John's successor after retirement...

[CJKnight]

My only question is where is the kicking game coming from? Sure Mullen and Walsh probably both have very good kicking games in their own PL and JF sides... but they are yet to qualify themselves in this area (as does Dureau)... Kidley has done the kicking when Johns is absent... but all 4 of theses players would not have the precision and skill of Joey...
Example: Mullen kicking out on the full last week against Manly... Kidley kicking out on the full from the kickoff vs. Melbourne this year... when is the last time Joey made a mistake like that???? Joey also has a long passsing game and he is a great goalkicker...
Do you guys think Tighe will be our future goalkicker????
If we are going to ply Mullen as Joey's Successor... then wre had better start getting him in on the action where kicking is concerned...
ie: If there is 20 minutes left in the match and Newcastle lead by 14... let mullen take over the entire kicking responsibility for the rest of the match... give him some strong opposition in his face to deal with...

 

[Boxer]

Christopherjon,
You obviously don't watch all three grades play.
If you did you would never have started this thread.
All of your arguments can be destroyed very easily, but I'm not inclined to offer the rebuttal. I feel it's already been given.
All I will say is that Walsh & Mullen will develop into the Knights next halves & not let anyone down.
They may need to beef up a bit, but that will happen now they are a little older

 

[CJKnight]

Boxer, not everyone who is a knights fan lives in newcastle... no I have obnly ever seen a couple of JF and PL games before... my question was not whether Mullen and Walsh HAVE a kicking game... my question was how stupid would it be to shove them in FG without spending time actually kicking in the big time?
they might have a good combination... but they will not get to test it in action until they are playing FG together... and if the pressure becomes too much... oops here comes a wooden spoon and "Knights can't win without Joey" claims

 

[Burwood]

Mullen's lack of a kicking game in first grade isn't reflective of his overall abilities. Hagan in the past has made it publicly clear that when Mullen and Kidley are the halves (i.e anytime that Johns has been out injured) that Kidley is to be the chief playmaker, and hence kicker, out on the field. Hagan strongly believes that Mullen should be nursed through his first grade development and that giving him the kicking responsibilities will just add unneeded pressure to his game (whether we think this is the right or wrong decision is a matter for another thread...).

As for Mullen's lack of kicking game alongside Johns, what player in the World would get more than 2 or 3 kicks in during a game playing next to arguably the best player league has ever produced? Those of us that have seen Mullen play in the lower grades and in various rep teams know that he has the kicking game to succeed in league.

 

[Jobdog]

Mullen doesn't have a kicking game?? What are you on? Sure, he put ONE out on the full on Friday night, but that was due to a little bit of inexperience. He should be our five-eight for a long time yet, with Kidley on the bench as a utility - he would exceed there undoubtedly. Walshy will be something special on the proviso he builds up a bit in the off-season. As has been said here before, Walshy and Mullo both played for NSW u/19's, so they can't be too bad a player........

If we are going to ply Mullen as Joey's Successor... then wre had better start getting him in on the action where kicking is concerned...
ie: If there is 20 minutes left in the match and Newcastle lead by 14... let mullen take over the entire kicking responsibility for the rest of the match... give him some strong opposition in his face to deal with...

What do you think happened on Friday night? I can think of at least three occasions when Mullen had the ball on the last and put the ball into open space, allowing for the chasers to get down in a straight line. That alone tells me that he has a "better" kicking game then your giving him credit for.

 

[Spitty]

No matter who we put into the halves post Johns it gonna take some getting used to, but Mullo's as good a replacement as any. The team would do better with a "PL" half back (which really he isn't) that they know. Then a seasoned first garder that they don't.

I can't believe after Mullo's performance on Friday night, someone would question his credentials.

 

[Ben]

Mullen has a very strong kicking game for his age. Normally the younger players kicks are much shorter and less accurate, and kicking skill develops over time with experience. But Mullen is one of the best kickers i have seen for an 18 year old. He hits them as sweet as Anasta and is very calm and collected with his kicks. He finds space a lot and that out on the full you were talking about was a very good kick. Besides the fact that it went out, he had five metres to work with and was 5 centimetres off a 40/20.

Not only that, but from the first grade games i have seen, he has a very good short kicking game as well. I remember his debut in first grade, and he was under pressure on the last tackle ten metres out, and threaded the ball beautifully between two defenders to claim the drop-out. Sure, we didn't score, but its little things like that, which demonstrate the class of players.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

mullens kick is impressive. His long kicks go deep and finds open space.

 

[antonius]

Didn't you watch Mullens kicking on Friday night? He has a fantatsic long and short kicking game (far far better than Kidley) Johns put one out on the full a few games ago by the way. Walsh also has a good kicking game, as for goal kicking Walsh also excedes at that. Mullen has played a handful of first grade games, and really hasn't put a foot wrong, other than the game where Kidley didn't follow the published game plan, and virtually took over the playmaking role (which to be frank, Kidley doesn't do that well) I am really hoping that the next few weeks will finally show Hagan that we do have a quality 5/8th sitting in the wings while the Kidley experiment continues unabated. I was prior to last week happy for Kidley to run around at 5/8th whilever Johns was on the field, but after Fridays game I think Mullen is entitled the the spot in his own right. That will give Walsh a permanant posi at halfback in premmy league for the rest of this year. Then we take it from there next season, with Walsh teaming back up with Mullen in firsts when Johns isn't around. I think the club has taken too much notice of Hagan in regards to Kidley, and hopefully Smith will sus out the better options in the halves that we have at this club.

 

[Newie is God's Country]

What about Kidley as a lock? Just a thought.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

Didn't you watch Mullens kicking on Friday night? He has a fantatsic long and short kicking game (far far better than Kidley) Johns put one out on the full a few games ago by the way. Walsh also has a good kicking game, as for goal kicking Walsh also excedes at that. Mullen has played a handful of first grade games, and really hasn't put a foot wrong, other than the game where Kidley didn't follow the published game plan, and virtually took over the playmaking role (which to be frank, Kidley doesn't do that well) I am really hoping that the next few weeks will finally show Hagan that we do have a quality 5/8th sitting in the wings while the Kidley experiment continues unabated. I was prior to last week happy for Kidley to run around at 5/8th whilever Johns was on the field, but after Fridays game I think Mullen is entitled the the spot in his own right. That will give Walsh a permanant posi at halfback in premmy league for the rest of this year. Then we take it from there next season, with Walsh teaming back up with Mullen in firsts when Johns isn't around. I think the club has taken too much notice of Hagan in regards to Kidley, and hopefully Smith will sus out the better options in the halves that we have at this club.

I agree 100%!

 

[CJKnight]

Kidley at Lock???? would be a risk... but he does have some size about him... he would also be a great option in attack...
and yes mullen does have a great kicking game... just as hinton has a great high-ball confidence game... but it will take alot more time for them to prove themselves at this level... WHEN JOEY IS NOT THERE... does anyone remeber the curse "knight can't win without Joey"
And while on the subject of Joey replacements... why not that new bloke Keepu at Half and Mullen at 5/8???? Kidley at best is Lock or bench... I don't think he can hide in the centers...

 

[Ben]

Actually i think that Kidley can play extremely well at lock-forward. Locks need to be very good defenders and he certainly fits that role. But he may just be a tad too small. If he can bulk a bit in the off-season he can play the role that Greg Bird fills at the Sharks.

Rather than be a Ben Kennedy block-busting type forward, he can use his footwork to weave through gaps and his ball skills to give quality offloads to his outside men.

 

[cram]

Maybe CJ is Brian Smith, preparing supporters for changes...........lol

 

[CJKnight]

Sorry to dissappiont you guys... but a very good thought... exactly how is Brian Smith going to adjust this side compared to Hagan???? I have listed certain aspects he gravitates towards in another post... but I think his greatest achievement will be how he nurtures Mullen into a great player...

 

[Yosh]

Kidley at best is Lock or bench... I don't think he can hide in the centers...

hide him? why the hell would you hide the bloke? he isnt a 5/8th but i think he can become an excellent centre or even lock. sure he aint huge, but look at grimaldi he plays lock just fine. great defender, but kidley can attack as well. as mentioned kidley wouldnt be a tackle busting runner but look at regan tanner. he played alright on friday but he is usually PL material. regan aint that big. and to my memory billy pedan wasnt that big was he?

however i would have kidley in the centres. and there is no doubt mullen will go on to become newc, nsw and test 5/8th. he is total genius that bloke.

 

[Newie is God's Country]

Mullen for mine reminds me of Daren Lockyer in every aspect of his game except he is a better defender than Locky. If he is half the attacking player Lockyer is, we are destined for a long stay at the top. I agree he is a brilliant prospect, and his kicking game is frightening for his age. He is our next superstar no question.

 

[Big Tim]

OK... I agree Mullen, walsh, Dureau and Kidley are good players... but going strait from the world's best halfback in history strait to PL halves who might have 20 games between them all???? I don't know...
knights9 where exactly would you play Dureau and Walsh If Mullen goes to 5/8????

Maybe we just wont have a halfback after Joey retires :lol:

Just kidding. I have watched these 3 guys for a long time and I put my clubs future on their shoulders. I have no doubts they can excel in First Grade.

 

[CJKnight]

I never said they were terrible... even the Roosters signed Anasta as a Fittler replacement... I would sign an experienced halfback for '08 after Joey retires... and play Mullen at 5/8... that way Mullen doesn't have too much pressure on him all at once when Joey dissappears... let the New guy and mullen organize combinations and take it from there... I too think Mullen will play 5/8 represetative for NSW and AUS... but that will be a few years away yet... until then bring him through the ranks... he started as Benchie.. then is now in startinglineup... then play him opposite another halfback for a few years... by then he will be experienced enough to take a leadership role... and possible captiancy after Buderus...

 

[Ben]

Many reasons teams will sign an experienced half and partner him up with a younger half is because quality halves aren't common and they don't have anyone in the junior grades that can fill the void. At the Knights, we have the complete opposite situation. The club current has three quality halves, and from all reports, they seem destined to play first grade.

Sure, playing two young halves in first grade is a big risk to take because the two will need time to gain experience and play with each other to get the attack moving smoothly. But the difference between Walsh and Mullen is that the both of them have been playing together all through the junior grades at the Knights, even at representative level.

In my opinion, to sign another half will only hamper the opportunities and game time of Walsh and Mullen, which is something the two need to become a force in first grade.