VOTE Should Milford be dropped immediately?

[Midean]

Should Milford be dropped?

No, he shouldn’t be. Like it or not, he’s still the best option we have. Dearden isn’t suddenly going to come in and spearhead the attack. Like last year, his role will be simplistic. If anything, Croft will be the one that’s given that role which is not what we want. Because he simply can’t do it. Milford is still the best chance we have of re-igniting the attack we saw earlier in the year.

I wouldn’t be against a positional switch, though.

That's depressing to read, and makes me think we are a hell of a long way off any chance of a Premiership.
If Milford is our best chance, we are royally fucked.

 

[Morkel]

That's depressing to read, and makes me think we are a hell of a long way off any chance of a Premiership.
If Milford is our best chance, we are royally fucked.

It may seem that way, but if we fix up our handling, learn to get in to the grind better, we can set an amazing platform for Milford. We have potentially THE best pack in the comp. Lodge, Haas, TPJ, Fifita, Carrigan, that has every base covered in terms of workhorses and impact. If we can get even possession, build pressure, and make a few half-chances for Milford, I have no doubt we'll get the player of 2015 and early 2016 back.

 

[Dee]

Milford shouldn't be dropped? Lol, seriously?

If he's the best we've got, which is probably true, well then we are in a pretty bad situation. Bringing Deardon in can't possibly be worse than what Milford has been giving us lately so I say bring in the kid, let him have a run, it honestly can't be worse.

Either way, regardless of Milford or Deardon, we won't beat the Titans and this could be the year we get our first wooden spoon. Thanks Seibs.

Should Milford be dropped?

No, he shouldn’t be. Like it or not, he’s still the best option we have. Dearden isn’t suddenly going to come in and spearhead the attack. Like last year, his role will be simplistic. If anything, Croft will be the one that’s given that role which is not what we want. Because he simply can’t do it. Milford is still the best chance we have of re-igniting the attack we saw earlier in the year.

I wouldn’t be against a positional switch, though.

 

[Rico]

It may seem that way, but if we fix up our handling, learn to get in to the grind better, we can set an amazing platform for Milford. We have potentially THE best pack in the comp. Lodge, Haas, TPJ, Fifita, Carrigan, that has every base covered in terms of workhorses and impact. If we can get even possession, build pressure, and make a few half-chances for Milford, I have no doubt we'll get the player of 2015 and early 2016 back.

Your optimism is a credit to you but recent performances of his seem to reflect the need of an attitude adjustment. I'm talking giving the ball away on tackle 4 with a few mins to go to HT last week and gifting a FG to the knights. Surely this is only fixed with the fear loss. Then again I am concerned that he is so mentally weak that that benching or dropping is not going to work which is maybe where your coming from? If only we could get that round 2 form back ...fingers crossed hey.

 

[rnabokov]

It may seem that way, but if we fix up our handling, learn to get in to the grind better, we can set an amazing platform for Milford. We have potentially THE best pack in the comp. Lodge, Haas, TPJ, Fifita, Carrigan, that has every base covered in terms of workhorses and impact. If we can get even possession, build pressure, and make a few half-chances for Milford, I have no doubt we'll get the player of 2015 and early 2016 back.

My god, a Milford supporter. We should have him stuffed and mounted ... next to me

 

[Big Pete]

Got room for one more rnabokov?

Let me guess here

XXXX, Morkel, Port, rnabokov, goat, BP, Freaky, Dex, jarro, slong...

Who else dares to stand beside our over-paid, over-criticised half?

 

[jarro65]

Got room for one more rnabokov?

Let me guess here

XXXX, Morkel, Port, rnabokov, goat, BP, Freaky, Dex...

Who else dares to stand besides our over-paid, over-criticised half?

[emoji106]

 

[Tomato Sorcerer]

I think milf would look pretty good playing behind a Rooters or Storm forward pack..

 

[Midean]

It may seem that way, but if we fix up our handling, learn to get in to the grind better, we can set an amazing platform for Milford. We have potentially THE best pack in the comp. Lodge, Haas, TPJ, Fifita, Carrigan, that has every base covered in terms of workhorses and impact. If we can get even possession, build pressure, and make a few half-chances for Milford, I have no doubt we'll get the player of 2015 and early 2016 back.

I want to believe that more than anything, but i don't.
Milf is on a lot of money and delivers nothing, he disappears for 90% of every game and rarely injects himself into the match.
I barely knew he was playing last game till the last 10 minutes.
You can blame everyone else on the team for Milf not delivering, but he has to shoulder his share of the responsibility all while being payed loads more than the other guys.
If all these conditions need to be met for Milford to perform, then he is not worth half of what he is being payed.
2015 was a long time ago, and he has coasted the entire time with next to no accountability.
He has had issues with fitness ( unacceptable on his paycheck ), gone missing in attack and defense and still people find loopholes as to why he is so poor and proceed to blame everyone around him.
He has to go.

 

[Aldo]

Got room for one more rnabokov?

Let me guess here

XXXX, Morkel, Port, rnabokov, goat, BP, Freaky, Dex, jarro...

Who else dares to stand besides our over-paid, over-criticised half?

I'm a fan when he is actually doing something.....

 

[Midean]

It may seem that way, but if we fix up our handling, learn to get in to the grind better, we can set an amazing platform for Milford. We have potentially THE best pack in the comp. Lodge, Haas, TPJ, Fifita, Carrigan, that has every base covered in terms of workhorses and impact. If we can get even possession, build pressure, and make a few half-chances for Milford, I have no doubt we'll get the player of 2015 and early 2016 back.

And not to nitpick mate, but re-read your post.

So for Milford to play well according to your post we need to do the following:
1 - fix our handling
2 - get in the grind better
3 - set a platform for him to perform
4 - ensure we keep our pack healthy and injury free and in form
5 - maintain workload and impact around him
6 - get even possession
7 - build pressure
8 - make some half chances.

All that for him to show up? Yea i will pass.
There is a big difference between a player out of form, on a team out of form, and a player going missing every game.

 

[mrslong]

Got room for one more rnabokov?

Let me guess here

XXXX, Morkel, Port, rnabokov, goat, BP, Freaky, Dex, jarro...

Who else dares to stand besides our over-paid, over-criticised half?

I can’t believe people want Milford (the bloke who carried us the last 3 years) dropped when Boyd is still in the team, Isaako is his fullback and Brodie Croft his halfback. Oh yeah and no hooker ffs.

The problem with Milf is his pay check, dropping him doesn’t fix that.

 

[Midean]

I can’t believe people want Milford (the bloke who carried us the last 3 years) dropped when Boyd is still in the team, Isaako is his fullback and Brodie Croft his halfback. Oh yeah and no hooker ffs.

The problem with Milf is his pay check, dropping him doesn’t fix that.

I'd be happy to see both him and Boyd gone.
If not gone, then like you said, with a much reduced paycheck.
In fact, i would happily keep Milf on 400k and not a red cent more.
Money that would be handy for players like Fifita when the Titans come knocking.

 

[McHunt]

**** having to remove every pea from under the fucker's mattress. Move him on.

 

[GCBRONCO]

Milford didn't carry us last year, the forwards did and even then we had the most dismal attack near the opposition line. It took long distance largely individual efforts like Haas against the Panthers to get us on the board. Without the forwards effort we don't even come remotely close to making the finals. As far as the spine members of last season go, O'Sullivan and Dearden both contributed solidly in their limited appearances. Turpin and Segeyaro provided much improvement from dummy half too but as far as the experienced 3 of Boyd, Milford and McCullough go. Boyd and Milford weren't shifted just for no reason they were bloody ordinary as much as McCullough was.

 

[rnabokov]

And not to nitpick mate, but re-read your post.

So for Milford to play well according to your post we need to do the following:
1 - fix our handling
2 - get in the grind better
3 - set a platform for him to perform
4 - ensure we keep our pack healthy and injury free and in form
5 - maintain workload and impact around him
6 - get even possession
7 - build pressure
8 - make some half chances.

All that for him to show up? Yea i will pass.
There is a big difference between a player out of form, on a team out of form, and a player going missing every game.

Um no, all that to give him something to work with

 

[Midean]

Um no, all that to give him something to work with

I know the conditions for him to perform have been far from ideal, but its no excuse for his part in it.
Also, he is being payed a hell of a lot more to be the guy that creates opportunities and instead is invisible for the better part of every game.
No team will provide the perfect set of circumstances to lay the foundation you guys are talking about.
Injuries happen, poor form happens, position changes happen, Milf is on the big money to adapt and deliver and he is doing neither.
Like i said earlier, there is a big difference between a bout of bad form and going missing, Milf has gone missing.
You can only blame every other guy around him for so long before it becomes blatantly obvious there are other problems that need to be addressed.

 

[rnabokov]

I know the conditions for him to perform have been far from ideal, but its no excuse for his part in it.
Also, he is being payed a hell of a lot more to be the guy that creates opportunities and instead is invisible for the better part of every game.
No team will provide the perfect set of circumstances to lay the foundation you guys are talking about.
Injuries happen, poor form happens, position changes happen, Milf is on the big money to adapt and deliver and he is doing neither.
Like i said earlier, there is a big difference between a bout of bad form and going missing, Milf has gone missing.
You can only blame every other guy around him for so long before it becomes blatantly obvious there are other problems that need to be addressed.

The Roosters and Eels do. Look at the pics I posted earlier of their formation compared to ours.

The way they play, it is easy for say Keary and Moses and Brown to create opportunities. Their shapes and structures: deep, wide, and moving as one give their playmakers space and time to create. Everyone knows their place, their job and that includes support, with Tedesco always sniffing around the plays to add the extra man. They form and reform like a machine into set patterns to initiate set moves, and they do it quickly behind quick play the balls. It's like the old saying - bodies in (perpetual) motion, relentlessly building momentum.

We stand around in an aimless clump far too much, turning the ball inside time after time for forwards to run into brick walls. Our attack is so easy to defend, It is always in the middle. No wonder Milford has few chances to do anything.

Exactly what is Milford (and Croft) supposed to do. Ask the ref to call time out while they organise the aimless clump of forwards standing flat footed waiting for the next forward to cart it up one out? Apart from which he is not a game a manger, never was and never will be. He is there to set up plays

Everything Milford did in his heyday was precisely because he had a team playing as one, forwards laying the platform for him and Hunt say to wreak havoc which they did, with backs running in support as part of a coordinated attack. This team is so very far away from that it isn't funny as we well know.

Sure Milford is down on energy and inspiration, but so is everyone. I am sure hoping that starts to turn around big time on Saturday.