Corrimal Cougars' star signing Jarrod Mullen is expected to play his first game for the club this Saturday at the inaugural Shellharbour Sharks RLFC shootout competition at Ron Costello Oval.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Cougars will play fellow Illawarra outfit the Thirroul Butchers in the opening game of the knockout competition at 1.40pm.
Former Newcastle Knights and NSW State of Origin representative Mullen is listed to play for Corrimal, after signing with the club for the 2023 season.
The 35-year-old, who played over 200 games in the NRL whilst representing Country and NSW along the way will bring a much needed wealth of experience to the Cougars in 23.
Mullen's decorated 12-season career with Newcastle ended when he was handed a four-year ban for testing positive to a banned steroid following a pre-season drug test in November 2016.
In February, 2020 he avoided a jail term after pleading guilty to a charge of supplying cocaine. He was handed a three-year community corrections order in Wollongong Local Court after he confessed to buying 39 grams of cocaine - 13 times the trafficable quantity - from a dealer at a home in Cameron Park in November 2018.
But Mullen has since resurrected his life on and off the field working as a youth worker and living in Wollongong with his young family.
Meantime, fellow former NRL player Bryson Goodwin is also expected to be at Ron Costello Oval on March 4.
Goodwin plays for Group Six outfit Mittagong Lions, who are drawn to play competition hosts Shellharbour Sharks from 3.40pm.
Prior to this game, Group Seven team Milton Ulladulla Bulldogs will take on Group Six outfit Camden Rams.
Como Jannali from the Cronulla competition will have a first round bye, and will play the winner of the Shellharbour vs Mittagong clash.
The winners in the other two fixtures will progress to the other semifinal.
Matches will be played over two 20-minute halves. If the games are tied at that time it will go into five -minutes of golden point each way.
Shellharbour Sharks coach Abed Atallah said the inaugural competition would feature seven teams but it was hoped next year's shootout competition would feature 16 teams and run over two days.
"We want this shootout competition to be like the one West Wyalong hold, were 16 teams play a knockout competition over two days," he said.
"Unfortunately this year a number of teams had already organised trials and we couldn't get 16 teams. We will do that next year but this year's event will feature seven teams and run over one day.
"I'm looking forward to it and I know other coaches are also looking forward to it to give their players a much needed hit out.
"Here at the Sharks we've been training for about six or seven weeks but this will be our first hit-out as a team and a squad.
'It promises to be a great afternoon of footy. There's going to be some good teams and players on show. I can't wait to see how all teams perform."
Gates open at 12pm on Saturday, March 4. Entry is $10 or $5 concession.
Our news app has had a makeover, making it faster and giving you access to even more great content. Download The Illawarra Mercury news app in the Apple Store and Google Play.