable passing game, a very limited kicking game (all he has is the cross field bomb) he also can't direct play, he is essentially a non attacking halfback and without a real quality playmaking five eighth alongside him, he gets exposed.
 

antonius

Coach
Messages
10,104
Pearce has better defence than Mullen and that's it, Mullen at least has a long range kicking game, Pearce just has the most predictable passing game, a very limited kicking game (all he has is the cross field bomb) he also can't direct play, he is essentially a non attacking halfback and without a real quality playmaking five eighth alongside him, he gets exposed.
Pretty much the same as Mullen, A seven needs vision, a kicking game, the ability to organise and call plays, ideally he can tackle a well, Mullen struggles with all of that, if your satisfied with Mullen as you're seven then you're easily pleased.
 

Cliffhanger

Coach
Messages
15,228
Pretty much the same as Mullen, A seven needs vision, a kicking game, the ability to organise and call plays, ideally he can tackle a well, Mullen struggles with all of that, if your satisfied with Mullen as you're seven then you're easily pleased.
I don't think there's anything wrong with Mullen's defence, early in the season he was doing incredibly well but he hasn't had a good game since City/Country. My team's half is Pearce before that it was Finch, I've had enough mediocrity so you can keep Mullen.
 

antonius

Coach
Messages
10,104
I don't think there's anything wrong with Mullen's defence, early in the season he was doing incredibly well but he hasn't had a good game since City/Country. My team's half is Pearce before that it was Finch, I've had enough mediocrity so you can keep Mullen.
enough said!!
 

timka4

Bench
Messages
2,505
No kicking game. no passing game, no idea.
Seriously this bloke is lucky to be playing first grade.
I haven't posted much for some time on here but couldn't hold back my frustration after watching yet another botched performance from this giant myth. We still have big probs in this area next season. I hope Wayne baby has the solution up his sleeve.
Mullen has a great kicking game, a good running game and a pretty good passing game. His inconsistencies however hide that. His confidence must always be low, and he panics when the time comes for him to shine.

He just needs to fix his confidence which is quite clearly made of glass, grow a pair and start taking the bigger games by the scruff. Also needs to stop getting injured so much and actually play a whole season.
 

Cliffhanger

Coach
Messages
15,228
If confidence is his biggest problem, which I think may be the case, then Bennett will be able to help with that.
 

RHCP

Bench
Messages
4,784
Confidence is such a cop out. Cameron Ciraldo played a couple of good games this year - is he also a 'confidence' player?
 

Rudderriffic

Juniors
Messages
359
Mullen has a great kicking game, a good running game and a pretty good passing game. His inconsistencies however hide that. His confidence must always be low, and he panics when the time comes for him to shine.

He just needs to fix his confidence which is quite clearly made of glass, grow a pair and start taking the bigger games by the scruff. Also needs to stop getting injured so much and actually play a whole season.


This to me is the issue.

People claiming he doesn't have the skills to make it in first grade are talking rubbish. The footballing skills are there, he can kick, pass and run as good as (or better) than any half in the comp, it's his ability to go out perform consistently regardless of individual game circumstances that is lacking. Realistically, he may never be able to do this, and he may just be wasted footballing talent. However, at the risk of being a sycophantic WB worshiper, we do have an incoming coach regarded as one of the best man managers.. If Mullen can't fire next year, his future in the NRL will almost certainly be in question.

His biggest issue has always been his lack of variety. He seems to fixate on something that may have had some degree of success in the recent past and repeat ad infinitum even if the situation does not call for it. We have seen it with the cross field chips he was obsessed with, his complete reliance upon aerial kicks inside the opposing twenty(hardly ever see him grubber), the banana kick touch finder, that awful short ball to Houston, and his tendency to force his big left to right cut-out even if it isn't on. In isolation, he can execute most of these plays pretty well, it's just when he decides to pull them out of his bag of tricks that is at fault. If he mixed his plays up, and was able to select the right one for the right occasion he would be deadly.

To me it comes down to play selection and confidence. I personally think he will be an important part of our team next year, and if fit, will have one the best season of his career. Or at least I hope so :D.
 
Messages
3,692
This to me is the issue.

People claiming he doesn't have the skills to make it in first grade are talking rubbish. The footballing skills are there, he can kick, pass and run as good as (or better) than any half in the comp, it's his ability to go out perform consistently regardless of individual game circumstances that is lacking. Realistically, he may never be able to do this, and he may just be wasted footballing talent. However, at the risk of being a sycophantic WB worshiper, we do have an incoming coach regarded as one of the best man managers.. If Mullen can't fire next year, his future in the NRL will almost certainly be in question.

His biggest issue has always been his lack of variety. He seems to fixate on something that may have had some degree of success in the recent past and repeat ad infinitum even if the situation does not call for it. We have seen it with the cross field chips he was obsessed with, his complete reliance upon aerial kicks inside the opposing twenty(hardly ever see him grubber), the banana kick touch finder, that awful short ball to Houston, and his tendency to force his big left to right cut-out even if it isn't on. In isolation, he can execute most of these plays pretty well, it's just when he decides to pull them out of his bag of tricks that is at fault. If he mixed his plays up, and was able to select the right one for the right occasion he would be deadly.

To me it comes down to play selection and confidence. I personally think he will be an important part of our team next year, and if fit, will have one the best season of his career. Or at least I hope so :D.

Agree. Ironically, I can recall Joey Johns talking up Mullen's ability to "read the game". That has totally gone out the window. Hopefully with a half with him that takes some pressure off and better headspace we can see his potential realised.
 

AceAv

Juniors
Messages
993
Yeah face facts. Mullen is pretty woeful. I think you guys have lacked a decent halves combo all season. More than just mullo's performance today that screwed you's.

So much dropped ball. And good rittens to mcdougal, swearing at the ref like a thug and earning Melb a penalty>then try accounted for about 40% of that loss in one moment.

I always find it amazing how players venting there problems to refs actually think they are going to stop and listen and change their decision??? Bad luck knights -but you've made me realise Melbourne are very beatable!

Might see a new side nxt year...
 

knights girl

Juniors
Messages
219
Mullen has played 2 good games all year. He should hve been dropped along time ago but thats up to our supercoach(not anymore though thank god). Hopefully wayne will drop players who dont perform. Also not bad money for jarrod for another sub standard year.
 

Alex28

Coach
Messages
11,831
Who would have you swapped him for? Roberts who didn't train for the week because he was at a funeral in Ballina? Would have you got your hero Scotty back? You are full of criticism but you have NO ANSWERS.

He won't be dropped. He will be worked on and will be in our halves next year. Any thought otherwise is deluded.

He wasn't the reason we lost yesterday. The Storm are a couple of classes above us. We did pretty well staying within 10 points of them.
 

antonius

Coach
Messages
10,104
Who would have you swapped him for? Roberts who didn't train for the week because he was at a funeral in Ballina? Would have you got your hero Scotty back? You are full of criticism but you have NO ANSWERS.

He won't be dropped. He will be worked on and will be in our halves next year. Any thought otherwise is deluded.

He wasn't the reason we lost yesterday. The Storm are a couple of classes above us. We did pretty well staying within 10 points of them.
We have no one to replace him with, and yes I will criticise him because he just doesn't have what's required to be a consistant halfback. If he is it next year then I hope Bennett can do what others haven't been able to in the past. As for not being responsible for the loss! his choices were a big reason for it. Oh and no I wouldn't have Scotty back.
 

Alex28

Coach
Messages
11,831
He played as well as the Storm defence let him. We were a few steps behind them all day mate.
 

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