Jarrod Mullen
Encyclopedia
Jarrod Stephen Mullen is an Australia
n professional rugby league
footballer who currently plays for the Newcastle Knights
of the National Rugby League
(NRL). A New South Wales State of Origin representative half, he has played his entire career to date with the Knights.
Born in Singleton
in Northern NSW, he moved to Newcastle
with his Family when he was 9 years old. Son of Leeann Mullen and Steve Mullen, a former rugby league player who played for the Canterbury Bulldogs
and Western Suburbs Magpies
in the 1980s, Jarrod was born into Rugby League and embraced it at an early age.
Jarrod is an upcoming playmaker for the Newcastle Knights. After playing only 9 first grade games as Half-Back and 31 games in total, he was a shock pick at that position for the New South Wales Blues in the 2007 State of Origin
series. Most believed that at 20 years of age, the job would go to a more experienced playmaker, but the selectors saw the potential for him as a long term prospect. Ultimately, Mullen was punted after just one game, a match in which New South Wales let slip an 18-6 halftime lead to lose 25-18.
He joined the Newcastle Knights as a junior in 1997 and he stood out. Representative honours came thick and fast and he was fast-tracked into the senior side a couple of years later. He played five eighth for the NSW under 17's in 2004 where he first caught the eye of Newcastle's champion Halfback Andrew Johns
.
While attending St. Francis Xavier's College in Hamilton, Mullen played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 2004 and 2005.
who saw plenty of promise in the youngster. His first grade debut was on the 15th of May 2005 at EnergyAustralia Stadium
vs The Wests Tigers
in Round 10. It soon became apparent that he would be developed as a potential replacement for Newcastle half-back Andrew Johns.
In 2007 Mullen, became the starting five eighth for the Knights with the intention to have him complete a season alongside Johns to gain experience and eventually succeed him as Newcastle Halfback. On the 10 April 2007, the day after Mullen turned 20, Johns announced his shock retirement from Rugby League due to a neck injury. Mullen became the first choice half-back for the Knights and has been impressive in the games he has played there.
for a game against Papua New Guinea
. He played with a young team in Port Moresby
on 30 September where he started on the bench as a utility player. In 2007, he was picked for the New South Wales side above older and more experienced candidates. It still remains to be seen how he will perform at the highest level of Australian Rugby League. Mullen was not selected in the NSW State of Origin team for Game 2 due to a torn calf muscle. When Game 3 arrived selectors chose Brett Kimmorley and Greg Bird over Mullen because of the club relationship the two halves had. In opening rounds of 2008 Mullen showed some promising signs but succumbed to a calf injury in Round 4. On his injury comeback he thrust himself back into New South Wales Origin contention with some outstanding performances against top of the table leaders the Titans and the Storm. He was in contention for the halfback spot along with Brisbane's Peter Wallace, Manly's Matt Orford and Parramatta's Brett Finch. Despite his omission from the Origin squad for the first Origin game, he is expected to remain in contention for the next two Origin games.
He was selected for Country in the City vs Country
match on 8 May 2009.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n professional rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer who currently plays for the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
of the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
(NRL). A New South Wales State of Origin representative half, he has played his entire career to date with the Knights.
Born in Singleton
Singleton, New South Wales
-Industry & Commerce:Major industries near Singleton include coal mining, energy generation, light industry, vineyards, horse breeding and cattle production. Dairying was once a mainstay in the area, but has declined....
in Northern NSW, he moved to Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
with his Family when he was 9 years old. Son of Leeann Mullen and Steve Mullen, a former rugby league player who played for the Canterbury Bulldogs
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
and Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
in the 1980s, Jarrod was born into Rugby League and embraced it at an early age.
Jarrod is an upcoming playmaker for the Newcastle Knights. After playing only 9 first grade games as Half-Back and 31 games in total, he was a shock pick at that position for the New South Wales Blues in the 2007 State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
series. Most believed that at 20 years of age, the job would go to a more experienced playmaker, but the selectors saw the potential for him as a long term prospect. Ultimately, Mullen was punted after just one game, a match in which New South Wales let slip an 18-6 halftime lead to lose 25-18.
Early career
Mullen first played Rugby League at 7 years old for the Taree Panthers where it was obvious he had talent. Two years later (after a brief stint playing soccer), he relocated to Newcastle where he continued his junior career with the Western Suburbs League Club. His first representative game was for St. Therese's Primary School, New Lambton, in the Regional Knights Knockout competition, winning the competition in 1996 and 1997. He played most of his junior football at Five-eighth.He joined the Newcastle Knights as a junior in 1997 and he stood out. Representative honours came thick and fast and he was fast-tracked into the senior side a couple of years later. He played five eighth for the NSW under 17's in 2004 where he first caught the eye of Newcastle's champion Halfback Andrew Johns
Andrew Johns
Andrew Gary "Joey" Johns is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time. He was heralded as the world's best halfback for a number of years...
.
While attending St. Francis Xavier's College in Hamilton, Mullen played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 2004 and 2005.
First grade career
Mullen was selected in the Knights first grade squad at just 18 years old by coach Michael HaganMichael Hagan
Michael Hagan is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player. He currently works as assistant coach under Mal Meninga for the record-breaking Queensland rugby league team...
who saw plenty of promise in the youngster. His first grade debut was on the 15th of May 2005 at EnergyAustralia Stadium
EnergyAustralia Stadium
Newcastle International Sports Centre is a multi-purpose sports stadium located in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. It is the home ground of the Newcastle Knights and the Newcastle United Jets teams. It is owned by the New South Wales government and administered by the Hunter Region...
vs The Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
in Round 10. It soon became apparent that he would be developed as a potential replacement for Newcastle half-back Andrew Johns.
In 2007 Mullen, became the starting five eighth for the Knights with the intention to have him complete a season alongside Johns to gain experience and eventually succeed him as Newcastle Halfback. On the 10 April 2007, the day after Mullen turned 20, Johns announced his shock retirement from Rugby League due to a neck injury. Mullen became the first choice half-back for the Knights and has been impressive in the games he has played there.
First grade representative honours
Mullen was rewarded for his consistent performances in 2006. He was selected in his first senior representative team, the Prime Minister's XIIIPrime Minister's XIII
Prime Minister's XIII or the PM's XIII is the name of a representative rugby league team selected on an annual basis by the Prime Minister of Australia that consists of mainly young Australian players drawn from the National Rugby League competition to take on the Papua New Guinea national rugby...
for a game against Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
. He played with a young team in Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
on 30 September where he started on the bench as a utility player. In 2007, he was picked for the New South Wales side above older and more experienced candidates. It still remains to be seen how he will perform at the highest level of Australian Rugby League. Mullen was not selected in the NSW State of Origin team for Game 2 due to a torn calf muscle. When Game 3 arrived selectors chose Brett Kimmorley and Greg Bird over Mullen because of the club relationship the two halves had. In opening rounds of 2008 Mullen showed some promising signs but succumbed to a calf injury in Round 4. On his injury comeback he thrust himself back into New South Wales Origin contention with some outstanding performances against top of the table leaders the Titans and the Storm. He was in contention for the halfback spot along with Brisbane's Peter Wallace, Manly's Matt Orford and Parramatta's Brett Finch. Despite his omission from the Origin squad for the first Origin game, he is expected to remain in contention for the next two Origin games.
He was selected for Country in the City vs Country
City vs Country Origin
City vs Country is an annual Australian rugby league football match that takes place in New South Wales between City and Country representative sides. The City side represents the Sydney metropolitan area...
match on 8 May 2009.