Jarrod Mullen tests positive for steroids after searching for remedy to injury frustrations

PRESSURE has followed Jarrod Mullen throughout his rollercoaster career at Newcastle. Injury, though, has taken its toll and his frustration has reached a peak.

PRESSURE has always followed Jarrod Mullen throughout his rollercoaster rugby league career at the Newcastle Knights.

As the local Singleton boy who rose through the ranks to represent the Knights, Mullen faced significant expectation to perform and back up his junior potential.

This weight went to another level on May 15, 2005 when he made his NRL debut at just 18 years old.

Mullen excelled in his first match, prompting the club to groom him as the replacement for legendary halfback and eighth Immortal Andrew Johns. It was a mantle ‘Mullo’ was never fully comfortable with.

MULLEN BANNED FOR POSITIVE DRUG TEST

Jarrod Mullen for NSW in the 2007 State of Origin series.

Just two years later he was again thrown in the deep end when he was handed his Origin debut in game one of the 2007 series.

Despite delivering a solid display in a 25-18 defeat, he was dropped and never given another chance.

In the ensuing seasons, Mullen has struggled to live up to the hype as the Knights’ highest-paid player.

Injury, though, has taken its toll. In the past three years he has missed almost half a season due to constant setbacks.

In November, this frustration reached a peak when he suffered a recurrence of a serious hamstring injury.

Mullen has battled through injury time and again. (Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images)

Just days later, Mullen was tested by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority and returned a positive A-sample to the prohibited substance, Drostanolone.

The Knights playmaker will again face enormous pressure if he requests his B-sample to be analysed by WADA officials. It would be a nervous wait. Mullen faces a ban of up to four years, while a reduced two-year sanction would still likely end his career.

In the meantime the 29-year-old has been provisionally suspended by the NRL under its anti-doping policy after ASADA notified the club and governing body.

The NRL released a statement saying: “Mr Mullen is prohibited from participating in any WADA compliant sport, including Rugby League, while the provisional suspension is in place.”

Newcastle also released a statement saying the club had been made aware the NRL had provisionally suspended Mullen under the NRL’s Anti-Doping Policy.

A visibly upset Matt Gidley fronts the media on Tuesday. Picture by Peter Lorimer

“The club is obviously extremely disappointed,” CEO Matt Gidley said.

“The club has a strict governance program, the players are regularly educated and fully aware of the consequences of going outside our governance guidelines.

“From here, there is a formal process we need to follow under the guidelines. We need to respect the process and in the interim the club will continue to monitor Jarrod’s welfare.”

Those within the Knights ranks — players, officials and club trainers — are devastated at the news.

Shocked and shattered were two words mentioned, as those at the Newcastle club come to terms with the extreme uncertainty now facing the promising local boy from Singleton.