Newcastle are still paying Jarrod Mullen $15,000 a week despite positive steroids test

WHAT’S THE BUZZ (PART 2): Jarrod Mullen is still being paid $15,000 a week and Benji Marshall has been benched by Fox Sports.

Playmaker Jarrod Mullen in action for the Newcastle Knights at training at Newcastle University. Picture by Peter Lorimer.

IMAGINE earning 10 times the average Australian wage for doing nothing.

Jarrod Mullen is still on $15,000 a week at the struggling Newcastle Knights despite testing positive to steroids.

Mullen is provisionally suspended but the club is legally obliged to continue paying him until ASADA finalises the case.

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Playmaker Jarrod Mullen will return after injury for the Knights. Picture by Peter Lorimer.

It’s a problem for the Knights and coach Nathan Brownbecause his payments and everything he has earnt since pre-season training started are included in the Knights’ salary cap.

ASADA has given no indication as to when it will finalise its investigation but, for the Knights, it can’t come quickly enough.

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Once Mullen goes, the Knights will have more than $1 million to spare in the salary cap.

Not that Brown is in a rush to find a replacement.

He has learnt from the Gold Coast Titans the value of leaving money spare.

In recent years they’ve picked up Jarryd Hayne, Nathan Peats and Konrad Hurrell because they were well under the cap and prepared for when players became available.

BENJI BENCHED

FOX Sports has benched Benji Marshall from its players’ night on NRL 360 following his move to the Broncos.

The network has signed two props to take over from Benji and the recently retired Michael Ennis— Wests Tigers’ Aaron Woodsand Bulldogs enforcer James Graham. Being the captains of their respective teams was part of the appeal.

Your columnist, too, will make his debut on the show on Monday night each week alongside Ben Ikin and Paul Kent.

Benji Marshall has been dropped by Fox Sports.

JOEY OFF THE DRINK

LEAGUE Immortal Andrew Johnsis off the drink and looking much better for it. He hasn’t touched a drop for three months and often gets around the eastern suburbs on a push bike.

Johns took his son to New Zealand to spend quality time at the Auckland Nines. “He’s fit, he’s healthy and he’s looking brilliant,” said one of his former teammates.

CARTER ON THE DRINK?

ROOSTERS recruit Paul Carterneeds to be very careful.

His contract at his new club has behavioural clauses after he was sacked by the Titans and Rabbitohs over alcohol-related incidents.

We were surprised to hear Carter was on the drink at the Coogee Pavilion during the week after boasting on social media that he hadn’t touched a drop for more than 200 days.

He can play, but needs discipline in his life.

Paul Carter was spotted at Coogee Pavilion.

LAWRENCE STRIKES BACK

WE loved the Twitter exchange between Manly forward Brenton Lawrenceand the South Sydney Rabbitohs’ digital team, which started during their trial at Campbelltown Stadium last weekend.

Souths: 55th minute — Brenton Lawrence drops it for the Sea Eagles. We’re feeding the scrum just inside their half. #GoRabbitohs.

Lawrence: (two days later) Did not!

Souths: Sorry, mate! Must have seen it wrong from the media box.

Originally published as Newcastle are still paying Jarrod Mullen $15,000 a week despite positive steroids test