The biggest problem for Milford, is that his best attribute, running in broken play, is not utilized enough.
And the reason this is the case is because he is playing at 5/8, he needs to change positions, put Darius on the wing and Milford to Fullback. He would be deadly with kick returns, better than Boyd who gets rag dolled every-time he runs the ball back.
What are the main things you want from your 5/8? Let me list a few and see if Milford ticks those boxes -
Ability to create time (The most important attribute of a 5/8 IMO) - No
Ability to throw long cut out passes - No
Ability to chip and chase - Yes - but he does not do it often enough
Ability to steer the forwards and exploit weaknesses in the other teams defense thinking 2 or 3 plays ahead - No
Ability to snap a field goal - No
Ability to gel with the halfback - No
Ability to make important tackles - lately, No
Leadership qualities on the field - No
Fitness at his peak - No
Beat the first tackle or side-step a player to make a line break - Yes
Put the other team on the back foot in broken play in attack - Most definitely Yes
Remain positive and been seen to be trying his guts out week in week out - No
That to me are Milfords strengths and weaknesses, unless he has a dominant halfback that would compliment and improve his game, I think he is being wasted at 5/8 and instead of missing 6 tackles as 5/8, I would rather see him miss 6 tackles as fullback or Centre because of his step and his speed, he can beat the first man more often than not if he has space but at 5/8, he is jammed up in defence and struggles. Only when the other team is on the back foot in broken play does he seem to find his way, it's time to face facts, that he will always be at best an ordinary 5/8 but given a new position without the pressure of being the pivotal player in the team I think he would relax more and find more attacking options and exploit them and his confidence will grow and his game will improve.
As I said earlier in this thread, when you look at the great halves we have been blessed with over the last 25 or so years, in the future no one will ever speak of the Hunt/Milford halves pairing as it has been a failure from the get go, even in 2015 I think our forwards and Hodges got us to where we were more so than Milford and Hunt.
I hope he re-signs with a contract for 2 years with an option for either side after one year and change his position, spending more than 750K on him to me is not value, on another note, Hunt has pulled off the biggest signing coup in RL history at 26 he is not a Rep player and has jagged one of the biggest deals ever.
The Dragons have paid the equivalent of $100 for a big mac deal when it comes to Hunt, but this thread is about Milford so I guess I am allowed to use a Hamburger analogy. :ninja: