Search

show me:

Seibold wants Milford at No.1 next year

3 minute read

Anthony Milford's switch to fullback seems to be a long-term proposition with Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold outlining he wants Milford in No.1 next year.

ANTHONY MILFORD of the Broncos passes the ball during the NRL match between the Brisbane Broncos and the Sydney Roosters at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia.
ANTHONY MILFORD of the Broncos passes the ball during the NRL match between the Brisbane Broncos and the Sydney Roosters at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold wants Anthony Milford to be his fullback, for now and the future.

While a knee injury will sideline Milford for Sunday's NRL clash with Cronulla, Seibold says he'll be back in the No.1 jersey when he returns.

Seibold pulled a shock switch before last weekend's clash with Newcastle at McDonald Jones Stadium, starting Darius Boyd at five-eighth and Milford at fullback.

The experiment seemingly backfired when Boyd came up with a bad missed tackle on Jesse Ramien, which led directly to Mason Lino's match-winning try for the Knights.

But the Broncos coach is unperturbed, saying he'd spoken with both players, and that he wants them in their new positions long-term.

"I have had this conversation with Darius and Milly. I was always thinking about looking at this change next pre-season and trying to get Darius in and around the front line as a number six and putting Milly at fullback," Seibold said.

"We thought we may as well bite the bullet and make the change for both guys and give them an extended run.

"There was a bit of chaos there last week with Richie Kennar going down, so Darius had to defend as a centre and play as a halfback in attack. That probably hurt us a little bit.

"After one week you don't throw things on the scrapheap. I think it is a good thing for our team."

The Broncos are hopeful Milford's medial collateral ligament injury can be managed and he won't need an operation until the end of the season.

Seibold said if everything goes to plan, Milford will be back in his line-up next weekend.

"I want to have a look at Milf in the fullback position before the end of the year, so if we can get him back on the park sooner rather than later I will put him back to fullback and let him have an extended run there," he said.

"I thought he showed some really good glimpses. He brought the ball back really strongly and bobbed up around the place and was a real threat.

"The longer he plays in that position, the more stability we get in our team."

Think. Is this a bet you really want to place?

For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit www.gamblinghelponline.org.au