Mullins facing surgery
Sun-Herald, November 20 1994
Image: Oscar Vierod/SWpix
By STEVE MASCORD
AUSTRALIAN fullback Brett Mullins, arguably the man Kangaroo Tour, revealed on the eve of today’s Ashes-deciding Third Test he was still suffering the effects of a painful knee injury.
Mullins, rated by British captain Shaun Edwards as possibly the Australians’ most dangerous player, said he would immediate arthroscopy at the conclusion of the tour.
He has still not recovered the kneecap problem that left him crumpled on the Steelers Stadium towards of the regular season.
“I still get pain through the knee and I lose some pace and stability,” said Mullins, who has scored six tries on tour.
“It’s crook but it should keep me out of training for only a couple of weeks once operated on.
“It just catches when my knee is in a certain position.”
The injury forced the 22-year-old Canberra custodian to turn down a lucrative offer of a stint with Halifax. The Yorkshire club then approached Tim Brasher but the Sydney Tigers have banned him from taking up the offer.
The fact Mullins has been playing below his capacity since before the finals makes his achievements in that time all the more impressive.
Edwards said yesterday: “If you give him an inch, he’ll take 99 yards. He’s the fastest thing on two legs and your kicking game has to be spot on if he’s not going to punish you.”
Australia are raging hot favourites going into today’s Elland Road encounter, with the switch of lock Phil Clarke to five-eighth bringing a sense of panic to the British camp.
But the tourists stepped up their intensity yesterday by training behind closed doors at Leeds University. Coach Bob Fulton described it as one of their best sessions on tour.
Asked whether he believed Britain’s more expansive attacking style during the Second half at Old Trafford would prove a pointer to today’s tactics, he said: “They had to do it in the second half. Whether they will do the same with Phil Clarke at five-eighth is completely and utterly debatable. I don’t want to get into talking about tactics.”
Fulton said he remained concerned at the number of high tackles his players had received, particularly the hits on second-rower Brad Clyde in Manchester.
“What can you do about it?” he said. “I know Bill Harrigan won’t put up with it. He showed how strong he was at Featherstone when he sent someone off and put four in the sin bin when he could have been intimidated by the crowd.”
Great Britain coach Ellery Hanley has denied rumours of late changes which may also involve his inclusion.
Despite being hopelessly outgunned two weeks ago, the British remain confident they can wrest the Ashes from Australia for the first time in 24 years. “This is our last chance to become legends,” said second-rower Denis Betts.
While much of the emphasis in Australia has rightly been placed in the retention of the Ashes, British league is at a crossroads.
The 30-point second Test margin put the game here back 12 years and another loss could leave it in the dark ages for another decade.
And with increasing numbers of stars set to join Winfield Cup clubs fulltime, British rugby league may never recover.