Round 17 | Eels 12-20 Knights @ Parramatta | Sat 7.30pm

[Joker's Wild]

My only criticism of Mullo this year has been his inability to gain us repeat sets through his short kicking game. I can remember 2 occasions this year when he has done it successfully but thats about it.

Cant fault his long game though. He has been up there with the best in that department

 

[perverse]

There has never been much wrong with Mullens bomb, and I pointed this out weeks ago, it's the fact that we've never had anyone contesting them like other teams do. As I keep saying over and over, Mullen can't do it all. His short kicking is still his primary weakness... But as before I don't see why it's so much to ask his teammates to help him out here.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Absolutely mate. Roberts should be stepping up in this department yet doesnt. In fact I really question what Tyrone brings to the team that Mullo doesnt. In many ways he is just a cut price version

 

[Big Tim]

Mullens kicking game is brilliant.

Anyone watch the Bronco's? (every Friday night, so I would assume many have)

They have the most interesting "long" kicking game. They dont kick for corners, or look for the deck. They do high, looping midfield kicks that the catcher has to stand under and wait for. The kick chase bears down, and many times they make only 2-3m after catching, if they dont go backwards.

Goes completely against what is considered a good tactic, but they get results out of it.

 

[perverse]

Roberts is very much a budget mini-Mullo thus far. The only thing I could say Tyrone does half as good as Mullo at the same age would be his tackling. Inferior in every other department.

Having said that, if we continue to play the way we are, and Tyrone can take more short kicks instead of Mullo, then he would be all we need really. We don't need a lot out of our halfback if Mullo and Boyd continue to build on their combination.

 

[Big Tim]

What is with the emo on the forwards on page 8???

Cuthbo and Zeb were both very strong. Off course they dont have the same impact as Snowden, one is a big guy who uses footwork and an offload, the other is a ball playing hole-runner. Very good games from both.

Mckinnon was good, and I think we may end up getting more Tets in the next few weeks, but Bennett doesnt mind a benchie who warms it till the result is decided.

 

[Burwood]

Heaps of them did, and most of those that didn't were from our 20-30m area. Did you not watch the game, or just searching for reasons to be unhappy with Mullen?

He did put a fair few kicks dead, you could whine about that. In the grand scheme of how he has played this year it would be petty, but at least it is valid. When his team has worked for him, Mullen has been fantastic this year.

I was whining? Thought I just asked a genuine question regarding the quality, not quantity, of his kicking game? I've lost count at the amount of times I've seen a player kick the ball 50m downfield only to have it caught on the full and returned 30m before the kick chase finally gets there. Sure, the stats may look good for that player, but how effective were they really?

I also suggest you look through my posts for the last 12 months regarding Mullen and let me know how many times I've bagged his performances on here.

As for Mullen's kicking stats, a lot of it would probably be to do with the shear amount of time the team spent getting out of their own half. A quick look on the Foxsports' Match Centre shows that we kicked be ball from within our 40m twice as many times as Parramatta- 14 times to their 7. If we were dominating the match we'd have been putting up a lot more short attacking kicks instead of long, clearing kicks.

 

[Yosh]

So why hasn't Taia being playing prop more often? He hits the ball up hard and doesn't do any of that sideways stuff anymore. Great to see.

 

[Big Tim]

I was whining? Thought I just asked a genuine question regarding the quality, not quantity, of his kicking game? I've lost count at the amount of times I've seen a player kick the ball 50m downfield only to have it caught on the full and returned 30m before the kick chase finally gets there. Sure, the stats may look good for that player, but how effective were they really?

I also suggest you look through my posts for the last 12 months regarding Mullen and let me know how many times I've bagged his performances on here.

As for Mullen's kicking stats, a lot of it would probably be to do with the shear amount of time the team spent getting out of their own half. A quick look on the Foxsports' Match Centre shows that we kicked be ball from within our 40m twice as many times as Parramatta- 14 times to their 7. If we were dominating the match we'd have been putting up a lot more short attacking kicks instead of long, clearing kicks.

I would suggest a handful of those 14 kicks were on tackle 3, from our own half.

I cant remember many of Mullo's kicks being 'marked', Roberts on the other hand...... he has a radar.

 

[justagamemate]

In the attacking 20 we should let Boyd roll them through into the in goal.

 

[EdLondon]

I get confused when people have an issue with a long kick being caught on the full. It stands to reason that the longer the kick is the longer it is in the air and the more time that the catcher has to get to it on the full.

The only other option is to kick it shorter and let it bounce but you can't have both.

 

[justagamemate]

It takes longer to pick up a rolling ball than a ball caught on a full. Unless of course the ball was kicked massively in the air.

 

[Burwood]

I get confused when people have an issue with a long kick being caught on the full. It stands to reason that the longer the kick is the longer it is in the air and the more time that the catcher has to get to it on the full.

The only other option is to kick it shorter and let it bounce but you can't have both.

You haven't heard Jack Gibson's old advice of "kick it to the seagulls"? ;-)

You can kick a ball 10m forward but it could stay in the air much longer than a kick that might go 40-50m on the full. Distance doesn't always equate to more time in the air.

The best clearing kicks are usually the ones where it finds the gap between fullback and winger and they need to turn around and chase it. Just look back at our game against Melbourne this year where we regularly had them pinned deep in their own half, but Cronk and especially Smith constantly turned our back 3 around to chase the ball.

 

[Whats Doing]

A good kick is one that finds grass.

 

[Joker's Wild]

A better kick goes behind the fullback or winger

 

[Yosh]

A better kick goes behind the fullback or winger

I think kicks that bounce between the winger and fullback and rolls further is the best type of kick. They hesitate not only who'll catch the ball but also who will go back to receive it. Then whoever the receiver is, they'll be isolated at the back and makes them easy pickings.

 

[perverse]

No half anytime, anywhere is going to find grass when they are kicking from deep within their own territory, full stop. the deeper you have to kick it due to field position, the easier it is for the opposition back 3 to catch it on the full. it's not rocket science. we always have to do a shitload of kicking from deep in our own half.

easy to find space with your kick when you're kicking from the 40m-50m line. not easy when you're on your own 20 or 30. it's damn near impossible.

the reason why Mullen is kicking early in the tackle count occasionally is to get another set completion, and also to have a better chance of finding grass due to generally only their fullback being back, or their fullback and 1 winger instead of 2. if you can get an extra 20m out of your kick due to these 2 factors, or even an extra 10, then it is generally more worthwhile than taking an extra hitup or 2, as you have less chance to make an error. it's why our completion rate has been so high lately. very much goes by the same thinking as always taking the 2 - it is the high percentage option. it's not something foreign to Bennett teams. you'll notice it generally always happens around our 40m line. all a part of controlling field position and possession. the boys are clearly backing their defence to get the work done in the opposition half. it's all in the game plan, no doubt.

 

[Yosh]

Mullen has started to play smart... Wayne is a genius!

 

[K-Man]

No half anytime, anywhere is going to find grass when they are kicking from deep within their own territory, full stop. the deeper you have to kick it due to field position, the easier it is for the opposition back 3 to catch it on the full. it's not rocket science. we always have to do a shitload of kicking from deep in our own half.

easy to find space with your kick when you're kicking from the 40m-50m line. not easy when you're on your own 20 or 30. it's damn near impossible.

the reason why Mullen is kicking early in the tackle count occasionally is to get another set completion, and also to have a better chance of finding grass due to generally only their fullback being back, or their fullback and 1 winger instead of 2. if you can get an extra 20m out of your kick due to these 2 factors, or even an extra 10, then it is generally more worthwhile than taking an extra hitup or 2, as you have less chance to make an error. it's why our completion rate has been so high lately. very much goes by the same thinking as always taking the 2 - it is the high percentage option. it's not something foreign to Bennett teams. you'll notice it generally always happens around our 40m line. all a part of controlling field position and possession. the boys are clearly backing their defence to get the work done in the opposition half. it's all in the game plan, no doubt.

Well in this case Perverse, i completely agree with you.

Definitely part of the game plan and I rate it. Sometimes those last 1 or 2 hit-ups in a set are when a costly error occurs, but if you're around the 40m line already - and you're not going to put on an attacking play - might as well just kick downfield with a good chase as the result will probably be better anyway.

If we're anywhere near the halfway line, and the alternative is a 6m Costigan hit-up with a slow play the ball, well I'd much prefer seeing Mullen take the initiative.

Around the 30m mark and you're right, Perv, there is virtually no chance of finding open space. Mullen was getting plenty on them and it was working out very well for us.

 

[Newie is God's Country]

Mullen doesn't telegraph his kicks anymore from what I see. He often holds the ball like he wants to Run with it but pokes it through the line instead ,whereas before he basically gifted his bombs to the opposing backs. If Mullo had Soward's kicking game as a hybrid with his own running game he would be so dominant. Soward just hits the ball so sweetly. That said Mullen is finding space like never before with his kicks finding the grass.