The Knights are building something special.

Newcastle are competitive again. They’ve been able to turn a year from hell into a pre-season of motivation and have rediscovered their spirit within just three rounds of a new NRL campaign. While the Knights’ wobbles and woes are far from over, they are on the right path to return as one of the competition’s flagship clubs. Not the best, not the biggest; but one you can look at and appreciate what they’ve built. Here’s why...

Under head coach Nathan Brown, the Knights have been more than happy to let any name walk out the door if they aren’t committed to the club for the long haul. The Sims’ brothers – arguably two of the best prospective forwards in the game – were virtually handed one-way plane tickets out of the Hunter, so easily their departures seemed. Brown has been open to anyone exploring their options and hasn’t hesitated in granting a release.

This attitude, although risky, has led to a playing group developing who put simply – want to be there. A culture appears to have been created around hard work, team spirit and togetherness which hasn’t been seen in the red and blue jersey for quite some years.

Nathan Ross has been instrumental to the Knights turnaround; always optimistic, a team-player and full of desire.

 While some of the players Brown has let go – like Akuila Uate and Robbie Rochow – have been to free-up salary cap space, the loss of Jarrod Mullen before the start of the season has allowed the Knights to continue their roster rejuvenation.

Indeed, the loss of Mullen signals a complete changing of the guard as he was the last remaining remnant form the back-end of the glory years. The 2017 squad now feels fresh, like a new leaf has been turned over or the next chapter has begun.  

While Mullen’s absence is a big hole to fill and no-one could doubt his commitment to the side, the club are now better positioned to bring some of their young and potentially potent halves through from the lower grades. Brock Lamb and Jack Cogger have both proven they are close to capable week-in week-out NRL players, and in future years – should his talent develop – Jack Johns, son of Matthew, may find a home in Brown’s squad. A tantalizing fantasy that is not out of the realm of possibility.

Furthermore, Mullen’s departure now means Brown can divert future funds across his line-up. Having already secured the services of rising young-gun Kalyn Ponga, Brown and his recruitment staff have shown their intent by openly pursuing a pack-leader in Matt Scott and a flashy outside-back in Jack Bird.

Brown himself has been one of the club’s best signings. The way he handled his first season – which was one of the league’s poorest on record – with an open honesty about his club’s situation, shows his commitment to the long-term rebuild and the faith he has in their plans.

Brown has returned from the Super League much more sure of himself and his methods.

Crucially, Brown has been able to turn his players from perennial losers into a side striving to achieve better performances and hungry for success. Look no further than round two’s inspiring victory over the Titans.

When scoring the match-winning try – his fourth of the season – Knights winger Nathan Ross forewent his desire to perform a backflip, after previously stating he was waiting for such a moment to complete one.

He preferred to adopt a modest celebration with the team as they were swept into the McDonald Jones Stadium fence and into the arms of the Newcastle fans. Ross spoke after the match citing the group mentality the side now possess, and indicated that such a celebration would take the focus off the team and onto an individual.

Ross and his teammates celebrate his try against the Titans in Round 2.

While easy to overlook, don’t under estimate Ross’ actions. They show, along with his knowledge that you’re only as good as your last game, the Knights have become a competitive squad.

Ross, the franchise’s ‘cult-hero’ and his side’s ultimate team-player, had then scored two tries in each of the Knights opening two games this season. His position should have been safer than anyone’s, and after 336 days without a win it’s fair to say Nathan Brown wouldn’t have cared if he finished with a Mundine-esque backflip. But he wasn’t taking his position for granted. That’s the sign of a focussed individual and a committed footballer.

It speaks volumes about the influence of Nathan Brown and the mentality the Knights are working towards. If Brown can spread Ross’ character right through his young side, then Newcastle are headed in only one way.

If what goes up must come down, perhaps for the Knights what goes down is now coming back up. After two wooden-spoons in a row, the sale and collapse of their club, multiple coaches, surprising scandals and a complete overturn of their roster, the Knights are now entrenched in the stability of building the foundations of their castle that once stood high atop the rugby league land.

Give it time, maybe a year or two, maybe more, but Newcastle are becoming a castle again.

Are the Knights gone for 2017 without Mullen?

Jarrod Mullen's career looks to be over.
(Photo: Newcastle Herald)

Jarrod Mullen’s surprising positive test to steroids has rocked the Newcastle Knights and will likely put their rebuild under Nathan Brown at stake.

Or will it?

At first glance, it’s easy to suggest the Knights will again flail to another wooden spoon without their most senior player and linchpin, Mullen.

A stalwart at the club since the retirement of Andrew Johns, Mullen has had no other association with first-grade rugby league outside of the Knights.

While many have questioned his ability to live up to expectations and fulfill his potential, there is no argument about Mullen not giving his all to his hometown club.

His loss, if it is indeed the end of his career, will leave a gaping hole in Nathan Brown’s squad. Outside of Dane Gagai (112), Rory Kostjasyn (126), Jamie Buhrer (128) and Trent Hodkinson (139), no other player in the Knight’s squad has played over 100 NRL games.

While not part of the Knights’ captaincy set-up in 2016, Mullen’s position and place amongst his teammates ensured he was a leader in the side. 

Unable to maintain his spot in the side last year because of injury, Mullen never got to establish a successful and effective combination with fellow half Trent Hodkinson.

With the majority of playmaking decisions falling on Hodkinson in 2016, the Knights rarely looked dangerous, finishing the season with just one win and draw.

However, in Mullen’s absence, Nathan Brown was able to blood a host of players across various positions.

Crucially, future halves prospects: Jack Cogger, Jaylen Feeney, and Brock Lamb, were able to find their feet in the top grade.

While Feeney was experimented with in the outside backs, Cogger and Lamb were used predominately in the five-eighth position.

Cogger, who made six appearances, showed steadiness and class beyond his youthful 18 years of age.

He looked the most at-home alongside the experienced Hodkinson and was able to set-up a number of opportunities in his short, but now vital game-time.

So will the loss of Mullen slow the Knights’ transformation from cellar-dwellers to a competitive side down?

It’s unlikely given Mullen’s career was on the decline and the trio of youngsters was on the rise, but how it affects the squad not having their most-experienced player alongside them will remain to be seen.

Will confidence drop? Will the side’s culture be altered? Will the bond of the players fall away?

Embarking on a long-term project of turning Newcastle around, Nathan Brown has already been preparing for life after Mullen, it’s just come a little earlier than anticipated.

With the NRL’s hottest prospect – Kalyn Ponga – on his way in 2018, maybe a full season for Cogger, Lamb, or Feeney is just what the Knights need.

Maybe moving on from their 211-game veteran that has spent 12 years at the club, is just what the Knights’ proper transition needs.

In a cruel irony, Brown has been increasingly looking for more salary cap space and he may have just found it, albeit in the most disappointing of ways.

Jarrod Mullen to the English Super League

With the struggling Knights’ in the midst of a rebuild under coach Nathan Brown and Mullen’s continual injury woes, is it time the 29-year-old considered a switch to the English Super League?

Newcastle Knights' five-eighth Jarrod Mullen.

Mullen’s career in the NRL has hit somewhat of a standpoint over the last couple of years, with the Knights’ playmaker hampered by a string of injuries that have kept him on the sidelines just as much as he’s been on the field. 

Last year, Mullen played just ten games for the Knights with Rick Stone and later Danny Buderus at the helm. While in 2014, Mullen made 16 appearances for the Knights in Wayne Bennett’s final year at the club. You have to go back to 2013 to find a time where Mullen played consistent football when he made 26 appearances as the Knights took themselves to a preliminary final. 

In 2016 – and with a fourth coach in as many years – Mullen has been restricted to watching from the stands again after rupturing his hamstring tendon in round 8. All up, Mullen has made 10 appearances so far this season from a possible 20 games. 

After tweaking his hamstring again in last week’s loss to Cronulla, Mullen will again be out for another two weeks. The disappointment and frustration on the Knights’ stalwart was there for all to see as he sat on the bench.

Furthermore, Mullen recently revealed on Fox Sports that he had considered retirement due to his on-going run of injuries.

A one-club player and home-grown talent, Mullen’s time at the Knights before the last couple of years had been fairly consistent. A respectable average of 19 appearances each year since his debut season in 2005, Mullen’s position within the team has been both unquestioned and uncontested across his career. 

But with Newcastle’s strategy to invest in their youth, they have unearthed a potential replacement in the halves with the talented 18-year-old Jack Cogger. While still extremely young in today’s NRL ages, Cogger has emerged as a likely long-term option for the Knights into the future. He has made five handy appearances this year, looks to have a steady head on his shoulders, and appears unfazed about playing at the top-level of the game. 

With an almost ready-to-go replacement, Nathan Brown could be forgiven for giving the injury-affected Mullen a tap on the shoulder to head across to the U.K. 

Arguably easier competition for NRL players to participate in, Mullen would be relieved of the week-to-week rigors that comes with playing in Australia. 

Questions of Mullen’s motivation to be involved in a re-build at the Knights that will likely be in the form of years rather than an off-season should also be raised. 

Newcastle’s turnaround to become truly competitive again will be a while away yet, and having not achieved a great deal of success at the club, a move to a team in the Super League with a chance of achieving something might just be what the near-veteran could be looking for. 

While often considered rugby league’s retirement home, the Super League is slowly beginning to bounce back to a competitive and interesting competition. A move for Mullen should not be considered a step-back in his career, rather a next step – because sometimes a change is as good as a holiday. 

In all likely-hood, Mullen will probably go around again at the Knights next year before considering his options beyond 2017. A tremendous custodian at the club for over a decade, he will want to – and possibly deserves to – leave on his own terms. Jack Cogger may yet need more time to develop in the lower leagues, leaving Mullen another year to finish in his own style.