Broncos half Anthony Milford earns attention from shock club

While Anthony Milford has spent several unproductive years in Brisbane, a surprise suitor is reportedly chasing his signature.

Anthony Milford at Broncos training.

The Cronulla Sharks are reportedly firming as the likely home of unwanted Broncos playmaker Anthony Milford.

On Fox League’s NRL 360 on Tuesday night, The Australian’s Brent Read reported that the Sharks would “explore every half in the game” with Milford seemingly in the club’s crosshairs.

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Milford appeared to be an astute pick up for the Broncos, a big part of the club making the grand final in 2015 after joining the club.

While they ultimately lost to the North Queensland Cowboys, Milford played well enough to earn a four-year $1 million contract extension from the 2017 season.

But Milford’s form fell off a cliff, with the star even dropped from the wooden spooners earlier in the year.

Rugby league great Greg Alexander even stated that Milford “absolutely stole 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,” Alexander continued at the time.

“I agree with Kevin Walters, he doesn’t deserve another contract, go and find another club unless we see a massive change. It’s got to be a massive change but this is contract year and we’ve seen that in the past too, I better aim up.”

Anthony Milford against the Cowboys

He later apologised for the comments but Milford has been on the outer at the club, failing to impress at reserve grade level but promoted back to the Broncos side.

While questions over the half and his future have been peppered at coach Kevin Walters throughout the season, with the belief Milford could look at the Super League or another NRL club at a drastically reduced price.

With the halves market still up in the air, it reportedly appears more likely that Adam Reyolds will sign with the Broncos on a reported four-year $2.8m deal, after the Sharks reportedly offered a $700,000 and less after that.

Souths coach Wayne Bennett confirmed Reynolds would leave the club at the end of the year, seemingly leaving the door open for Milford at the Sharks.

“We seem to talk about Adam Reynolds all the time but there was a rumour going around that he would make a decision in the next 24 hours,” Read told NRL360.

“The Broncos believe that it’s just about over the line in Brisbane, I’m dubious about that.

“I don’t think that’s the case but I think a decision is imminent, I think Brisbane can consider themselves frontrunners.

“Speaking to Cronulla today their optimism is waning. They’re considering some other targets, one of those is Anthony Milford.

“I think they will explore every half in the game. I don’t think anyone is off the market.”

Milford played reserve grade after being dropped earlier in the season.

As for Shaun Johnson, Read added that he looks to be on the outer as he has failed to impress on return from an Achilles injury.

“I don’t know what’s going on with Shaun there. I don’t think he’s a fait accompli, I think he was originally,” Read said.

“But given the way he’s played the last few weeks and some murmurs coming out of the Sharks camp is that Johnson isn’t a huge priority at the moment.”

But SEN’s Andrew Voss said he wasn’t sure if Milford would be the man to turn the Sharks around, despite Craig Fitzgibbon coming in as coach.

“That’s an interesting one for me, I’m unsure on it,” Voss said.