NRL 2021: Broncos playmaker Anthony Milford dropped for Penrith clash

Anthony Milford looks set to be axed from the Broncos first grade side for the first time in nine years after another game littered with poor decisions.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 27: Anthony Milford of the Broncos passes the ball during the round three NRL match between the Brisbane Broncos and the Canterbury Bulldogs at Suncorp Stadium on March 27, 2021, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Besieged Broncos playmaker Anthony Milford is set to be dropped for Thursday’s epic encounter against Penrith at Suncorp Stadium.

The 26-year-old trained with the Broncos reserve squad during Brisbane’s Monday training session in an early indication he will be axed from the first grade side for the first time in nine years.

Tom Dearden and Brodie Croft were instead playing as the club’s first choice halves as coach Kevin Waters begins to “put his foot down” to stop the rot at Red Hill.

Talented youngster Tesi Niu was also dropped to the reserves squad with Jesse Arthars training in his place of right centre.

“(Kevvie) has drawn a line in the sand,” Brisbane enforcer Matt Lodge said.

“Although I feel sorry for the guys who miss out, you can’t keep doing the same thing week in, week out and expect change.

“Kevvie has looked at the game and found some things he’s not happy with and he’s holding people accountable.

“We all know Milf is a talented first grade footballer but he and a couple of others aren’t doing what Kevvie wants and I applaud him for putting his foot down.”

MILF ULTIMATUM: TIMELINE TO SAVE BRONCOS CAREER

By Peter Badel

Besieged Anthony Milford has 10 games to save his Broncos career.

News Corp can reveal Broncos bosses will decide by mid-June whether to table a new contract for Milford – or point to the Red Hill exits for the only $1 million player in Brisbane‘s 33-year history.

Pressure is building on the off-contract Milford to prove he is worth retaining after the he again came under fire for some poor last-play options in Brisbane‘s 35-6 loss to Souths last Thursday night.

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Anthony Milford is under immense pressure to perform.

Broncos coach Kevin Walters said a fortnight ago he wouldn‘t be afraid to drop Milford to the Intrust Super Cup and it remains to be seen whether he will swing the axe for Thursday night’s clash against Penrith at Suncorp Stadium.

Either way, Milford is fast hurtling toward his moment of reckoning at the Broncos.

Walters is one of Milford‘s biggest fans but he wants to see more consistency from the 185-game veteran and the next 10 weeks will determine whether the Broncos coach finally pulls the trigger on his enigmatic playmaker.

Walters is putting the Broncos‘ roster under the microscope and Brisbane’s recruitment-and-retention committee want to make some firm decisions around the composition of their 2022 squad before June 30.

Milford is currently one of 12 players off-contract at season‘s end - skipper Alex Glenn, Xavier Coates, Kotoni Staggs and Tom Dearden are other free agents - and Brisbane have yet to offer him a new deal for next year.

The 26-year-old has attracted interest from two Sydney clubs, but is facing a $500,000 pay cut on his next deal.

Anthony Milford at Broncos training . Pic Annette Dew

Milford was hailed as the whiz-kid who could break Brisbane‘s premiership drought when he was handed a four-year, $4 million deal at age 23 in 2017, but the monster deal has been a millstone around his neck.

It could now finally sink him.

Unless Milford can produce a stunning fightback over the next 10 rounds, the Broncos will look to use Staggs at five-eighth next year alongside either Dearden, Brodie Croft or potential Souths recruit Adam Reynolds at halfback.

Broncos skipper Alex Glenn urged club hierarchy not to give up on Milford, saying Brisbane‘s forward pack is failing to deliver a platform for the quick-stepping pivot.

“I hope the club stick by ‘Milf’ and keep him here,” he said.

“I though Milf‘s defence was outstanding (against Souths last Thursday), he brought a lot of aggression to our defence.

Kotoni Staggs is waiting in the wings to take over the No.6 role.

“He has so much X-factor, but it‘s hard for our halves to play their best footy when we are trying to come out of our own end.

“When we start rolling down the field, that‘s when Milf starts playing his best footy.

“But when we are relying on him to pull something out of nothing, that‘s unfair pressure on him.

“We can‘t expect him to do that every game. As forwards, we need to help him and own our own roles for Milf to be at his best.”

Penrith playmaking great Greg Alexander has been a savage critic of Milford over the past fortnight, insisting he doesn‘t deserve another contract.

“Absolutely not,” he told Fox League. “Four million dollars? You almost don’t give him another dollar because he’s absolutely stolen money from them for the last four years.

“He has not fired a shot for four years. Since the 2015 grand final, there has not been anything coming from Anthony Milford.

“I agree with Kevin Walters, he doesn’t deserve another contract, go and find another club unless we see a massive change.

“He‘s had a shocking attitude.”