"Milf will be like Locky" - Bennett

[Anonymous person]

Yahtzee.

Should've gone hard after cherry Evans, he obviously was going to leave manly and I think he wouldve jumped at the chance to build a team around him in Brisbane with him steering the ship. Milford/cherry evans/hunt is a 1/6/7 wet dream. All young, all among the best in their positions and all with unlimited potential. Players would want to play for us so they could be part of it, especially with Bennett at the helm (despite what I think about him, the one thing in glad he brings to us is pulling power).

 

[Mr Fourex]

It feels like we've been using fullbacks as 5/8s for 5 years now, so painful.

2013 - Scott Prince

2012 - Corey Norman

2011 - Darren Lockyer

2010 - Darren Lockyer

2009 - Darren Lockyer


hmmm.....

 

[Old Mate]

2013 - Scott Prince

2012 - Corey Norman

2011 - Darren Lockyer

2010 - Darren Lockyer

2009 - Darren Lockyer


hmmm.....

Oi I said feels like alright bloke.

 

[Old Mate]

And you forgot the worst of the lot.

 

[Kimlo]

And you forgot the worst of the lot.

If you're hinting at Hoffman, well he's not a fullback either.

 

[benbarba]

Didn't watch the Broncos game on Thursday night I see lol.

Oh I watched the game alright. All I heard was Phil Gould ranting about how he shouldn't be five eight, then throwing the spotlight over to Lockyer who was reticent to get involved. It was all a big wankfest lead by Gould on one of his tangents.

I believe a written article by Lockyer. lol.

 

[bazza]

I think Milford has to play his natural style rather than playing TOO structured. He needs a license to roam, which is why many, myself included, feel he is better suited to fullback, but that's another story since its unlikely that he'll be moving to fullback.

My point is there are plenty of players who play off the cuff football and play in the halves and are good at it. Marshall, Johnson and Sandow just to name a few. Hunt did pretty well last year pretty much playing in the halves by himself which indicates Milford doesn't have to try to do too much of the organising stuff and can focus more on running and testing the opposition defence.

Of course he'll have to do some of the things required of a halve, but that shouldn't be his sole focus.

 

[Alec]

Hunt did well by himself...against the shithouse teams. Against the quality ones, our lack of organisation was painful to watch.

 

[Ari Gold]

Happy to see Milford run the ball a lot more tonight. If he is to succeed at five eight, I think he needs to keep that up.

Passing obviously needs a bit of work based on what I saw tonight but that's something he deserves time with. As long as he is getting the ball and looking to run with it he's a chance.

 

[Mr Fourex]

sigh ....it's not so much the physical act of passing. More to do with timing than anything else.

Timing comes with experience.

 

[Mr Fourex]

:tape:

 

[bazza]

There is definitely an imbalance. Hunt needs to be the main man. Right now he's sort of stepping back to let Milford have an opportunity, but quite frankly Milford doesn't have the natural instincts of a halve or the playmaking skills to create something with his passing YET. I think Milford is a good player when he's running the football but sadly I think playing five-eighth at such a young age is ruining his confidence. I hope I'm wrong but from what I've seen from Milford at five-eighth so far, it just seems very unnatural with his organising, passing and kicking, and he looks a hell of a lot more comfortable when others are creating the space and he is running into it.

 

[GCBRONCO]

There is definitely an imbalance. Hunt needs to be the main man. Right now he's sort of stepping back to let Milford have an opportunity, but quite frankly Milford doesn't have the natural instincts of a halve or the playmaking skills to create something with his passing YET. I think Milford is a good player when he's running the football but sadly I think playing five-eighth at such a young age is ruining his confidence. I hope I'm wrong but from what I've seen from Milford at five-eighth so far, it just seems very unnatural with his organising, passing and kicking, and he looks a hell of a lot more comfortable when others are creating the space and he is running into it.

Actually if anything Hunt so far is playing more of a playmaking role then last season and that is because Bennett want's more from his game then just probing the line and asking questions of the defence out wide which people on here commented that he needed to add to his game, you want him to be the main man his going to need more in his resume and that takes time, something which doesn't improve overnight, likewise the expectations that Milford will suddenly be a superstar at 5/8th in 2 games at a new club and the combination between the two will be as slick as oil is unrealistic, this is a long term solution to a problem that since 2012 hasn't been addressed properly.

 

[rnabokov]

Just watching Tedesco carve up the Dragons from FB. Almost a 2nd 5/8. Reminded me of Milford. Sigh.

 

[Unbreakable]

Re: Round 8 - Broncos vs Eels

I'm interested in what you think regarding the whole Milford situation at the moment [MENTION=1899]Big Pete[/MENTION] (Yes, I think it's become a "situation" after tonights effort)

 

[rnabokov]

Re: Round 8 - Broncos vs Eels

I'm interested in what you think regarding the whole Milford situation at the moment @Big Pete (Yes, I think it's become a "situation" after tonights effort)

While we wait for Pete's learned reply, I'm consulting the ACME Book of Excuses for the wrong selection of a FB at 5/8

 

[Big Pete]

Re: Round 8 - Broncos vs Eels

I'm interested in what you think regarding the whole Milford situation at the moment @Big Pete (Yes, I think it's become a "situation" after tonights effort)

My take is that Anthony Milford as a Bronco, let alone as a five eighth is a work in progress.

Last night's performance was disappointing, but I'm not prepared to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Sure, he made 4 errors and I'd say two of those were inexcusable including the one that eventually lead to the Matt Cooper try but a lot of people are prepared to dismiss the positives as well. For starters, Anthony's short distance kicking game is one of the silkiest I've seen from a Broncos half in quite sometime and it forced 3 goal line drop outs last night which as you may know is like gold. Of course the Broncos didn't get the luxury of one of them as Dugan's drop punt had one of the luckiest bounces I've seen in a game of Rugby League but it was just one of those nights.

The other positive that I barely see mentioned is his passing before the line. Some of those passes he was throwing to Glenn and Reed were so smooth that I had no idea he had released the ball until his receivers would die with it.

Those are the type of plays that can be worked on.

What needs to be addressed is his role in the team. Perhaps one of the most frustrating plays in the game was watching Milford receive the ball on tackle two in the fifth minute with the intention of him hitting it up one off the ruck. Seriously, what a dumb play. I know that Milford is a very handy runner of the football but that sort of play shouldn't be attempted until late in the half and even then, it should be off a quick play the ball.

That play really exemplified where the Broncos have got it wrong with Milford. Yes, he should be running the ball, but it should be off other players, otherwise he should be putting the defence into two minds by ball-playing which he can do.

I agree that playing him at fullback wouldn't have made much of a difference if at all. Some of those mistakes, particularly the one that lead up to the Mike Cooper mistake weren't mistakes that were caused by playing as a five eighth. In fact, it was a second man play which is basically a fullback play in the modern game.

I'm prepared to give him the rest of the season to ply his trade at five eighth. I don't think it should be ended so quickly for a variety of reasons and I honestly believe we're yet to see the best of Anthony in that position.

One of the biggest hurdles Milford has to climb is that he has to live up to a highlights reel. Maybe I'm wrong but the way people go off about him, I swear all they've seen is videos like these...



and it's very selective. Some fans are holding him to an unrealistic standard and then using it to argue that the move was a mistake and going further with it.

To be honest, I've got no time for people when they act that way so I've stayed silent.

I'll end on this.

Is Milford the best five eighth at the club right now?

Yes.

Are our fullback stocks better than our five eighth stocks?

Yes.

There's your answer.

 

[Alec]

Re: Round 8 - Broncos vs Eels

All the positives about Milford's game just stand out more at fullback. Support play, more running, more space... still passing, but just finishing instead of being hopelessly lost overthinking everything trying to create and organise. It's true we have too many fullbacks and not enough halves, but it doesn't change the fact that a player of his talent and skillset is being wasted in the halves.