"Milf will be like Locky" - Bennett

[Socnorb]

we have basically thrown Milford into an unknown position to see him only fail, why couldn't we at least give that shot to a rookie?

I find it hilarious you expect a young fullback to carry a team high on the ladder just because we rate him highly. So no team that ever came last had good players? Sorry, but that's a stupid argument.

If my post wasn't deleted (I'm not really sure why it was) in a thread a while back I explained that I wouldn't really consider myself a supporter of the Broncos anymore, just a supporter of NRL in general nowadays. I watch just about every game each week, but I can't say I "have a team" anymore.

Maybe that's why I see things Differently to you. I don't have those Broncos tinted glasses on anymore.

This point you constantly make about milford being missing is laughable. It's as if you're not watching the games. You nay have had higher expectations of him which he is not meeting , but that is something different altogether.

 

[rnabokov]

My two cents for what it is worth:-
1. Before anyone makes a call one way or the other on the Milf to 5/8 project, I think you have to give the kid to the end of the season before you make a call;

2. Building on the first point, it is going to be a very, very, very long season if after every game we have the doomsayers on hand or the Bennett cheer squad on the other proclaiming the correctness of their version depending on how the kid has played in the most recent game. Can we give it a run of 4-5 games before we try and utilise what has happened in a game as supporting a position. I think 4-5 games would be sufficient to constitute a trend. So if he has 3-4 more poor games at 5/8 there may be some basis for claiming that run of form as support for your milf is only good at fullback position. Similarly, if he kills it for 1-2 games that does not mean he is the second coming of Locky (yet).

3. I know it is a discussion board, but this topic has now been beaten to death. It would appear that everyone's opinion is entrenched and I don't think I have seen anyone shift position yet. Unless you have the ear of WB, I don't see what is going to change by further discussion. But if you want to get to 120 pages of the same argument being ventilated, have at it.

4. I am in the (perhaps by myself) I am not prepared to call it a failure yet and I am willing to give him until the end of the season to grow in the role camp. This week was a backward slide. but I thought he had been gradually improving prior to to this.

I guess this is what happens when a club signs a player who shows true class at another club and expects him to be the saviour, a magician, hey presto, we have Milford ... the premiership will be ours. It was the same with Barba. Then, the comparisons to Lockyer which for mine were entirely uncalled for and placed Milford under enormous and undeserved pressure.

Everyone has their agenda about their ideal roster and their favourite player and their best position, me included. That's what makes this Forum such a great place for passionate debate.

All I want to say now is that we should not lose sight of the fact that we have a great team without Milford, and we should for example look at, as I posted elsewhere, that fantastic first try we scored against the Dragons where Milford was not involved in the final play, but our existing talent was.

For mine, we can make the top 4 without Milford. Having said that, if he hits his straps, whenever that will be, it will make the job easier, because Milford is pure class and he will come good when he is ready, and, until then, there is a bloody fantastic roster being coached damn well and our results are showing that and, again coming back to that first try v Dragons, I am just going to enjoy watching my team get better and better with each game, hiccups included, and when Milford hits his straps, I'll enjoy the mighty Broncos even more

 

[Broncoman]

Personal opinion. It's never a good idea to compare up and coming players to the greats when they've got little first grade experience behind them or are yet to achieve much as it can overaw the young player and place to much expectation on them to perform. I think Milford is a talent and has a promising future but comparisons to Lockyer is to much at this stage.

 

[coreyh88]

I have been one of the staunchest Milford to 5/8th supporters.
His short kicking and short passing game have been better than Hunt's so far and steadily improving. most weeks he has made at least one line break as well. unfortunately the pass to support has always gone to ground. However with our injuries to full back it is silly not to shift him for a few weeks. It will increase his confidence after probably his worst ever nrl game. Also gives us the chance to blood a young half. either one of the nikorimas or taylor. At least until Kahu or Boyd are back.
If it did end up being successful switch I'd like to see Hunt playing second reciever rather than first as IMO this is where he really shines. Hence people saying he is good on the blind sideas these are similar situations and IMO his best form was when he was playing 2nd receiver off of Prince.

 

[Porthoz]

Foordy, most people took quite a while before they started to voice a dislike for Hoggman and Barba ( in the 5/8 role ) We all know some on here want to bag Milford simply because they wish to be proved 'right' and by extension their incredible cleverness is demonstrated. Those same people want Milford to play fullback and vehemently disagree with WBs position on the matter and if Milf fails it will validate their view and they would actively wish for that. It's called vanity. I would much rather see milf succeed as my team would benefit.

Some people take offense at these opinions because they belong to people who were vocal about the Bennett/Boyd appointment.
Personally, I have moved on from that. The Broncos will always come first for me, and this is not about being proven right, definitely not for me. It's not about bagging Milford, the team or Bennett, or even about losing to the dragqueens, as that was a collective failure imo.

I think the 2015 Bennett Broncos deserve a lot of credit, but I truly believe the 2015 Bennett Broncos with Milford at fullback and Taylor in the halves would be even better.

It (Milford at 5/8) may work or may not, but if it does, we will lose Taylor, because there is no way WB will move Ben or Anthony out of the halves (justifiably so), no matter how hard Ashley is banging at the door.

When we are missing choice #1 to #4 at fullback, have a proven fullback in the team, and a great half in the U20's coming through, why not give that a go. If it works, we might end up with a fantastic spine for many years to come.

Of course, this is based on how much I rate young Taylor more than anything, and whether the Milford experiment at 5/8 works or not, what will determine whether I was right or wrong in my belief, is how Taylor fares in the future.

Now imagine I was right, this could be our backline:

1- Milford
2- Boyd
3- Copley
4- Hodges
5- Kahu
6- Taylor/Hunt
7- Hunt/Taylor

If Taylor does fail in FG (and that is a realistic possibility), we can always go back to the Milford experiment or even look at what Jayden Nikorima could offer...

 

[Unbreakable]

Milford has already gained too much weight / muscle this season to be effective at Fullback, I'm not sure what's so hard to comprehend about that, he's put on muscle and size to defend at Five-Eighth, moving him to Fullback at this point of the season is absolute career suicide, we're much better off leaving him at Five-Eighth for the entire year and then re-evaluating in the off-season whether it's best to leave him there full time or to slim him down and move him back to Fullback.

So please stop saying we need to move him right now, because we can't and we won't.

 

[rnabokov]

Gee, Milf has a long road to travel ... hope he gets there.

 

[Foordy]

it was a privilege to watch that man run around for this club, If Milford even gets in the ball park of Lockys greatness we are going to be one lucky club ...

Locky is one of the greatest players of all time, and I think it puts far too much pressure on players to label them the next Locky, or Langer or Johns or Lewis etc.

 

[Super Freak]

Milf will come good.

Relax and be patient.

 

[rnabokov]

Milf will come good.

Relax and be patient.

If Milf is allowed to, yes, he will come good ... as Milf, not Locky.

Relax? On this forum? Now that is good advice. I am most relaxed about being unrelaxed lol.

Patient? Do we have a choice?

 

[heartly87]

probably not my place but I am going to say something anyway. I am sorry Queenslander but this is some of the most convoluted crap being written on this forum. I have been a fan of the Broncos since I could walk, I would cheer them through thick and thin with my Grandmother. In her hospital bed before her death last year she wore her Broncos scarf every Friday, decked out in maroon for the origin matches as well. In short the Broncos mean a hell of a lot for me and all ways have . I read a lot of shit on these forums I don't agree with, sometimes I share my opinion also. I don't expect anyone to read my post or agree with what I have written. I would never turn from my team due to a freaking forum because my views, opinions were not listened to or respected. The hubris you are displaying is pathetic, your opinions are not grand, masterful or superior then any other. Have some self respect man, argue your point yes but do not blame others for not agreeing with you. Also the agenda people refer to is the agenda of proving your opinion correct which from what you have written is the most important thing to you and not the team that this forum is based on.

 

[theshed]

Anyway, getting back on track does anyone think maybe Milfords limited skill displays as a 5/8 is part of his coaching.

I just had a thought that all we really saw from Milford in the early rounds were short balls (mostly to Glenn). That's pretty much all he did the first few rounds other than run the ball.

It's probay the easiest and most effective half play. Maybe he was told to perfect that before moving on to other parts of a 5/8 role. Recent rounds he has started to add some signs of a short kicking game to his arsenal. Once he perfects those maybe Wayne (/Walters) will give him pernission to start adding and working on other vital skills like a long kicking game/cut out passes/wrap arounds etc.

Other than the errors, maybe his limited game is being forced on him as part of his development by the coaching staff.

I'd love to get an in depth opinion from Wayne on how he feels Milf is doing.

 

[Nashy]

Now with that said, everyone move on and get back to discussing Milford being, or not being, the next Darren Lockyer.

 

[ivanhungryjak]

Anyway, getting back on track

Praise Jeebus!
I suspect you may be right re his development.
I thought he was coming along alright and although he took a couple of steps back on Friday night, he wasn't on his own there.

 

[theshed]

It could also be a part of why Wayne said preseason that he doesn't expect to win a gf this year. Maybe he wants Milford to take his time getting comfortable each facet of a good half game.

Or maybe this is just a nutty conspiracy theory with no basis and I'm just making excuses for a player struggling with a bit of 2nd year syndrome.

 

[Morkel]

Anyway, getting back on track does anyone think maybe Milfords limited skill displays as a 5/8 is part of his coaching.

I just had a thought that all we really saw from Milford in the early rounds were short balls (mostly to Glenn). That's pretty much all he did the first few rounds other than run the ball.

It's probay the easiest and most effective half play. Maybe he was told to perfect that before moving on to other parts of a 5/8 role. Recent rounds he has started to add some signs of a short kicking game to his arsenal. Once he perfects those maybe Wayne (/Walters) will give him pernission to start adding and working on other vital skills like a long kicking game/cut out passes/wrap arounds etc.

Other than the errors, maybe his limited game is being forced on him as part of his development by the coaching staff.

I'd love to get an in depth opinion from Wayne on how he feels Milf is doing.

Exactly this. I don't know if it was an official source, or just hearsay, but it's been posted here that Bennett has already told Milford to not worry about his kicking game yet. So to think that there other aspects that are not a priority for the moment is not a stretch at all.

It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Bennett had originally said "go out there and defend. If you see something in attack, go for it, but for now, learn to defend in the front line and don't let anything compromise that". Because compared to last year, his defence has been pretty good.

And I don't remember much of a short kicking game before the Dragons game. So maybe Benny is happy enough so far with Milf's defence, and said "good, now those short attacking kicks we've been doing, feel free to call for the ball and give them a pop".

Work in progress. If it takes all year just to phase in all the subtleties of a five-eighth's game, so be it. I'd rather that than "Here, do all this stuff right now because you're supposed to be a star" and watching his head explode.

 

[Socnorb]

I don't know that he would be able to shelve his attacking instincts. I personally don't think he going all that bad, but then I didn't have huge expectation on him first up.
His defence has surprised me pleasantly, it a part of his game where there were plenty of question marks, and a part that he needed to improve. he's achieving well in that area, that coupled with ever more opposition attention, it will be a waiting game.
I can also see what Subs is saying about just relying on physicality, Like when Marshall lost a yard of pace, he was lost, and didn't know what to do.
I still don't think we've seen Anthony's breakout game.

 

[rnabokov]

For mine, at the moment, Milford lacks vision which can't be coached. He plays from instinct and is an opportunist which is why he excelled at FB where that style of play is so much easier. He seems to need solid structures as a 5/8 which is a 2 edged sword as it both helps and hinders: helps give him direction but cuts down his options to sniff out opportunities because he is locked down on what seems like one side of the field and has a specific role which reduces his freedom.

That is the key difference between him and Lockyer right now at least. Locky could read the play, like a chess player ... 3 moves ahead. Milford can only sense an opportunity.

That is why I wanted him at FB where he could have the time and space to develop his game. I feel it would have taken him less time with a season under his belt as FB watching the team's structures unfold and develop rather than been forced into the front line right from the start.

However, the master coach knows what he is doing. It just seems to me that we are trying too hard to manufacture Milford into a class 5/8 rather than letting him evolve into the position.

It's for me a question of which route is best to take to get the best out of him, and doing what is best for the team at the same time. Nevertheless, Bennett is the master coach and that is that.