Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold won’t change things up for clash with Cronulla

Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold has resisted the temptation to switch up his ailing halves combination and will stick with Anthony Milford and Kodi Nikorima for the clash with Cronulla.

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 21: Anthony Milford of the Broncos looks dejected after a Raiders try during the round 6 NRL match between the Canberra Raiders and the Brisbane Broncos at GIO Stadium on April 21, 2019 in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

• COMEBACK: How Don made it back from the brink

• SKIPPER: Could McGuire lead Queensland?

Broncos coach Anthony Seibold will resist the temptation to blood halfback sensation Tom Dearden for Saturday night’s crucial clash against Cronulla at Suncorp Stadium.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Seibold will stick with underwire halves Kodi Nikorima and Anthony Milford as the Broncos look to snap a four-match losing streak and improve a spluttering 1-5 record against the Sharks.

Seibold named Dearden in his extended 21-man squad for the first time on Tuesday. The 18-year-old has been training with the top squad in recent days, fuelling speculation Nikorima or Milford could be squeezed out to clear the path for Dearden’s shock debut.

Dearden was named in the 21-man squad for the first time. AAP/Image Sarah Marshall.

But despite his youth policy, the Broncos coach is reluctant to throw Dearden in the deep end as he backs the misfiring Milford-Nikorima alliance to get the job done against the Sharks.

The promising playmaker will be culled from Brisbane’s squad, with Dearden set to line up for Wynnum Manly in their Intrust Super Cup clash against Souths Logan on Sunday.

The clash at Stradbroke Island’s Ron Stark Oval will pit Dearden against halfback rival Tanah Boyd, the blond-haired, Allan Langer-lookalike who is one of several rookie playmakers putting pressure on Milford and Nikorima.

Milford has struggled all season. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images.

Seibold has a huge opinion of Dearden, but believes the 84kg teenager simply isn’t ready for the pressures of NRL shot-calling after just four matches of Intrust Super Cup experience.

The Mackay product received mentoring from Cowboys champion Johnathan Thurston in January at a Queensland junior Emerging Origin squad camp and is tipped to play first grade in the next 12 months.

Broncos skipper Darius Boyd believes Dearden has the talent to play NRL but, like Seibold, is wary of him being exposed too soon.

“What I have seen he could definitely play right now but I don’t want to put too much pressure on him,” Boyd said.

Is the clock ticking for Milford? AAP/Image Sarah Marshall.

“He’s pushing for a spot, definitely.

“Steering a team around the park (in NRL) is very different to a couple of Q Cup games … but what I have seen I wouldn’t be surprised if he played (NRL soon) and played well.

“I didn’t know much about him before he came here and he came to pre-season late but ever since he has come to the club he has been doing some pretty special things.

“For his age, he’s beyond his years. Without putting too much pressure on him he is going to be a player to watch for the future, for sure.

“I think he is going to make the NRL very, very soon.”