Broncos coach Anthony Seibold gives Anthony Milford the freedom to run the ball
After too many seasons of frustration, the message for Brisbane playmaker Anthony Milford couldn’t be clearer.
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Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold has challenged Anthony Milford to “run the ball”, saying he purchased Brodie Croft in a strategic bid to give the Broncos ace the freedom to run riot.
Milford has never been under more pressure than when he launches his eighth NRL season in Friday night’s season opener against the Cowboys at North Queensland Stadium.
Five years ago, Milford was among the code’s most dominant playmakers after going within a whisker of winning the Clive Churchill Medal in Brisbane’s grand final loss to arch rivals the Cowboys.
Now the 25-year-old faces a career-defining campaign at Red Hill, with Broncos bosses losing patience with several senior players, including Milford, in the wake of last season’s 58-0 finals horror show against the Eels.
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There is a sentiment that the Broncos have failed Milford, forcing him into a game-management role because they have lacked a genuine organiser at No.7.
But Seibold has acted decisively, telling The Courier-Mail he dipped into the player market to snare Croft from Melbourne to bring stability to the Broncos scrumbase and give Milford a licence to thrill.
“I just want Anthony to run this season. Run the ball,” Seibold said.
“’Milf’ is just a natural football player. When he plays unshackled, he is as good as anyone in the comp.
“What I want from ‘Milf’ this season is simple – I want to free him up.
“The reason I brought in Brodie (from the Storm) and have Tom Dearden as a back-up No.7 is so that they can organise the team and, that way, ‘Milf’ can play eyes-up footy.
“Having Brodie frees Anthony up.
“Milf is an elite talent, I can’t coach the gifts he has got, but now I want him to run and play direct and back himself.”
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This is a critical season for Milford. He is technically off-contract this season, but has until May to inform the Broncos whether he will activate a 12-month extension to remain at Red Hill in 2021.
Milford’s off-field role at Red Hill underlines the complex narrative that swirls around him. Despite being the highest-paid player in the club’s history, and having amassed 167 first-grade games, Milford has not been included in Brisbane’s leadership group this season.
Queensland fullback legend Gary Belcher believes giving Milford the captaincy would force him to go to another level of performance, but Seibold is content for the Maroons utility to focus solely on firing in the No.6 jumper.
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“I don’t think ‘Milly’ needs that responsibility (of being in the leadership group),” he said.
“I don’t think it matters, without talking about his salary, that he is not in the leadership group.
“We have a specific role for Milly to play. We want all of our players to lead with their actions on the field and out here at training.
“That is not an unusual decision to not have your number six in the leadership group.
“In some ways, Milf is an uncomfortable leader. I just want him to focus on himself. I think he has had a really good pre-season with some of that pressure taken off him and I expect him to shine this year, I really do.”
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Broncos skipper Alex Glenn urged Milford to reprise the running game that inspired Brisbane’s charge to the 2015 decider.
“I honestly think five-eighth is his best position,” he said. “Croft is sort of like our commander. In previous years, we’ve had Milford and Kodi (Nikorima), who are two very similar players, and trying to change their game to be a commander. That can easily throw you off.
“We’ve seen what Milly can do when he has a commanding halfback, for example Benny Hunt in 2015, and Milford was allowed to play his own game.
“He needs to get his hands on the ball as much as he can, without having to think too much … that’s when he’s at his best.”