Newcastle Knight Jarrod Mullen’s NRL future clouded after injury
THE long-term future of Newcastle skipper Jarrod Mullen is in doubt following revelations the former Origin player has suffered another serious injury.
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THE long-term future of Newcastle skipper Jarrod Mullen is in doubt following the revelation the former State of Origin representative has suffered a recurrence of a serious hamstring injury.
Mullen broke down last week while doing a simple ballwork drill and there are fears the injury could be related to a pre-existing problem.
The ball-playing pivot tore his hamstring off the bone and needed corrective surgery after a game against Manly on Anzac Day last year. He was sidelined for three months and played only 14 games for the season.
Knights coach Nathan Brown even used him at hooker where he could reduce his running game to take pressure off the hamstring.
While Knights officials are tight-lipped about their concerns for Mullen’s long-term future, it’s no secret the talented five-eighth has constantly battled leg injuries for the past three seasons.
A downhearted Mullen has vowed to bounce back as quickly as possible but admits to being extremely frustrated.
“I’m certainly not having much luck at the moment,” Mullen said.
“It was just a simple drill. I was just squaring up at the line and it just went on me.
“Unfortunately these things happen in footy. I’ll just have to get it right and go from there.
“The frustrating thing for me is that I have been training really well and looking forward to a big season next year.”
Mullen has missed almost half a season with injury in each of the last three years.
He is the Knights’ highest-paid player and Brown desperately needs him on the field to try to lift the club off the bottom of the table in 2017 after back-to-back wooden spoons.
Originally published as Newcastle Knight Jarrod Mullen’s NRL future clouded after injury
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