Wayne Bennett says Anthony Milford must perform or risk being moved on by Dolphins

He was once a $1 million NRL superstar, but former Broncos whiz-kid Anthony Milford is under the pump at the Dolphins and has arrived at the last-chance saloon with coach Wayne Bennett.

Anthony Milford is fighting for his NRL career at the Dolphins. Picture: Getty Images

Super coach Wayne Bennett says Anthony Milford is fighting to save his NRL career as the Dolphins extend their poaching net to target Cowboys playmaker Tom Dearden.

This masthead can reveal Milford is on notice with the Dolphins after a meeting with Bennett, who has privately outlined a series of non-negotiable demands in a last-ditch attempt to reignite the fallen NRL superstar.

The Milford development comes as the Dolphins explore their options on the open market. On Friday, Bennett confirmed his interest in Broncos grand-final hero Ezra Mam, and Queensland Origin star Dearden is also on their radar as Milford faces an uncertain future at Redcliffe.

In 2017, Milford was one of the superstars of the NRL, becoming the first player in Broncos history to sign a $1 million-a-season deal.

But as the Dolphins begin ramping up their 2024 pre-season, Milford is off-contract next year and faces a perform-or-perish scenario after a disappointing 2023 campaign under Bennett in the new franchise’s premiership debut.

Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett says it’s time for Anthony Milford to perform or perish.

Milford turns 30 next July and Bennett says the buck stops with the former Queensland Origin star if he wants to avoid being cut by the Dolphins for 2025.

“It’s a really important year for Anthony,” Bennett said.

“He isn’t getting any younger and it’s the last year of his contract, so he will obviously want to stay here if he can.

“We’ve had a chat, ‘Milf’ knows what I need and he knows what we need from him as a club.

“Anthony knows what a good player he is and he just has to be that player.

“When we signed him last year, he had an option to stay at Newcastle, but he wanted to come back to Brisbane.

“His football has to do the talking for him now.”

Bennett has shown he is not afraid to make ruthless calls on his roster.

The NRL’s greatest coach dropped his first bombshell at the Dolphins in March when he sensationally axed Milford as his No.1 five-eighth, instead blooding teenager Isaiya Katoa for the club’s historic debut game against the Roosters.

Milford finished the season with 11 games, but he drifted in and out of the top squad due to a series of injuries, including hamstring and shoulder problems.

Bennett and Milford were coach and star five-eighth in Brisbane’s charge to the 2015 grand final.

Statistically, the 2023 campaign was the toughest of Milford’s 10-year tenure in the NRL, with career-low marks for average minutes, average runs, average metres, tackle busts and offloads.

The 217-game veteran had an option to leave the Dolphins later in the season after fielding a three-year offer from a Super League club.

Bennett was prepared to authorise an early release for Milford, who ultimately knocked back the move abroad, reluctant to relocate his wife and young family to England.

Once one of the code’s most lethal attacking players, Milford goes into the 2024 season as a free agent and Bennett will use the trials to determined whether Samoa’s World Cup pivot makes the top 17.

There is a view Milford has lost the hunger to win an NRL premiership — but Bennett is giving his former Broncos whiz-kid one final chance to shine.

Milford has knocked back interest from England’s Super League to honour his deal at the Dolphins.

“Anthony will be staying with us next season, I’ve heard nothing to the contrary,” the Dolphins coach said of Milford being linked to a Super League shift.

“There was a lot of talk about him going to England but nothing has happened.

“Anthony always rings me up and tells me what’s going on and I haven’t had a phone call from him saying he wants to leave, so everything is fine.

“We saw glimpses of his best last year, but he had a few injuries and a few setbacks that put him out of action.

“He needs a good run with injury and he has to make sure he nails the pre-season.

“He made a decision not to play for Samoa this year (in the recent Pacific Championships) to get himself fit, so he has shown his commitment to the Dolphins.

“He just has to bring the skills that Milf brings and he will have nothing to worry about.”

The Broncos remain confident of staving off rival interest for Mam, while the Dolphins are interested in Dearden, but they won’t get into a big-money bidding war for the off-contract Cowboys playmaker.

Katoa and Sean O’Sullivan are the frontrunners to be the Dolphins’ starting halves in 2024, putting pressure on Milford to fight his way back.

Originally published as Wayne Bennett says Anthony Milford must perform or risk being moved on by Dolphins