Newcastle Knights lodge Anthony Milford contract with NRL

The Knights have upped the ante in their bid to fast-track the NRL return of former Broncos star Anthony Milford.

Anthony Milford’s future is in the hands of the NRL. Picture: John Grainger

Newcastle have upped the ante in their quest to have Anthony Milford in a Knights jersey after formally lodging a contract with the NRL.

The Knights on Thursday confirmed they had sent paperwork to Rugby League Central with the aim of fast-tracking Milford’s comeback, a decision now resting in the hands of NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo.

The NRL had said they would wait until a club attempted to register a contract for Milford before they would make a call. That day has now arrived after Newcastle started the process of having Milford in their ranks for the remaining six months of the rugby league season.

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Newcastle recruitment chief Clint Zammit confirmed the Knights were keen to sign Milford immediately but were waiting on further advice from the NRL.

“We have lodged a contract for Anthony Milford and we are waiting to hear back from the NRL,” he said. “Hopefully Anthony can play for us this season.”

The Knights are keen to sign Anthony Milford. Picture: John Grainger

Milford has been in limbo since being charged by police over an alleged assault in Brisbane late last year. That incident prompted South Sydney to terminate their agreement with him, the relationship between club and player deteriorating to such an extent that it may finish up a legal matter.

In the meantime, Milford had the assault charges dismissed in a Brisbane court earlier this week, pleading guilty two charges of wilful damage and public nuisance.

The NRL has taken a dim view of the incident, having viewed CCTV footage and refused an earlier request from Newcastle for Milford to be allowed to train with the club.

The expectation is that NRL will order Milford to undergo education and training before he is allowed to return to the game, although there is every chance he will be allowed to train with the Knights during that period.

St George Illawarra forward Jack de Belin was banned from playing for two years under the no-fault stand down rule while he fought sexual assault allegations. Yet he was allowed to train and be paid by the Dragons through that period.

Milford is desperate to return to the field, having originally planned to do so with the Rabbitohs before his off-field dramas. Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou knew Milford from Brisbane and revealed he had been in constant contact with the former Broncos half.

“I am not really here to talk about Anthony’s situation at the moment,” Demetriou said.

“Disappointed he didn’t get the opportunity to play for Souths due to the incident. I have been in regular contact with him making sure he is okay first and foremost.

“He is a human, he makes mistakes. I am not just his coach, I am his friend. I will continue to be there in the future.”

Demetriou insisted Souths’ plan had always been to bring Milford to the club as support for young half Lachlan Ilias, who has been handed the No.7 jersey following the departure of Adam Reynolds.

Ilias has grown into the role and will take centre stage on Friday as he makes his first appearance in a Good Friday blockbuster at Accor Stadium.

“He was always the long term prospect for us,” Demetriou said of Ilias.

“We had signed him to a three year deal, we see him as the long term future. Anthony was someone who was going to give us options and security around there but Lachy was always the guy who was going to get the first shot.

“He has done a great job and I am really happy with how he is progressing.”

NRL’S BRUTAL REBUFF OF KNIGHTS AND FORMER $1M MAN

The Anthony Milford saga has exploded with the NRL rejecting Newcastle’s request for the ex-Bronco to train with the Knights and the RLPA slamming the code’s registration process as “completely flawed”.

News Corp can reveal NRL powerbrokers have vetoed a preliminary inquiry from the Knights for Milford to arrive in Newcastle immediately in the latest blow for the former Queensland Origin utility as he tries to revive his career.

The development came as Rugby League Players Association boss Clint Newton took aim at NRL officialdom, lashing their registration process and calling for the code to give players involved in off-field incidents more clarity over their futures.

The Knights are in negotiations with the playmaker’s manager on a short-term, six-month contract, but cannot advance to a planned face-to-face meeting until the NRL integrity unit completes its own probe of Milford’s off-field saga.

The Anthony Milford saga has exploded. Picture: John Grainger

Brisbane’s former $1 million man had three assault charges dropped in a Brisbane court on Monday and was hoping for a swift return to the NRL after six months in exile that has cost Milford $175,000 in wages.

As a starting point, the Knights reached out to the NRL seeking permission for Milford to begin training with Newcastle with a view to him being available for their round 7 clash against the Eels on Sunday week.

But NRL boss Andrew Abdo and the integrity unit blocked moves for Milford to fly into the Steel City for training sessions with Knights players — prompting a fiery riposte from RLPA CEO Newton.

“This is another example of where the NRL’s process of registration is completely flawed,” Newton said.

“It comes back to the process between the NRL and the player being backwards.

“It should be transparent to anyone much earlier whether the NRL would go down an integrity unit route, sanction the player or provide a clear way back so they can appropriately plan for their career and their family.

Anthony Milford’s future is in limbo. Picture: Brad Fleet

“Whether it’s Anthony or other players unable to get registered contracts, the standard response is, ‘no, we are not going to consider anything because no-one is trying to register a contract’.

“But that doesn’t appear to be the case this time.”

In this instance, the Knights want Milford’s signature as a matter of urgency.

It is understood NRL officialdom are concerned by CCTV footage of Milford’s alcohol-fuelled incident, specifically vision of him allegedly pushing a female, who subsequently falls to the ground.

The NRL has taken a strong stance on violence against women and Milford may be ordered to undergo educational training programs before the 193-game veteran is considered a “fit and proper person” to return to the premiership.

Milford’s former Broncos teammate Matt Lodge spent two years on the sidelines following his infamous New York rampage in 2015 before he was allowed to return to the NRL.

The Knights are hoping Milford’s NRL registration is imminent. Newcastle are desperate to bolster their playmaking stocks following a knee injury to halfback Adam Clune, but Milford’s move to the Knights could collapse altogether if the NRL will not register him by June or July.

Milford’s former Broncos coach Wayne Bennett was critical of the NRL on Tuesday and his lawyer Dave Garratt believes the 27-year-old has been treated harshly.

Anthony Milford’s future is in the hands of the NRL. Picture: John Grainger

“Anthony pleaded guilty to two low-level offences (public nuisance and wilful damage),” Garratt said.

“For someone who has come before the courts for the first time ever and is unlikely to come back before the courts again, this is probably one of the harshest examples of extra-curial punishment that I have seen as a lawyer in my time practising in Queensland.”

Newton said NRL players should also have the opportunity to lodge a formal appeal.

“The NRL must provide clarity for those impacted by their flawed registration process,” he said.

“Either give a pathway back into the game to follow or inform the player their registration won’t be considered at all so they can move forward with the next phase of their life.

“The NRL should also give the players and their representatives the ability to review a decision and appeal it.

“This is their careers and livelihoods and so much is at stake for them and their families.

“Currently players have no recourse to challenge a decision to not register their contract. In fact, there is not even an obligation to provide the player with a reason for refusal.

“Now the court case is over, the NRL only now will run an integrity investigation which further delays any return to football for the player and for clubs possibly looking to recruit the player.

“The NRL’s process is not clear or transparent, with the player having a complete lack of clarity on whether or not their contract can be registered.

“When it comes to every issue that affects the player, the player should know where they stand at all times.

“It is a basic right for them to know and unnecessary delays in the process restricts their ability to earn income as a player.”