"Milf will be like Locky" - Bennett

[subsbligh]

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.

One Vidot dropped ball away from 6 in a row and the Milford issue is starting to fester.

I think the evidence of "over-coaching" is present in Milford taking the ball early and running the ball. It almost is as if his instructions are, I want your first touch to be a run of the ball. I want you to run, even if the opportunity is shit.

Anyway, I'm starting to get used to the idea of "imports fail at the Broncos" for whatever reason. Probably obesrvation bias on my behalf (maybe imports fail everywhere).

Milford seems to have come from a sheltered environment at the Raiders supported by senior playmakers taking the reins into a high pressure environment where he's called on to share that load with Hunt. He's not coping.

 

[Splinter]

Milfords failure this year is more to do with his inability to hold onto the ball than lack of play making. He is being targeted and has to learn to live with it

 

[rnabokov]

Milford hasn't failed.

Like I said earlier, recruit a player with the X-factor as a saviour, compare them to the greatest 5/8 and FB, play them out of position, dump a truck load of all sorts of expectations on him and, having crucified Barba (although his case was very different to Milford's in other ways) we seem to be doing the same to Milf.

He is doing as well as can be expected at 5/8 given the pressure he is under. At FB, he would have been the Milford we all salivated over.

Nevertheless, he is the 5/8 we had to have and at least he has the best coach in the game to help.

 

[Mr Fourex]

Milford hasn't failed.

Like I said earlier, recruit a player with the X-factor as a saviour, compare them to the greatest 5/8 and FB, play them out of position, dump a truck load of all sorts of expectations on him and, having crucified Barba (although his case was very different to Milford's in other ways) we seem to be doing the same to Milf.

He is doing as well as can be expected at 5/8 given the pressure he is under. At FB, he would have been the Milford we all salivated over.

Nevertheless, he is the 5/8 we had to have and at least he has the best coach in the game to help.

He could have been. You don't know that he would have for sure this early in the season. Typically Brisbane, there doesn't seem that much depth or space out in our back line ......I really wouldn't have expected any more out of him playing FB than he has done so far at 5/8..... given the reasons you mention in your first paragraph,

except he's not playing out of position.

 

[rnabokov]

He could have been. You don't know that he would have for sure this early in the season. Typically Brisbane, there doesn't seem that much depth or space out in our back line ......I really wouldn't have expected any more out of him playing FB than he has done so far at 5/8..... given the reasons you mention in your first paragraph,

except he's not playing out of position.

This nails it.

As for Milford's position, he's a FB and a 5/8. For me the question is - which of those 2 positions for a hugely talented, hugely hyped "import" would have been best suited for him to find himself in a place where he could feel the least pressure to perform miracles, and just be Anthony Milford.

 

[talanoa]

I think some of the criticism may be a bit harsh on milford, he has only played a handful of games in a new position and in a club that demands far more and receives more spotlight than the raiders.
I think ben hunt needs to take more control and take some of the extra responsibility away from milford (for at least this season anyway) Its no coincidence that his ball control has been a touch sloppy, he is getting targeted big time with and without the ball (some legal and some not) so I think over time he will get used to this as well. Another thing I was considering is he is a similar player to hunt, better runners of the ball rather than ball playing creative players. This is more of a concern for me as having 2 of the same in key positions does have a negative impact.
I think I will reserve my judgement for later this year as he should be well settled by then.

 

[Huge]

Perhaps Milford could add a metre or two to his depth in much the same way that Jason Smith did. He always had time to do his thing. I loved how he seemed to be treated like leper....untouchable !

 

[Renegade]

I think he'll get there in the end but it's going to be a long process and we're going to see a lot of ups and downs during it.

Having said that, i can see why people are concerned because he hasn't really shown anything yet that vindicates the decision to play him at 5/8 over others.

The biggest thing IMO though, is the shadow of Lockyer hanging over anyone who goes in the 6, it's a huge weight around the neck of any player and it can't be helping.

 

[Morkel]

I don't agree that Milford has no "vision". I can't remember at all ever thinking "oh, he should have passed then", like we had constantly with Hoffman last year. He's bombed a lot of chances for sure, but they've predominantly been via dropped balls etc. That's down to handling the pressure, which comes with experience, which means he'll only improve in that area.

Similarly, as I've said above with certain aspects of halves play, I am hoping that Bennett has told him not to worry about guiding the team around, or that sort of role of responsibility. Baby steps. If anything it shows how well Hunt has been doing, in that he's had to shoulder the majority of the burden.

 

[Ari Gold]

When people say Milf will get there with time, where exactly is there? Lockyer level? Benji level? NRL level but never good enough for rep honours?

I too think given enough time Milford will get there but never really considered what that place is. I'm thinking if anything he will be more Marshall like than Lockyer, but he still has a fair way to go to get there.

 

[Nashy]

When people say Milf will get there with time, where exactly is there? Lockyer level? Benji level? NRL level but never good enough for rep honours?

I too think given enough time Milford will get there but never really considered what that place is. I'm thinking if anything he will be more Marshall like than Lockyer, but he still has a fair way to go to get there.

So we can look forward to a couple of pretty decent years, followed by quite a few more shit ones, only for him to get really fat, and super useless?

 

[Ari Gold]

In between a rugby stint of course!

 

[Huge]

WB might just have meant that he will be like Lockyer, bald ! I will be very very pleased if Milford becomes as good as Kevvie Walters and never attaining Lockyers status. What most should remember is that before Lockyer there was Lewis which is as far back as my adult memory takes me. That's two elite 5/8 s in thirty years. It might be that we will not see another like those two greats for sometime. I for one will never expect or anticipate that Milford will be in that class. I set a much more realistic ,yet still lofty bar.

 

[Morkel]

When people say Milf will get there with time, where exactly is there? Lockyer level? Benji level? NRL level but never good enough for rep honours?

I too think given enough time Milford will get there but never really considered what that place is. I'm thinking if anything he will be more Marshall like than Lockyer, but he still has a fair way to go to get there.

To be honest I'm thinking SJ-style half, as to what level, well there was a time where I was happy that Norman got the 5/8 role over Hunt so I'm not the best judge...

 

[Astro]

I know milf hasn't quite got there yet, but I think what sets him apart from out previous failed halves experiments is there is no sense of entitlement with him. Norman Hoffman and Barba all imo had weak minds. Blaming other factors as the reason that they failed to hit the mark.
Whereas Milford so far seems like a well grounded and very humble type of person, Much like lockyer was/is.
So in terms of "milf will be like locky", I think hes half way there already. He's growing into the role and as long as he keeps the same attitude and keeps improving, I'm willing to give him as long as he needs.

 

[Porthoz]

I don't agree that Milford has no "vision". I can't remember at all ever thinking "oh, he should have passed then", like we had constantly with Hoffman last year. He's bombed a lot of chances for sure, but they've predominantly been via dropped balls etc. That's down to handling the pressure, which comes with experience, which means he'll only improve in that area.

Similarly, as I've said above with certain aspects of halves play, I am hoping that Bennett has told him not to worry about guiding the team around, or that sort of role of responsibility. Baby steps. If anything it shows how well Hunt has been doing, in that he's had to shoulder the majority of the burden.

No one is comparing Milford to Hoggman (I hope).
Wanting him at the back does not necessarily mean I think he's crap or even... has no future as 5/8. It just means I think there are better options, which could potentially make the team stronger and even help plug some of our deficiencies, like the 3/4 line.

Besides, and I think someone has already mentioned this earlier, we have 2 halves that are similar in style, one obviously further ahead, but both probably lack in the ability to control and bring structure to the team, which is exactly where Taylor excels, and it would allow Milford to do his thing from the back.

All things considered, if Taylor was able to translate his U20's form and playing style to the NRL, there is no way our spine wouldn't be better with him in the halves and Milford at fullback.

 

[Brozilla]

No one is comparing Milford to Hoggman (I hope).
Wanting him at the back does not necessarily mean I think he's crap or even... has no future as 5/8. It just means I think there are better options, which could potentially make the team stronger and even help plug some of our deficiencies, like the 3/4 line.

Besides, and I think someone has already mentioned this earlier, we have 2 halves that are similar in style, one obviously further ahead, but both probably lack in the ability to control and bring structure to the team, which is exactly where Taylor excels, and it would allow Milford to do his thing from the back.

All things considered, if Taylor was able to translate his U20's form and playing style to the NRL, there is no way our spine wouldn't be better with him in the halves and Milford at fullback.

Where do you place Boyd though? He's too talented to be sitting on the wing.

 

[Foordy]

Where do you place Boyd though? He's too talented to be sitting on the wing.

We need a player like Boyd on the wing ... a player who has speed, athleticism and knows how to find the try line.

Wing is an under-rated position IMO, by both fans and players alike. in fact some think being on the wing is beneath them (and i feel some fans think the same way) especially when you see comments like such and such is too talented to be on the wing.

try to tell guys like Yow Yeh that wing is a less important position ... I bet he'd give anything to be able to "sit" on the wing again.

In fact how many tries have been bombed by our wingers over the last couple of years ... we'd definitely be well into double figures ... that is something Boyd could rectify.