Sports Confidential: QRL director sets record straight on Billy Slater; Anthony Milford has new NRL team
Unwanted by the Broncos and facing a future in the UK Super League, Anthony Milford has found an NRL suitor. That and more in Sports Confidential.
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It’s official. Unwanted Broncos playmaker Anthony Milford will be playing in the NRL next season.
Sport Confidential can reveal Milford’s management is in the advanced stages of brokering a deal that will ensure Brisbane’s $1 million five-eighth, who turned 27 last Sunday, will not be forced to move offshore to England’s Super League.
Milford’s future employer is unknown but the one certainty is the former Queensland Origin utility will be playing in the NRL next season.
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There are countless examples of players who have resurrected their NRL careers with a switch of clubs and Milford is hoping a fresh start in 2022 will see him recapture the form that almost saw him win the Clive Churchill Medal in the 2015 grand-final.
Milford has been heavily linked with Souths through incoming coach Jason Demetriou, who will replace Wayne Bennett at Redfern next season and worked with the pivot during his time as an assistant at Red Hill.
The Rabbitohs are set to lose Adam Reynolds and Benji Marshall next season and Milford could be a bargain-buy option to support Cody Walker in the halves.
Another possible suitor is the Gold Coast, whose coach Justin Holbrook has refused to rule out making a play for Milford.
They originally baulked at his $600,000-a-season asking price, but the Titans are open to assessing Milford’s credentials on a discounted rate if he is interested in remaining in south-east Queensland.
Holbrook was vague when asked about his interest in Milford.
“I’m not too sure,” he said.
“All those ones are up in the air and he’s only up the road, which is good.
“I’m not too sure what’s going to come for Anthony.”
SLATER MAROONS COACH RUMOUR ‘SIMPLY NOT TRUE’
Queensland rugby league director Darryl Van de Velde has broken his silence on rumours he was the high-powered executive who offered Billy Slater the Maroons’ coaching job.
Queensland legend Paul ‘Fatty’ Vautin claimed on ABC radio in the lead-up to Origin III that Slater was offered the Origin job this year ahead of Paul Green, only to go cold on the post when the QRL allegedly asked the Storm legend to take part in a formal interview.
Speculation is rife one Queensland director went rogue by privately promising the job to Slater without formal approval from the QRL board.
The QRL appointed a three-man sub-committee — comprising Van de Velde, chairman Bruce Hatcher and CEO Rob Moore — to assess potential candidates and make a recommendation to the board, who would rubber-stamp the candidate.
Van de Velde has been fingered as the director who wanted Slater to coach the Maroons this year, but he has set the record straight with Sport Confidential.
“Billy was never promised the job,” Van de Velde said.
“That is simply not true. I will categorically deny that ... that never happened.
“I don’t know where people come up with these rumours. I was involved in the process, so I know exactly what happened.
“How can I promise Billy Slater a job? I’m on a board with eight other people who make a collective decision.
“It’s ridiculous to suggest I offered Billy the job. In real terms, it can’t happen.”
There were suggestions that Slater refused to be interviewed for the job, but Van de Velde confirmed two interviews took place.
“I was on the committee and we interviewed two people, Billy and Paul Green,” he said.
“At no stage did I say I could make it happen for Billy.
“I spoke to Billy to inquire if he was keen to coach Queensland and from there we went through a thorough process.
“Some of the stuff that has been alleged has been totally incorrect. Billy was very honourable and humbled to be invited to go for the job.
“We made a recommendation to the board and the board made the final decision. The process was very thorough.”
ARROW SHOOTING FOR QUEENSLAND
The NRL and South Sydney are exploring the possibility of Maroons forward Jai Arrow heading to Queensland to join the Rabbitohs’ hub.
Arrow was banished into home quarantine in Sydney after breaching the NRL’s strict biosecurity protocols by inviting a woman in Camp Maroon last week.
He was kicked out of Queensland’s camp, ruled out of Game Three, banned for two games and fined $35,000 by the NRL.
Arrow had to be chauffeured back to Sydney because he wasn’t allowed to fly on a commercial plane.
He was ordered to undergo a 14-day home isolation period, which doesn’t expire for another week, before he would be allowed to rejoin the Souths bubble.
However with the Rabbitohs now based in Queensland, and Arrow alone in Sydney, the game is looking at ways to bring him back to the Sunshine State.
Ironically, the Rabbitohs are based on the Gold Coast but we are tipping Arrow won’t dare breach the bubble again.
BENNETT HAPPY IN WAYNE’S WORLD
The NRL’s month-long relocation to Queensland has triggered the possibility of Souths super coach Wayne Bennett staying in his home state for life.
Bennett is off-contract at season’s end and has confirmed he will formally move to Brisbane when his South Sydney deal officially expires on October 31.
But with the NRL facing the very real prospect of extending their stay in Queensland and finishing the 2021 season in the Sunshine State if the Covid crisis continues, Bennett may not return to Sydney at all.
The NRL’s expansion plan is another key consideration. Bennett is the red-hot favourite to coach a new second Brisbane team in 2023, but if the NRL delays the expansion push for a further 12 months until 2024, the 71-year-old could be in limbo.
Bennett, however, says he will not be rushing into any decision on his coaching future.
“The expansion issue has nothing to do with me,” said Bennett, who arrived on the Gold Coast on Wednesday.
“I have made a decision to go back to Brisbane and I will make a decision after that.
“It won’t change my life whether they delay expansion or not because I haven’t made a decision on my future. I’ll see what happens.
“At the end of this footy season, I’m going home to Queensland and I’ll see what happens then. Souths are keen for me to stay on in another role, but I haven’t signed anywhere.
“I haven’t committed to anything.”
A MILLION REASONS TO KEEP HAAS AT RED HILL
Is Payne Haas worth $1 million a season?
News Corp’s revelation that the Broncos are in talks with Haas on a proposed 10-year, $10 million deal has ignited debate within the code about whether the NSW Origin enforcer belongs in the NRL’s elite Millionaire’s Club.
According to former Queensland Origin lock Scott Sattler, who has watched Haas closely since his teens in his commentary role on Channel Nine’s former coverage of the Intrust Super Cup, it would be a smart investment by the Broncos.
“I think Payne Haas is worth $1 million,” Sattler said.
“I don’t think a long-term deal is risky with Payne. He is the ultimate competitor and I’ve heard legendary stories about him winning fitness sessions at Broncos at six-foot five and 118kg.
“His chase the other week against the Sharks was phenomenal. He cornered the ball-runner then turned and chased for a second effort to deny the Sharks a try. To do that in the 80th minute speaks volumes for how competitive he is.
“He just has a rare work ethic for a young player. I believe Payne is close to becoming a complete package as a front-rower and by the time he retires, we will be talking about him in the same breath as Glenn Lazarus, Shane Webcke and Arthur Beetson.
“I don’t think many clubs would argue that he is worth around that $1 million figure.”
BURLEIGH FLYER ON TRACK FOR NRL
The Burleigh Bears have unearthed an excitement machine who is catching the eye of NRL clubs.
Playmaking dynamo Shallin Fuller is setting the Intrust Super Cup on fire since being promoted to Queensland’s top competition.
Fuller, 21, has been coming off the bench for the Bears and making a huge impact on Burleigh’s rise up the ladder.
In five games the Beaudesert product has produced nine try assists and scored three tries himself.
Fuller and Titans livewire Jayden Campbell dominated the 2019 Colts competition for Burleigh and now they could rekindle their combination at the Gold Coast NRL club.
“Shallin Fuller is a name you’ll hear in the next couple of years. He has the potential to go to the NRL,” said Bears CEO Damian Driscoll.
“He is in the mould of Jayden Campbell. They played in the 2019 Colts side that tore the comp apart.
“Jamal Fogarty (Titans halfback from Beaudesert) brought him to our club. If he can put his head down and work hard he could play at the next level.
“He does stuff that others can’t do.”
MAKE YOUR BEDS, BOYS
They may be staying in five-star accommodation but it’s definitely not a full-service experience for NRL stars in their Queensland hubs.
Twelve clubs from NSW and Canberra have relocated to the Sunshine State to ensure the NRL season can continue amid Sydney’s worrying Covid outbreak.
They are staying in some of south east Queensland’s top hotels on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts and Brisbane.
But biosecurity protocols have stopped them from enjoying all the hotels have to offer.
Housekeeping has been banned at at least one of the hubs at Twin Waters on the Sunshine Coast.
The players don’t get their rooms made or sheets changed because the NRL can’t risk the spread of potential infection.
The buffet has also been banned and replaced with individual meals for the hungry players.
EXPANSION GURU’S WARNING TO THE NRL
Queensland’s rugby league director Darryl Van de Velde knows a thing or two about NRL expansion. He was a key figure in the birth of Brisbane’s second team to rival the Broncos, the South Queensland Crushers, way back in 1995.
The Crushers lasted just three seasons before being killed off at the end of 1997 as part of peace talks in the ARL-Super League war.
Now, as the NRL considers another second Brisbane team, Van de Velde says the ARL Commission must make a decision soon to ensure a 17th club has time to field a competitive squad for the 2023 season.
There are fears the latest Covid crisis could delay expansion until 2024.
“From my experience with the Crushers, I think the NRL has to make a decision on expansion by October or it will be very difficult for a new team to start attracting players and negotiating contracts for 2023,” he said.
“I’d like to think we will have a new team in 2023 but in terms of timeframes, it’s getting close.
“The NRL has to do this in the next couple of months or logistically it would be very difficult for a new club to be up and running for 2023.
“It’s a challenging climate but we have to look at increasing the depth of Queensland eligible players and the only way to increase that is to have another Queensland-based team in the NRL.”
Asked where a new second Brisbane club should be based, Van de Velde said: “The western-corridor is a huge growth corridor for the NRL, but a key consideration will be financial viability.
“The organisation has to have financial sustainability and Redcliffe have got the assets and non-rugby league assets too.
“The Easts Tigers (Firehawks bid) also have strong finances so that has to be considered.”
HANNANT WANTS TO BASH TEVITA
A State of Origin war is brewing off the field with former Queensland prop Ben Hannant calling out NSW hopeful Tevita Pangai Jr for a heavyweight boxing blockbuster.
Hannant showed tremendous heart when he jumped into the ring with Canberra hitman Josh Papalii in the inaugural NRL All Stars Boxing event in Townsville back in February.
Hannant had never previously boxed, but the three-round, six-minute showdown with Papalii, who won a unanimous points decision, ignited his competitive sporting juices.
Now the ‘Polar Bear’ is gunning for Pangai Jr, who has been offered the chance to trade blows with Hannant in the proposed second instalment of the NRL All Stars Boxing, scheduled for October this year.
Pangai Jr’s younger brother is a handy boxer. The Broncos forward is no stranger to sparring sessions and would pack a punch with his explosive 113kg frame.
But Hannant isn’t scared of Pangai Jr and is ready to begin training to be in the shape of his life if the Tongan Test star is keen to go toe-to-toe.
KELLY SET TO SOLDIER ON
Albert Kelly’s remarkable NRL renaissance is set to continue.
The Broncos have opened talks with Kelly to remain at Red Hill as Brisbane look to bolster their playmaking stocks to support first-choice halves Adam Reynolds and Kotoni Staggs next season.
Kelly only arrived at Red Hill over summer on a train-and-trial deal from the English Super League, but the former Titans halfback has made the most of his return, making his Broncos debut in May.
The 30-year-old engineered a stunning 34-16 boilover of the Roosters and has managed three games this season. Kelly remains off-contract but he is keen to stay at the Broncos in 2022 on a cut-price deal as playmaking insurance for marquee recruit Reynolds.
Originally published as Sports Confidential: QRL director sets record straight on Billy Slater; Anthony Milford has new NRL team
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