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Former Origin star Anthony Milford has joined Newcastle, training with the team after he was granted conditional registration to train with the club by the NRL.
Milford’s arrival at the Knights was delayed while the NRL investigated an incident which led to Milford pleading guilty to public nuisance and wilful damage. Three charges of assault were dropped.
The ex-Broncos and Raiders playmaker has signed for the remainder of the 2022 season.
The Knights issued a statement to say they “will provide support to Milford in completing the series of mandatory personal development and tailored rehabilitation programs and ongoing assessments required of him in order for the NRL to approve his return to play”.
The NRL has banned Milford until Round 11. Milford will only be permitted to train with the Knights and will not take part in any off-field club activities including community or media appearances.
The 27-year-old has played 193 games in the NRL experience, including 42 with Canberra since his debut in Round 5 of 2013. He has also played seven Test matches for Samoa and two State of Origin games for Queensland.
Former Blues skipper Paul Gallen delivered some blunt advice to Kalyn Ponga amid the firestorm engulfing the Knights skipper over his contract negotiations.
Ponga has copped plenty of criticism after meeting with the Dolphins recently about potentially walking away two years early from the end of his contract with Newcastle.
The star fullback had an option inserted into his contract to leave the door open for a potential switch to rugby union in pursuit of an All Blacks jersey but it was amended after the NRL salary cap auditors rejected the clause and now he is free to negotiate anywhere.
There is a perception that his father, Andre, is having too much of a say in negotiations and it is getting Newcastle offside. Gallen, on Wide World of Sports radio, said Ponga needed to take control of the situation irrespective of what is said in the media.
“This is part and parcel of the game. This is what you do when you sign big-money contracts and you’re a high-profile player, you attract attention and you attract media attention,” he said.
“At the end of the day, the media is the ones that virtually pay these blokes’ bills. If it wasn’t such a sport covered by the media and people were so interested, they wouldn’t get paid the money they get paid.
“He’s signed a contract like that, he chose to have a contract like that, he’s got to deal with the consequences.
“Kalyn is the boss and he has to make the decision and that’s what a lot of players do … ‘my management is looking after it, my manager is looking after it’. That’s what they say. A lot of people say it. But you know what? At the end of the day it reflects on you.
“You’re the person who signed the contract, you’re the one running out on the field. It reflects on you.”
(Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)
Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon says the NRL club will do everything they can to support former winger Nathan Stapleton, who suffered a fractured neck earlier this month.
Stapleton played 61 NRL games with the Sharks before stints with the Sydney Roosters and the London Broncos. More recently the 32-year-old has been playing rugby union for Boorowa.
In Boorowa’s game against West Wyalong on April 9, Stapleton was hurt in a ruck with the match being abandoned.
“It’s such a shame, I was at the Roosters when Stapo was there too,” Fitzgibbon said. “It’s just a tragedy for Nathan and his family and whatever the Sharks can do to support them is obviously crucial and everyone in rugby league in general should get behind him.
“It’s sad news and best wishes to him and all involved. It’s still early days for where he is at, at the moment, but it’s definitely saddening.”
Stapleton has been transferred to a spinal unit at Sydney’s Royal North Shore hospital where he is undergoing further treatment.
“During our game last Saturday at West Wyalong, Goldies Men’s player Nathan Stapleton suffered a significant injury during the second half which led to the match being abandoned,” Boorowa Rugby Club posted on Facebook.
“Unfortunately during contact, Nathan fractured his neck and injured his spinal cord, requiring significant medical assistance.
“Through an incredible effort from members of each club, Nathan was given first aid until paramedics could arrive.
“Nathan has begun his recovery at hospital in Sydney, and whilst he shows improvement each day the extent of his injuries and long term impact remain unclear.”
Stapleton scored 17 tries 61 games for the Sharks between 2009 and 2014, before being released to join the Sydney Roosters.
He later moved to England to play with London, and has started a family since moving back to Australia.
Sydney Roosters halfback Luke Keary says he’ll wait until the end of the NRL season to consider an approach to represent Ireland at this year’s Rugby League World Cup.
A hip injury prevented Keary, who qualifies for the Wolfhounds through his paternal grandparents, from winning Irish honours at the World Cup in 2017.
Since then the playmaker has gone on to win two premierships with the Roosters and earn selection with NSW and the Kangaroos.
(Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Keary is now 30, meaning this year’s tournament in England may be his last opportunity to play international football at a World Cup.
“When I got to the Roosters in 2017, I said yes, I was going to play for them,” Keary said. “But I got to the end of the year and had a few niggles and things like that so I didn’t end up playing for them.
“They asked in the off-season (just gone) but I honestly haven’t thought about it, I’m six games back from a knee injury. If I can get through the season first I’ll start to worry about all that.”
Ireland knocked off an Italy side that contained James Tedesco at the 2017 World Cup and have been drawn in a group with New Zealand, Lebanon and newcomers Jamaica for this year’s tournament in England.
As well as a host of players from the Super League, Ireland have sounded out Gold Coast prop Jaimin Jolliffe, Manly centre Morgan Harper and Canberra forward Harry Rushton.
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