R18 // Sharks 18-31 Knights @ Remondis // Sun 3pm

[Dave_]

You and me both mate. I just read a post from someone saying that he has played 186 games. I can't think of a player who has played that many games and been inconsistent over the entire time. He just can't seem to get all the elements in his game firing at once. He'll go really well for a while with his kicking game, but his running and creativity fall away. Or he'll start running the ball more and being a threat, but his kicking game will be be off. At least his defense is always top shelf I suppose.

Another thing to remember is that Mullo is 27 now and should be at the absolute peak of his powers, instead we're getting the type of inconsistencies in his game that should be expected of someone like Luke Brooks. His speed and general running game is only going to decline from here so if he's going to live up to his potential, now is the time.

Don't get me wrong, I love Mullo when he gets all the great aspects of his game working together at once but sadly, that's not very often. Realistically, if he was a consistent player, he'd be close to the best player in the NRL. There's not many halves in the comp atm that have the natural ability of Mullo. This is why most fans (outside of us Newcastle fans) don't really rate the guy.

I'm just not as sold on him as most others are or as much as I thought I was. It's do or die for Mullo as far as his career is concerned imo.

 

[1qaz]

Yeah, he should be at least top 5 halves of the game at this stage of his career.
He reminds me of Trent Barrett.. has all the skills but just doesn't have that extra gear in him.
That game against Manly sums him as a player so far. When the game was to be won, he needed to be the one to kick the field goal instead of passing it off.
Instead DCE steps up and kicks it.

 

[Noname36]

I think everyone is being far too harsh on Mullo to be honest. People seem to be forgetting that before he did his hamstring he was that great consistent player we needed him to be. I can probably count on one hand the amount of poor games he had during 2012 and 2013 combined.

Don't underestimate what affect a hamstring injury can have on a bloke's confidence (especially when he probably came back from it too early). Look at Carney this year.

 

[Swarzey]

The only thing separating Mullen and the Dally M Five-Eight of the year was Carney and JT stringing together man of the match performances post-Origin. I don't think there were many games they didn't nab 3 points in the final weeks of the season. Furthermore I think if he wasn't overshadowed by some other brilliant performances, we could have won the Dally M.

His hamstring injury has done plenty of damage to his confidence. I don't recall a single player who tore their hamstring and returned to their absolute best during that season. It's something that won't heal 100% until the off season and he's lucky to even have the ability to recover so quickly. I have zero doubt he would again be up there as one of the top halves in the game and would have represented NSW this year had the injury not taken place. Hell, I think we would have celebrated a 9's victory and we would be a few places further up the ladder.

tl;dr, Mullo's hamstring injury has hampered his consistency throughout this season. It's not an injury you can simply suck up and play on with without any concern of it becoming re-injured.

 

[Dave_]

Don't get me wrong, I like Mullo alot but his hammy doesn't affect his decision making and kicking game. Yeah he was great last year before the injury but prior to that, to say he was inconsistent is being nice to him I'd say.

I'm just disappointed he hasn't really kicked on to be the player he could be given his incredible talent he has. I realise this is not popular opinion around here but it's just my opinion. He is still crucial to our team though I wish him as well as anyone.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Pretty sure having a dodgy hammy does affect ones kicking game.

Mullens career was hampered from the beginning, being the sole play maker behind terrible forward packs. He has never really had the opportunity to kick on. Had he have been at the dogs or roosters he would be a superstar.

 

[Dave_]

I agree he hasn't had it easy but great players shine through the sh*t. His kick selection has been strange since well before the hammy injury, constant chip/bomb type kicks that are far too shallow. He loves those strange, ineffective plod kicks. I still don't get why he does that. The other thing I don't like is how he repeatedly fails to find decent meters when kicking for touch when we get penalties.

Don't get me started on his brain explosions when the game is on the line and we need a FG. I'm not hating on Mullo, just being realistic.

 

[Burwood]

It wasn't the execution of Mullen's kicks that let him down, it was the fact that from 30m out on a windy day he was putting in dinky little chip kicks that were neither attacking or defensive. They served no purpose at all other than to hand the ball over to the opposition.

I can handle him going for a risky play that doesn't come off, but I can't figure out why a footballer with his experience can't see that putting up a towering bomb on a windy day is smart football.

 

[The Showstopper]

Given the skills and complete game Mullen has can be really really upsetting to see him come up short because the bloke is never going to fulfil his potential. He can tackle, break tackles, has pace, a beautiful pass and kicking game that is poetry when on song. Yet Cronk and Thurston get the accolades cos they are mentally tougher in addition to their supreme gifts. Although I would argue Cronk is predominantly product of absolute dedication to his craft over natural ability.

I think Mullen is a great talent. He just overanalyses everything. it is like he overthinks the play and removes all instinct from his mind. That is why he hesitates in my modest view. He knows what he has to do but instead goes the conservative route. I have grave doubts about him without Bennett. I can easily see him not seeing out this deal if the next coach cannot get consistency from him.

 

[Dave_]

It wasn't the execution of Mullen's kicks that let him down, it was the fact that from 30m out on a windy day he was putting in dinky little chip kicks that were neither attacking or defensive. They served no purpose at all other than to hand the ball over to the opposition.

I can handle him going for a risky play that doesn't come off, but I can't figure out why a footballer with his experience can't see that putting up a towering bomb on a windy day is smart football.

These are the kicks I'm talking about. What does he hope to achieve with them?

 

[Swarzey]

I agree he hasn't had it easy but great players shine through the sh*t.

Ah yeah, Hayne was on fire at the back end of last year after he injured his.

:sarcasm:

 

[Dave_]

Ah yeah, Hayne was on fire at the back end of last year after he injured his.

:sarcasm:

I said that in reference to the dud forward packs we've had since Mullo came into fg not in relation to playing injured