Outer East FN: Mullett kicks eight, Garner six as Wandin overpowers Woori Yallock
Aaron Mullett has achieved a lot in football but he's never kicked a century of goals.
That's set to change, though, with the Wandin wizard moving to 83 for the season after a bag of eight against Woori Yallock on Saturday.
With seven games left, plus finals, the ex-AFL Roo and Blue should do it on the bit.
'It's going to be a special day,' Mullett's coach at Wandin, Nick Adam, said.
But just when Mullett will notch the ton has created much interest.
Outer East put up a Facebook post on Monday asking for predictions, in what round he'll kick his 100th, and how many he'll finish up with this season.
Most responses had him reaching the century in another three matches, in round 14, when Wandin hosts Olinda Ferny Creek.
As for how many Mullett could end up with by season's end, there were predictions of between 111 and 127.
There's also the possibility of Mullett missing a game or two in the back end as Wandin, with an eye on finals, manages its star — although Adam said the club hadn't scheduled any games off for the 33-year-old.
'His body is feeling really good,' Adam said.
'We manage his load through the week … he is professional as anyone in what he does to prepare to play footy.'
Adam said the Bulldogs would play Mullett 'if he feels he's ready and fresh'.
'I think once we get the 100 out of the way then that becomes another conversation about what we do leading into finals,' Adam said.
'I have this conversation all the time but players want to play.
'And whether you're 34 or 21 … it's instinctual to them, it's in their DNA.
'But we're mindful that we need him to be the best version of himself in September.'
On Saturday, Mullett combined with Joel Garner, who kicked six goals, to overpower Woori Yallock 17.15 (117) to 14.9 (93).
The Bulldogs named Cayden Black as their best player after his strong and impressive display in the midfield.
'He's a ripper kid, a ripper human, tough and uncompromising would be the way I'd describe him,' Adam said of Black.
Macauley Beckwith was also influential for Wandin, kicking a goal in the last quarter as the Bulldogs edged ahead.
'He went on ball and was our best player in the last quarter when the game was up for grabs,' Adam said of Beckwith.
'The intensity that he played at for that (last) 30 minutes was a step above almost everybody else.'
Wandin debuted two teenagers: 16yo Camden Jones, who played on a wing, and Riley Gray, who played in the back six. Both did well.
'We feel like we've got a defined pathway of talent that's going to come through,' Adam said.
'There's about eight of them in under 18s who look like they could potentially be 100 game players for the club.'
Wandin's Harrison van Duuren was taken to hospital after copping an accidental knock.
Wandin hosts Monbulk on Saturday.
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