Broncos gun Anthony Milford gets clearance for Round 1 start

The Brisbane Broncos have received some clarity on star half Anthony Milford’s injury as the club’s opening match against the Melbourne Storm on March 14 draws closer.

Anthony Milford. The Brisbane Broncos training at Red Hill. Pic Peter Wallis

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The Broncos have received a huge boost with star five-eighth Anthony Milford getting a medical clearance on a hamstring injury to start the NRL premiership.

Milford injured his hamstring a fortnight ago and was subsequently placed in cotton wool for Brisbane’s entire pre-season trial campaign – including tomorrow night’s final hitout against the Titans at Cbus Super Stadium.

But Brisbane’s $1 million man has been cleared for premiership take-off, with new Broncos coach Anthony Seibold to unleash Milford for their Round 1 blockbuster against the Storm on Thursday week.

Anthony Milford will be right to go for Round 1. Picture: Peter Wallis

In another fillip for Brisbane, rampaging forward Tevita Pangai Jr (hamstring) will also be fit to face the 2018 grand finalists as Milford and the Broncos prepare for a daunting trip to AAMI Park.

“Anthony Milford was available (for tomorrow’s game) but we have decided to rest him (for Round 1),” Seibold said.

“It’s only 13 days now until we play the Storm.

“Anthony was cleared for full training two days ago so we just think it’s best he has a good build-up.”

Milford, Brisbane’s reigning player of the year, was itching to have a crack at the Titans tomorrow night, but Seibold urged his classy pivot to save his magic for the premiership.

“Anthony could play (tonight),” he said. “But we wanted to give him a longer preparation into the Storm game, so we have no concerns with his hamstring and none with Tevita as well.

Young guns Thomas Flegler, Tanah Boyd, Tevita Pangai and Jamil Hopoate at training. Picture: AAP Image

“Milf has had a disrupted pre-season with his shoulder reconstruction and for two-and-a-half weeks there where he was working on a slight hammy injury.

“But he is really confident. I had a good conversation with him, he was desperate to play this week, but I said let’s be smart about this and he understands that.”

The Broncos will field a near full-strength team at Robina with big guns Darius Boyd, Corey Oates, James Roberts, Andrew McCullough and Matt Gillett to blow out the cobwebs against the Titans.

Gillett, returning from a fractured neck, will play a foreign role in midfield in the No.13 jumper, with young gun David Fifita to start on the edges in the back row.

Seibold said he is keen to ease Gillett back into the NRL in his return from a career-threatening neck injury.

“Matt will play through the middle,” he said. “It’s a new position and a new role for ‘Gillo’ and one we want to have a look at this weekend.

“You use trial games to trial some things and we want to have a look at Gillo through the middle of the park.

“We know how well Matt plays on the edge but we want to simplify his role, it’s his first game for a long period of time.”