VOTE Should Milford be dropped immediately?

[Midean]

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.

The standing around in aimless clumps is largely due to fatigue caused by repeat sets and lopsided penalty counts.
It happens to any team on the back foot and always has.
This is no excuse for going missing.
Milford isn't just playing poorly, he is not even there.
His involvement is non existent and for the past few games has really only been involved in a handful of sets.
A million dollar player, with no impact, who is apparently relying on the rest of the entire team to allow him to be a million dollar player.

edit: I should add that i agree the rest of the team isn't helping his situation, nor is his coach it seems.

 

[rnabokov]

The standing around in aimless clumps is largely due to fatigue caused by repeat sets and lopsided penalty counts.
It happens to any team on the back foot and always has.
This is no excuse for going missing.
Milford isn't just playing poorly, he is not even there.
His involvement is non existent and for the past few games has really only been involved in a handful of sets.
A million dollar player, with no impact, who is apparently relying on the rest of the entire team to allow him to be a million dollar player.

So what is Milford supposed to do. Specifics please.

 

[Midean]

So what is Milford supposed to do. Specifics please.

Get involved more.

 

[rnabokov]

Get involved more.

How? Do what?

 

[Midean]

How? Do what?

See above.

 

[Mr Fourex]

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

Don't forget........over-weight.

 

[Huge]

Well Milford could threaten the line a bit more, I mean genuinely use his footwork, cop a smack and inspire by taking a few for the team. I'd like to see him next to the forwards getting belted, letting them know they're not on their own. Standing out wide waiting for the ball just isn't working as is shown in his run metres. I'd rather him overplaying his hand even if he's not being productive. That inspires the other guys.

It seems that for 90% of the game the only time he plays a part is when it's forced on him by the offense running at him. I want to see a busy bee approach full of high energy. We are predictable but Milford can change that. Everyone knows we will not try anything until the fourth hitup and Milford standing a kilometre away reinforces that in the opposition's mind. He needs camera time. If I had my way I'd tell him I either see an energy bunny against the Titans or he won't be picked next week. I want his output so high that the commentators notice and not just the Broncos fans.

I want the commentators to say "wow, Milfords in everything today".

 

[Jason Simmons]

So what is Milford supposed to do. Specifics please.

1. Run the ball. With intent. That way he can improve on 4 runs for 9 metres in a game... Maybe get into dummy half and use some of that off the mark acceleration he allegedly has to punch through holes in defensive lines, or earn a penalty from markers who aren’t square / defenders off-side? That would help us keep possession too and even up this stat at which we have been woeful.

2. Try to create some attack. There are things you can do in games of football to confuse defenders. These include stepping off the left or right foot, jinking at speed, throwing a dummy, throwing an inside pass with a support runner on your inside, perhaps a second rower or gosh darn it, maybe a fullback? Maybe look at passing two off the ruck, so our one out hit ups at least aren’t running into the best defenders on the other team all the time? Maybe Anthony could follow these hitups, just in case, you know? We manage an offload...

3. Anthony could try something different than the standard 5 one out hitups and a bomb... He could run it on the 6th. He is a ball runner allegedly... Maybe he could try a chip kick? Or a grubber? Maybe he could try a Banana kick for a winger? Maybe he could mix things up and take an early field goal and add a point, whilst retaining the ball through a kick return?

I am not an elite NRL half, so maybe I’m just talking a load of tosh, maybe it’s not possible to do these things on a football pitch, though other teams certainly do them... But there is no denying there SEEMS to be LOTS of things Anthony could do, but he quite simply ISN’T. If he were trying things like this and failing, you could observe that he is out of form, but hey at least he is trying. Unfortunately he is not even trying most of these things.

I would think for $1m a season, there really is no excuse for not having plenty of energy on the field and at least trying some of these things. You never know, they might actually pay off and get us some points if he did...

Wouldn’t that be wonderful for the lad’s confidence?

 

[Xzei]

was trying to think how many times we have kicked and found touch this year?

 

[winslow_wong]

was trying to think how many times we have kicked and found touch this year?

What’s our completion rate? Might reveal your answer.

 

[winslow_wong]

How? Do what?

He has two main plays this year and they happen very rarely as well

1. Kicks early in the tackle count. I’ll give him credit that it’s paid off once or twice. He really needs to do it more often when we are trapped in our own half. He should demand the ball and demand the outside backs chase their guts out like Hodges and JYY used to.

2. Actually calls for it at first receiver but then goes on to shovel it along to the next guy without even threatening the line. I don’t mind that he does this occasionally to get the hit up wider of the markers but he should be barking orders for the following play. Often disappears after the shovel on.

 

[theshed]

How? Do what?

he should watch some videos of JT to learn how a 5/8 can be more involved.

 

[heartly87]

When I think "get involved more" I am thinking Thurston level of involvement for 1 milli Milf.
He should be involved in everything, touching the ball multiple times a set. The guy should be fit and able to move around the field being on the ball every chance he can get. Instead we get what is currently being dished up.

It is lifeless boring footy, no creation, no spontaneity, no energy and total lack of desire. So I say drop him, if that does not wake him up, waltz into the dressing room, plant one on his chin and drop him for a 10 count and then plant a few on Boyd because their both dishing up shit. That my friends is unacceptable in the bigs.

 

[Rico]

was trying to think how many times we have kicked and found touch this year?

Most coaches try to keep the ball in to turn opposing forwards around these days but his best kicks seem to come early in the count into space to take some pressure off but our kick chase and dicipline lets us down. Our organisation late in the count and shit field postion mean kicking for line is out of the question most times.

 

[holdzy]

When I think "get involved more" I am thinking Thurston level of involvement for 1 milli Milf.
He should be involved in everything, touching the ball multiple times a set. The guy should be fit and able to move around the field being on the ball every chance he can get. Instead we get what is currently being dished up.

It is lifeless boring footy, no creation, no spontaneity, no energy and total lack of desire. So I say drop him, if that does not wake him up, waltz into the dressing room, plant one on his chin and drop him for a 10 count and then plant a few on Boyd because their both dishing up shit. That my friends is unacceptable in the bigs.

Who is punching Milf and Boyd in this scenario?? Seibold?

Love it.

 

[rnabokov]

Tell the pack what formation to get into?

Is that really his job given the entire team hasn't got a clue

 

[Renegade]

Is that really his job given the entire team hasn't got a clue

you sound like you're trying to absolve him of all responsibility.

we should rename milford to teflon. it's like, never his fault for anything. it's always another player/position/coach that's causing him to be an absolute dud. couldn't be the player, never...

has another broncos player ever been given such leeway?

 

[Financeguy]

Milford should be dropped if we have a better option but i don't think either Croft or Dearden are better players.

A premiership is not reality this year and i fear Dearden being thrown to the wolves if he is chief playmaker. Even if Dearden is a gun he will be relying on potatoes like Oates and Boyd to finish off what he creates (who have already let Milf down this year when he has created something)

If Pies needs to play Dearden to keep him at the club i'd still prefer the combo to be Milf/Dearden than Croft/Dearden.