Former Origin star Anthony Milford’s career is at the crossroads after Wayne Bennett pulled the trigger and dropped the five-eighth from the Dolphins’ team for their first NRL match against the Sydney Roosters, naming 19-year-old debutant Isaiya Katoa to start at No.6.
Milford looked sluggish in the pre-season and Bennett, who never dropped the 28-year-old in four seasons at the Broncos where he was one of his favourite players, made the surprising call to punt the 206-game veteran for a debutant.
“The reality is where does Anthony want to be in 12 months time – does he want to be back on top of his game or in and out of the team like a yoyo?” Bennett told News Corp.
“Anthony is at an age now where he is mature enough. He knows all about the game. He has been through enough tough times, so he has to make a deliberate choice about where he wants to be.
CLICK HERE for a seven-day free trial for your favourite sport on KAYO
“Time is running out but Anthony still has time (to resurrect his NRL career).”
Anthony Milford. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
The Samoan international exited Brisbane in controversial circumstances at the end of 2021 and spent last season at Newcastle where he struggled for the under-performing team.
He was offered an extension at the Knights but the Dolphins tempted him north to be one of the highest-profile signings for the foundation club.
Dolphins captain Jesse Bromwich said it was up to Milford to show he wants to earn his spot.
“Milf has got a fight in front of him and I’d love to see him step up and get that jersey back,” Bromwich said.
He added that Katoa, who performed strongly for Tonga at the end of last year, was ready to step up at NRL level after being a standout in the Penrith juniors.
“At the World Cup he did some really good things too and I think kids these days are just so much more confident than they used to be,” Bromwich said.
“He has done a really good job at training and showed he has got the potential and skill to be a really good first-grader. You’ve got to start somewhere.
“I have full confidence in him. He has a mature head and is really good at organising.”
Isaiya Katoa. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Arthur won’t rush Moses to make decision
Parramatta coach Brad Arthur says he hasn’t felt the need to coerce star halfback Mitchell Moses into staying with the club as the wait for clarity on his contract status rumbles on.
The Eels, who begin their 2023 NRL campaign with a home game against Melbourne on Thursday, are still waiting on Moses to commit his long-term future at the club after coming off contract in November.
Moses has been heavily linked with a return to Wests Tigers and indicated in early February he wanted a decision wrapped up by round one.
But on Tuesday, Arthur was still waiting for an answer. “I’d love to be able to tell you what’s happening there,” the Eels coach said.
“He’ll make his announcement when he’s ready. I haven’t talked to Mitch – and you might think that’s crap – but it’s true.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
“I had a conversation with him early in the piece about my desire for him to stay. I don’t feel like I need to be bugging him every day about it. I’ll leave that to the players, they’ve done a fair job of ribbing him about that.
“All I can go off is how he’s trained and he’s buying into the club moving forward and what we’re about.”
Arthur is set to blood plenty of fresh faces in the Eels line-up when they face the Storm.
Seven of the 17-man squad who played in last year’s grand final are injured, unavailable or have left the club over the off-season. The extent of their injuries is such the Eels have received an exemption to include winger Isaac Lumelume, who isn’t in their top-30 squad, to face the Storm.
“I’ve always stated we’ve got the utmost respect for Melbourne Storm and the style that they play doesn’t change a lot from year to year,” Arthur said. “They are tough, gritty and you know what they’re up for.
“We like that challenge because we know that we have to come ready to play because if we don’t, we’re going to be embarrassed. They have good a good history of starting the season (well) and you know they’ll be ready to go.”
JT tips Payten to usher in golden era
North Queensland legend Johnathan Thurston says the re-signing of coach Todd Payten until the end of 2026 has set the club up to win a second NRL premiership.
Thurston, who co-captained the Cowboys to their maiden title in 2015, told AAP that 44-year-old Payten had the people skills and rugby league nous to lead the club into a golden era.
When asked what qualities Payten possessed that made him the ideal long-term Cowboys coach, Thurston was emphatic.
“It is the communication skills Toddy has with all his players. They are well aware of what he wants from them individually as players, but more importantly as people as well,” Thurston told AAP at Channel Nine’s Wide World of Sports NRL launch in Brisbane.
“I truly believe that Toddy believes better people make better players.
“We have seen the emergence of quality young guys in the spine like Scott Drinkwater, Tom Dearden and Reece Robson who have stepped up to the plate under Toddy.
“Having recruited the experience of (captain) Chad Townsend and (centre) Peta Hiku has helped those boys.”
Payten took the Cowboys from 15th in his first year to third last season. He recently inked a three-year extension.
“It is important to have Toddy there long-term to provide stability at the club, and they need to build on what they achieved last year,” he said.
“The young boys have got to learn how to win games now that they are the hunted.
“I think a lot of people thought they surprised everyone last year, but I know within those four walls they were confident in their ability to get where they are.
“Now they can build on that. It is going to be a big year for them.”
Fullback Drinkwater wasn’t in the top 17 at the start of last year, but after embracing Payten’s call to play in the No.1 jersey had his best season and re-signed until the end of 2027.
“Drinky missed the first four rounds, got his opportunity and took it with both hands,” Thurston said.
(Photo by Emily Barker/Getty Images)
“If our forward pack can stay healthy then what the boys in the spine learned last year will enable them to take the next step and lead them around.”
Thurston said the side could “definitely” follow in the footsteps of Penrith and build towards another premiership and consistent standards of excellence.
“We have seen the emergence of young boys who have been in our academy system,” Thurston said.
“Second-rower Jeremiah Nanai has just re-signed for four years. (Forward) Heilum Luki is there until 2025 and (winger) Murray Taulagi until 2026.
“There is real stability at the club. They are a tight-knit group that understands it hurts to win. You’ve got to take yourself to a place that not many people do to get the job done. They are willing to do what it takes.”
Discussion about this post