The South Sydney Rabbitohs have reportedly shown interest in signing unwanted Broncos half Anthony Milford for season 2022.
That’s when Adam Reynolds is set to join the Brisbane Broncos and current assistant coach Jason Demetriou becomes the Bunnies actual coach when Wayne Bennett departs the club.
Demetriou who worked under Bennett at the Broncos and knows Milford very well, believes that a move to South Sydney can revive his career.
Anthony won’t be offered top dollar as his form has disappeared. The 27-year-old half has played nine games this season and has forced six goal-line drop outs, has setup four tries and averages 72 running metres.
The incoming South Sydney coach also believes that he can revive the unwanted playmaker’s career and this is a low risk and high reward situation that Souths are in.
There was a report that I saw that Milford was being offered 350k for two years and after losing players like Jayden Su’A, Reynolds and Dane Gagai, then that frees up space for Souths in the salary cap.
I believe that putting Milford in a team where he isn’t really the centre of attention like he is up at Brisbane can really free Milford up and release a lot of pressure from his shoulders. If he was to join South Sydney then playing with Cody Walker, Latrell Mitchell, Damien Cook, Cameron Murray along with South Sydney’s very strong forward then that can free up Milford to play his natural game.
Anthony Milford of the Broncos looks dejected during the round two NRL match between the Gold Coast Titans and the Brisbane Broncos at Cbus Super Stadium on March 19, 2021, in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)
If Milford was to go to South Sydney and play in the halves with Cody Walker then all Milford really has to do is create opportunities or even half chances with his running game.
He must give time to Cody Walker and Latrell Mitchell to do their thing on attack and the most important thing will be his kicking game. Now Milford will never get to the kicking game that Reynolds does but he can certainly kick and force the opposition to play deep out of their own half of the field.
Milford’s defence has been a huge disappointment in recent years and he can certainly learn how to defend better with the Rabbitohs coaching staff and also Cook and Murray who are great defensive players and those two players can certainly help Milford out on defence.
If Milford was to play on his normal side of the field then he would be on the same side as Keaon Koloamatangi, Campbell Graham and whoever is playing on the right wing.
If Milford does end up playing halfback for Souths which as I said before is a low risk and high reward situation considering that Milford won’t be on a lot of money but if Demetriou can get the best out of Milford and he can build a strong combination with Cook, Mitchell, Walker and Murray along with his right edge then who knows what could happen.
Adam
Roar Guru
With the way sydney is going he'll be spending a fair bit of time in qld yet...
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
I would move to Outer Mongolia before I moved to Sydney
Adam
Roar Guru
They'll pay him in sausages
Joey
Guest
Let’s face it. It couldn’t be much worse. Very average kicking game, a less than average goal-kicker, and you did a straight swap with Reynolds to the Broncos. So then what do they do when he’s dropped to reserves. I mean he couldn’t hold his place in the wooden spoon team. Obviously wasn’t all his fault, because they just kept on losing without him, but no doubt he brings the losing culture with him. May as well have popped into to cash converters and traded your diamond ring for a soft drink can ring-pull.
Tony
Roar Guru
So Vaughan should be a big impprover then
Scott Ridgway
Guest
So he won’t relocate his family to Sydney on $350 000 but relocate to England on roughly the same money??? ????
Joey
Guest
Going to Souths, you beauty! Hoping they put him straight in for Reynolds. Should be laugh a minute.
Joe
Roar Rookie
Was watching the Storms finals games in 2017 yesterday and firstly surprised that the last two games were against Qld side - Broncs Prelim and Cowboys GF. Secondly Milford was playing very well for the Broncs in that Prelim. At 27 where you would think most halves would be at their peak he has been on a downward spiral since then. Not sure whether the injuries have slowed him down or its just an attitude thing. If its attitude a change of scenery would definitely revamp his career. I think though a good coach would be the best thing for him. He was outstanding playing under Bennett as a lot of players are. On the Rabbits move I'm not so sure as both he and Walker are both running halves suited to 5/8. I don't see either of them managing a game like Reynolds.
Adam
Roar Guru
That's pretty much the way I see it. The expectations of the 300k man vs the $1m man are completely different
Cat Brown
Guest
He should never have left the Raiders. Ricky was tough but fair and didn't let him get ahead of himself
Tom G
Roar Rookie
Who knows how he’ll play when he isn’t carrying the expectation of a city on his back.? My guess is he will do much better
steveng
Roar Rookie
IMO I really don’t know??? As Milf was and has all the potential to be a really unbelievable talent right up there at the top 3 but and as the talk is going around, he’s just too hot and cold, he portrays an on filed attitude of laziness especially in his defence and that has been rumored both on and off the field and in tanning. For a guy of his talent and a guy in his position and with all the $$$’s that he’s getting from the Broncs IMO he’s just given up and disinterested. Also this thing that Milf is pretty good with Demetriou is a bit sus as his problems to me seem like they are an attitude problem in what he’s done since he’s signed the big bucks with the Broncs. Also and to counter that argument, it might be a breath of fresh air for him to leave the Broncs and Brisbane as the experts are saying about Milf??? Anyway, I’m not one to give up on anything or anybody but Milf will have to be signed for a much lower fee and he has to completely do a 360 if he’s going to fit into the Bunnies way of things and that is especially the Bunnies fans expectations, as we won’t cop what he’s done at the Broncs that’s for sure! I would sign him up for a trial period and on a performance achieving basis, he could snap out of whatever he’s on but by jeez there is allot of improvement from him to come.
johnno 2
Roar Rookie
WHAT???? You'd have to be a miracle worker to turn around 6 years of nothing and overratedness Milford isn't worth a place in the QLD cup The Broncos have wasted so much money on the hunch that he'd come good and especially where they could have been developing a few new talents but also the Broncos format in the last 6 years hasn't been worth any consideration
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
For $350K he will not relocate his family to Sydney. Titans @ $400K or Super league on bigger money
uglykiwi
Roar Pro
The Roosters should pick him up on loan for the rest of the year!
Tony
Roar Guru
:laughing:
Nat
Roar Guru
As much as I maligned him for his effort in recent years I do wish him well going somewhere else. I’ve said before that the Broncos have their part to play in his demise. I have the opinion they trained the instinct out of him but at the same time they also let him get away with lower standards on and off the park. Is that $350k figure from Souths each year or total? Considering the value of the player market these days he is worth $350k p/a. I don’t know where he fits in the Souths team though. Benji fills an entirely different role than Milford can play and he’s no chance to replace Walker or Mitchell bar injury. Nor, with his defence, can he play as a roving ball-player unless they hide him on the wing in D. Even then… As I said, good luck to him. It’s a bitter pill to be worth a third of your previous contract but maybe he can find his form and go to a need that needs him.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
could be worse, Brodie Croft....
Tony
Roar Guru
If Souths master plan in letting Reynolds leave was to have him replaced by Milford, then they are in trouble.
Mon
Guest
Two running halves (one far superior to the other) and a big step down defensively when compared to Reno. Yeah I dunno about this. Really don’t want to push Taafe out either, he seems like a keeper. But I put faith in Demetriou all the same.