Contract talks are distracting Brisbane playmaker Anthony Milford and Wayne Bennett has had enough.
The Broncos coach has implored the NRL to replace their “chaotic” model and adopt a better transfer system to ease the burden on players and clubs.
Brisbane great Gorden Tallis planted the seed when he renewed calls for an end-of-year trade window similar to the AFL to avoid extra pressure being piled on off contract players.
After Milford’s quiet start to the season, Bennett admitted the five-eighth had been affected by speculation about his future.
“It affects everyone and he is no different, there would be some impact on him,” Bennett said.
Milford has reportedly been offered a $2.7 million, three-year extension – a deal that would make him the highest-paid Brisbane player ever.
But the Broncos are aware of the threat of Sydney clubs after Brisbane halfback Ben Hunt announced he would leave for a lucrative St George Illawarra deal next year.
Bennett hoped to finalise a Milford deal soon but believed no off-contract player was comfortable under the current system.
“There’s the issue whether you stay at the club or not and sometimes other clubs are chasing you with probably a lot more money than the club you are at,” Bennett said.
“It’s just not good for the game.
“My mind won’t change until the game takes a bit of responsibility and addresses it.
“Because it impacts on all the clubs. We are all victims of it – it is pretty unfair.”
Tallis believed a year-end trade window would also avoid the current situation where Hunt and North Queensland’s Kalyn Ponga are under extra scrutiny this year after signing big money deals with other clubs in 2018.
Bennett did not come up with his own model but reckoned anything was better than the NRL system which has a June 30 deadline for mid-season player transfers.
“Look at sport all around the world and no one has a chaotic system like we do,” he said.
“There are plenty of models we can take off and say ‘this is what we will do’ because it is what we need.”
mushi
Guest
I thought the current system was at the behest of players to create employment certainty? There seems to be an inference drawn that Bennet beleives it to be the opposite but none of his quotes say that?
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Bit of sensationalism here. Actual quote is "it affects everyone and he is no different. There would be some impact on him" Headline combined with opening line imply that he is putting the entire weight of milfords cold start to the season down to a contract negotiation.
Steve
Guest
I wish something would distract him from the all you can eat buffet. Milford keeps hearing all the talk of the 'big 4' and he's thinking, KFC, Mcdonalds, Hungry Jacks and Red Rooster.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
Poor little Anthony can't decide whether to accept the lousy $900,000 a year he was offered by the Broncos (plus TPAs and KFC vouchers) or accept bigger money offers from elsewhere. He must be tormented and racked with indecision. No wonder he's been playing like a bumbling overweight fifth grader this season.